Spider Plants
Created | Updated Jan 29, 2013
Native to southern Africa, the spider plant is a popular house plant amongst non-arachnophobes. The spider plant has several nicknames including the 'ever so scientific' Chlorophytum comosum, ribbon plant and airplane plant. The plant has thin, green and white leaves and can survive almost indefinitely in medium light as long as its roots are in water. As this plant requires no soil and rarely attracts bugs, it is an ideal house plant. The plant is also ideal because the root system can store water longer than most hanging plants.
One of the most common disappointments with spider plants is when their leaves turn brown at the tips. This can be caused by direct sunlight or by chemicals in their water, particularly chlorides and fluorides. Avoid this by watering them with rainwater.
To make baby spider plants, keep them in a darkened room to simulate autumn, which is when they naturally reproduce. Also, your spider plant will produce more babies the more root-bound it is. To take strain off the mother plant, remove babies as they mature and place them in water or soil. Trim the stem off both the mother and the baby to separate the plants. The babies will soon mature into new plants.