Spider plant

About Spider plant

The spider plant is a fountain of grassy, usually white-striped leaves from southern and tropical Africa that sends out long stems tipped with tiny white flowers and baby plants, the 'spiders', that root wherever they touch soil (NC State, Wisconsin Horticulture). Thick, fleshy roots store water, so it forgives a missed watering, and it is safe around cats and dogs. In Florida it escapes into shady landscapes, and UF/IFAS no longer recommends planting it outdoors there.

Hardy outdoors in zones 9-11 (NC State); it is grown indoors everywhere, used as a summer annual in cool climates, and can summer outdoors in shade once nights stay above about 50 F.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Usually bought as a nursery plant or started from a plantlet pinned into a pot of mix (Wisconsin Horticulture); in cool climates it is set outdoors only after the last frost.

Growing it indoors

• Light: Medium to bright indirect light year-round; it tolerates low light but not hot direct sun, which scorches the leaves (NC State, Wisconsin Horticulture).
• Water: Let the top inch of mix dry briefly between thorough waterings (UF/IFAS); the thick roots forgive a missed one (Wisconsin Horticulture). Water less in winter (NC State), and if your tap water is fluoridated use rainwater or distilled water, since fluoride, chlorine and salt buildup brown the leaf tips.
• Humidity: Average room humidity is fine; very dry air adds brown tips, so a pebble tray or humidifier helps in winter (NC State, Wisconsin Horticulture).
• Temperature: MU Extension suggests 50 F nights and NC State says keep it above 45 F; UF/IFAS calls anything below 55 F too cool and above 80 F too warm, so it likes a cool room.
• Feeding: Feed only every 3-4 months, or more often at half strength; heavy feeding cuts plantlet production and browns the leaf tips (Wisconsin Horticulture, NC State).
• Repotting: Repot yearly while young and every other year once mature (UF/IFAS); the fleshy roots crowd a pot fast, but a slightly pot-bound plant makes the most plantlets (Wisconsin Horticulture).

Soil

Any good potting mix with drainage; it tolerates a wide range of soils (NC State, UF/IFAS).

Pot in any good potting mix with drainage; keep it slightly pot-bound for the most plantlets (Wisconsin Horticulture).

Feeding

• Spring through fall: balanced houseplant fertilizer. Every 3-4 months at label strength, or more often at half strength (Wisconsin Horticulture).
• Winter: none. Skip feeding and water less (NC State, MU Extension).

Heavy feeding cuts plantlet production and browns the leaf tips, and fertilizer salts add to the tip burn caused by fluoridated tap water (Wisconsin Horticulture, NC State).

Varieties (8)

NC State, Wisconsin Horticulture and UF/IFAS name 8 cultivars.

Pests to watch for

Scale insects, Mealybugs

Diseases and problems

Root and crown rot, Brown leaf tips (tip burn)

In the kitchen

Safety: No poisonous parts are reported; NC State tags it non-toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses. Fluoride and chlorine in tap water harm the plant's leaf tips, not people.

Pets: Clemson HGIC lists it among pet-safe houseplants and NC State tags it non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses; the ASPCA's own spider plant page would not load for us, so check it before you rely on this.