SPIDER PLANT
Chlorophytum comosum
This plant is one of the great survivors of the houseplant world. It can tolerate a lot of neglect and bounces back well when remembered. It’s been a popular houseplant for decades, bringing bright foliage to empty windowsills with its beautiful arching leaves, which have fresh lime green and white variegation.
“I’m hard to kill and a great air purifier.”
I’ll remove toxins
I can reduce the risk of exposure to formaldehyde, which might be found in varying levels in wooden-furniture stains, varnishes, and polishes, adhesives, building materials, detergents, and cigarette smoke. I absorb the toxin into my leaves and release oxygen in its place.
I’ll be your work companion
I can survive in artificial light, making me perfect for brightening up office spaces. Studies have also shown that a splash of greenery helps improve productivity and decrease stress.
I’m a good oxygenator
The white patches in variegated leaves lack chlorophyll, which gives a plant its green color and is vital for photosynthesis. But I produce more chlorophyll than other variegated foliage plants, which means I release more oxygen into the atmosphere.
Enjoy my leaves!
My horticultural name, comosum, means to have long or abundant hair, which suits my slender, swordlike leaves. In fact, my leaves are also edible, so I am a particularly safe plant to have around pets and young children.
Let’s make babies
I am also known as the “hen-and-chickens” plant, since I sprout many babies on long stalks, which trail down. These little plantlets can be cut off and potted up as new plants or left hanging down to give me a more interesting shape.
Help me thrive
POSITION Likes a bright spot, but avoid direct sunlight as this can burn its leaves. Grows best between 55°F (14°C) and 65°F (18°C) at a constant temperature.
POTTING Transplant to a larger pot with an all-purpose houseplant compost when you start to see the roots emerge above the soil.
GROWTH RATE These plants are rapid growers, producing plenty of sprouts. They can grow up to 2ft (60cm) tall and can get to 3¼ft (1m) wide.
CARE Allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering. Use a liquid houseplant feed every week or two in spring and summer.