The spider plant is a decorative and easy-care houseplant that is easy to propagate and also improves the air quality.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is an easy and uncomplicated starter plant. In fact, there is hardly a more robust houseplant that deals more forgivingly with care mistakes. Another plus: If you place the spider plant in the room, you ensure a he althy room climate, because the plants can filter pollutants from the air. The long flowering shoots look attractive and bizarre. Propagation is also very easy with Kindel (small offshoots).
spicy lily - origin
The home of the robust lily family is in South Africa. The tropical plant is particularly rich in species. About 100 different varieties are known, all of which thrive in tropical areas.
Plant lovers also know the green lily by the names "grass lily" or "green Heinrich". The tropical plant was introduced to Germany in 1828.
The botanical name means "tufted" and refers to the dense tuft of leaves. The spider plant has found a permanent place in living rooms and offices for many years. The long shoots appear particularly pretty when cultivated in hanging baskets.
The right location for the spider plant
Spider plants are in no way demanding and actually tolerate almost any stand. However, certain restrictions must be made. For example, if variegated species are too shady, the indoor gardener will have to do without the pretty color because the plants then tend to turn green.
A shady location is not a problem for green-leaved varieties. In general, spider plants prefer a bright spot, but never full sun. Temperatures around 20 degrees are ideal. Spider plants can also be cultivated outdoors in summer.
» Note: If spider plants are colder than ten degrees, they will stop growing.
Select the right substrate
The spider plant gets along well with commercially available soil for indoor plants. The substrate should be loose and fresh. Keep the soil slightly moist and ensure a high humus and nutrient content.
Plant and repot spider plants
The spider plant is often sold in small planters. It is therefore advisable to place the plants in a larger planter after purchase. Spider plants need enough space in the plant pot to develop their bulbous roots. These also serve as a water reservoir for the plant.
Repotting spider plants - step by step
- provide new planter
- Prepare substrate
- Lift the plant out of the old plant pot
- Check root ball
- remove old and diseased root parts
- Put the plant in the new plant pot
- Cover 2 - 3 cm of root ball with soil
- Fill substrate
- Press the earth well
- Water spider plant
» Tip: Spider plants should be repotted when the roots swell out of the edge of the pot, making watering difficult.
Watering spider plants correctly
Spider plants need water regularly during their growth phase. Between spring and late summer it is watered several times a week. Since spider plants store water in their roots, they will not wither if watering is forgotten. If watering has been neglected for a long period of time, it will help the spider plant to take a soak.
If you water regularly, you shouldn't overdo it, because waterlogging doesn't do the tropical plants any good.
Fertilize spider plants correctly
During the growing season spider plants can use some fertilizer. A low concentration of conventional green plant fertilizer can be added to the irrigation water between March and September. Fertilizers are applied at 14-day intervals.
Spider plant - pretty varieties at a glance
You can provide variety at the flower window. The variety of spider plants can set pretty accents.
| spicy cultivar | Features |
| Streaker | deep green leaves, light stripe in the middle of the leaf |
| Variegata | green-white leaves |
| Bonnie | grows compact, twisted leaves |
| Milky Way | thin, grassy leaves, white margin |
| Vittatum | deep green leaves, leaf center almost white |
Pruning Spider Spider
The spider plant does not need regular pruning. Since the plant grows compact and notaged, no maintenance cut is necessary. If the children are too long, they can be shortened at any time.
Propagating spider plants
The propagation of the green lily succeeds even without a green thumb, simply by offshoots. On the long shoots there are already fully formed little plants with the children. All you have to do is separate these offshoots from the mother plant and place them in a stand alone flower pot.
» Tip: If the children are rooted in a glass of water before transplanting, they will grow better.
Once the roots have reached a length of about three centimetres, they can be placed in potting soil.
Recognize diseases and pests on spider plant
The robust plants are rarely visited by diseases or pests. Occasionally infestation with aphids or mealybugs occurs. In most cases, the pests can be eliminated quickly and reliably by spraying with soapy water. Isolate the infested spider plant from the flower window and apply the treatment several times a week.
If the air is too dry for the tropical plant, it shows this with brown leaf edges. The same damage occurs with waterlogging. If you over-fertilize during the growth pause in winter, the leaves buckle.
The spider plant in winter
The tropical plants need a warm place all year round. A move to a winter quarters is not necessary. If you want, you can let the plant take a break in winter when temperatures are around twelve degrees. However, the temperature in the winter quarters should not fall below ten degrees.
Is the spider plant poisonous?
The all-clear can be given here. Spider plants are non-toxic in all their plant parts. It's not just about us humans, pets have nothing to fear from the plants either.
Of course, the spider plant is not edible, so consuming large amounts of the plant can cause nausea and vomiting.