If you’re looking for an attractive, low-maintenance plant to add to your collection, spider plants are a fantastic option. They thrive in various conditions and don’t require much extra care once established, making them an excellent choice for beginner gardeners or busy individuals. Plus, spider plants are non-toxic to dogs and cats, so they’re an ideal pet-safe houseplant.
Spider plants can be houseplants but also flourish outdoors in warm, temperate climates. Bring outdoor spider plants inside if your region gets cold winters before temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. With hundreds of spider plant varieties available, there are plenty of options for different colors, textures, shapes, and sizes. Discover some of the best spider plant varieties for your home garden.
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Variegated
Variegated or ‘Vittatum’ spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’) are graceful plants with a gently arching, round growth habit. The narrow, tapered leaves have creamy white centers and bright green edges. Once mature, the plants measure between 1 and 2 feet tall and wide.
Hawaiian Spider Plant
Bring a bit of tropical bliss to your plant collection with a ‘Hawaiian’ spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Hawaiian’). These beauties grow broad green leaves featuring a golden-yellow stripe down the middle. They grow up to 2 feet tall and wide.
Zebra Grass
‘Zebra Grass’ spider pants (Chlorophytum laxum ‘Zebra Grass’) produce long, narrow leaves with green centers and yellow edges that turn creamy white after a little while. It’s a larger variety, reaching 18 to 20 inches tall and 15 inches wide at maturity.
Bonnie Spider Plant
‘Bonnie’ spider plants, also called ‘Curly’ spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Bonnie’), have curly, variegated leaves with green edges and a white stripe down the center. They stay relatively compact, growing 6 to 9 inches tall and 1 to 1.5 feet wide.
Solid Green
For a more classic look, ‘Solid Green’ spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Solid Green’) don’t have variegated leaves. True to the name, the broad, elongated leaves are bright green with no central stripe. Their mature size is between 1 and 2 feet tall and wide.
Fire Flash
One of the most exotic spider plant varieties is ‘Fire Flash’ (Chlorophytum orchidastrum). Also called ‘Green Orange’ spider plants, these unique specimens produce broad, shiny, dark green leaves with orange midribs sprouting from a rosette of fiery orange stems. When kept indoors, they typically grow 1 foot tall and wide. Outdoors, the plants may reach up to 2 feet.
Caring for Spider Plants
Overall, spider plants are remarkably adaptable and thrive in a wide range of conditions. They’ll grow outdoors year-round in USDA zones 9 through 12 but cannot survive below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Spider plants grow best when temperatures are between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you live in zone 8 or below, you can move your spider plant outdoors for the summer and bring it back inside when the cold weather arrives. Or, keep potted spider plants indoors year-round where they receive bright to moderate indirect light.
To grow spider plants outdoors, find a spot with partial or full shade. However, direct sunlight burns the leaves, causing them to turn brown. These plants look great in hanging baskets, borders, or cascading over the edge of a wall or container.
Spider plants have moderate water needs. They grow best in consistently moist soil during spring and summer when they’re most active. Let them dry out more during slower growth periods in fall and winter.
In addition, spider plants don’t require much fertilizer. Feed your plants once per month in the spring and summer and every other month in the winter. Over-fertilized spider plants may not produce any new plantlets.
Spider Plant Flowers and Propagation
Spider plants occasionally produce small, white, star-shaped flowers, usually during spring and summer. However, some varieties only flower when the plants are young, while others bloom once they mature. In general, spider plants are more likely to produce flowers when they’re slightly root-bound.
If you’d like to grow more spider plants, you can propagate spider plant pups, also called plantlets, spiderlings, or spiderettes. Once they’re at least 2 inches long, remove them from the mother plant and root them in water. Or, place the runners in the soil next to the mother plant and cut them loose once they’ve rooted themselves.
Welcome to the Jungle
Growing spider plants comes with numerous benefits. They’re attractive, low-maintenance, and perform well in various settings. What’s more, studies have shown that spider plants purify the air in your home. Native to coastal South Africa, these tropical evergreens make an outstanding addition to any home garden.
Are you a spider plant fan? Share your thoughts on spider plants in the comments below!
