Spider Ivy Chlorophytum comosum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Anthericum Comosum
- Phonetic Spelling
- kloe-roe-fy-tum koe-MOE-sum
- Description
-
Spider plant is an herbaceous perennial houseplant in the Asparagacea (asparagus) family. Its native region is tropical West Africa to Cameroon and Ethiopia to South Africa.
It is commonly grown as a houseplant for its adaptability to many conditions. Spider plant prefers medium light levels yet can tolerate deep shade. It is intolerant of direct sunlight. It grows best in moist soil and medium air humidity, though it is tolerant of drought and dry soil. Keep temperatures above 45 degrees F. Avoid watering with tap water as the chlorine and fluorides can cause leaf tip burn. Reduce watering during winter. Mist leaves occasionally in summer. Do not over-fertilize as this decreases plantlet formation. Spider plant propagates easily by plantlets or division. Stolons and plantlets are light dependent and develop when the mother plant receives short days and long, uninterrupted nights–less than 12 hours of light a day–for at least three weeks.
Spider plant does particularly well in hanging baskets or other containers where the leaves and stems can cascade down the side.
Quick ID Hints:
- Green linear leaves are often striped white
- Long stolons produce plantlets and flowers
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Milky Way'
Cream leaves edged in green. - 'Picturatum'
Leaves have central yellow stripe - 'Variegatum'
Leaves edged in white or cream.
- 'Milky Way'
- 'Milky Way', 'Picturatum', 'Variegatum'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Milky Way'
Cream leaves edged in green. - 'Picturatum'
Leaves have central yellow stripe - 'Variegatum'
Leaves edged in white or cream.
- 'Milky Way'
- 'Milky Way', 'Picturatum', 'Variegatum'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chlorophytum
- Species:
- comosum
- Family:
- Asparagacea
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- W. Tropical Africa to Cameroon, Ethiopia to S. Africa
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Cascading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9b, 9a, 10b, 10a, 11b, 11a
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small capsule after flowering.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small white star-shaped flowers form in loose panicles, the stolons sometimes bearing plantlets at nodes. Flowers erect to typically arching-pendulous, white, 1/4 in, tepals 6, spreading, free.
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-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Strappy green or striped green and white leaves up to 12-18 in long. Sessile, crowded, linear to lanceolate, grass-like, often striped white longitudinally, 12-15 nerved and a deep groove in the middle.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Leaves emerge from a short, compressed stem. Stolons are long and green, producing flowers and plantlets.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Walkways
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heavy Shade
