Foliage houseplant
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Spider plant is one of the most beginner-friendly houseplants going — a grass-like, arching perennial from coastal South Africa with striped green-and-white leaves and dangling 'pups' on long wiry stems. It grows fast, forgives neglect, and is completely non-toxic to pets. The cascading baby plantlets make it particularly rewarding to propagate.
Quick care
At a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect; tolerates medium light
- Water
- Let top 2-3cm dry between waterings
- Humidity
- 40-60%
- Temperature
- 18-24°C
- Potting mix
- Standard well-draining potting mix
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
- Mature size
- 30-45cm tall, 60cm+ with pups
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Origin
- Coastal southern Africa
Where to start
The first things to learn
01
Roots
Spider plants develop thick, fleshy white tuberous roots that store water — a clever adaptation that lets them survive drought. Healthy roots are firm and white; mushy brown ones signal rot. The tubers can be trimmed during repotting without harming the plant.