Chlorophytum comosum

Credit: Ann-Sophie Qvarnström

Chlorophytum comosum flower

Credit: Hugo Santacreu

Young shoot of Chlorophytum comosum

Credit: Hugo Santacreu

Chlorophytum comosum

Credit: Yoan Martin

Chlorophytum comosum, the spider plant

Chlorophytum comosum comes to us from South Africa and is very popular with beginners and office gardeners alike. A member of the Asparagaceae family, it can withstand sub-zero temperatures, but is best grown indoors and in pots to take advantage of its drooping habit.

How to recognize the spider plant Chlorophytum comosum?

Chlorophytum comosum grows to between 20 and 60 centimetres tall. It's a perennial with a bushy habit.

The spider plant has no visible stem. The rosette of leaves emerges directly from tuberous roots.

The leaf blades resemble a sword or ribbon. Long and thin, they have a pointed apex. Their color depends on the variety. Leaves can be entirely green or variegated with cream, as with chlorophytum comosum 'Variegatum or chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie.

Chlorophytum comosum blooms in summer, even indoors. White, star-shaped flowers bloom at the end of a flowering spike.

After flowering, seedlings appear on stolons. These take root and give rise to new spider plants.

Chlorophytum comosum is considered a non-toxic depolluting plant for humans and most animals. But cats are sensitive to it. Phalangere causes digestive problems when ingested. It can also cause irritation on contact.

Our maintenance tips

Chlorophytum comosum are perfect plants for beginners, the faint-hearted and anyone without a green thumb. They need only a little water and light. But with the right care and a little attention, their foliage reveals all its beauty.

Watering

Water when the soil is dry, for about three centimeters. Use room-temperature, non-calcareous water, preferably rainwater. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves.

Thirty minutes after watering, drain off any stagnant water in the saucer. It may rot the roots.

To improve humidity, place your Chlorophytum comosum with your other plants or place its pot on a dish of moist clay balls.

Spray

Chlorophytum comosum like humidity. Mist your plant with non-calcareous water at room temperature. Avoid spraying tap water. It leaves white marks on the foliage.

As well as improving hygrometry, spraying helps to prevent pest infestations.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Chlorophytum comosum to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

Obtain a perforated jar.

Place clay balls or gravel in the bottom for drainage. Pour in potting soil for green plants and place your Chlorophytum comosum in the center. Fill with substrate.

Water directly after repotting.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Apply liquid fertilizer for green plants when watering.

Cleaning

To promote photosynthesis, remove any dust that accumulates on the leaves with a feather duster or a clean, damp cloth.

Prune

Remove dried or yellowed leaves.

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Choose a location sheltered from the wind. Leave a space of 50 centimetres between chlorophytum comosum and other plants. Your plant will particularly appreciate the company of tall trees: their roots absorb water and leave well-drained soil.

Dig a hole two or three times as wide and deep as the root ball. You can add gravel or pozzolan to the bottom to promote drainage. Place a layer of garden soil and plant chlorophytum comosum in the middle.

Cover with soil, making sure to bury the root ball. Tamp down and water for the first time to eliminate air bubbles.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Locate a young shoot and carefully separate it from the mother plant. Take care to remove its roots without damaging the rest of the root system.

Reproduce the various sections in the desired locations.

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Locate a young shoot and carefully separate it from the mother plant. Take care to remove its roots without damaging the rest of the root system.

Select an aerial stem, then bury the new rosettes in a pot with sandy soil. You can use a wire or hairpin to secure it in the soil so that it doesn't move. But be careful! At this stage, the stems must not be separated from the mother plant!

When the roots reach two or three centimetres, cut off the stolon and repot the new plant.

Diseases / Threats

Information

Family	Asparagaceae - Asparagaceae
Type	Chlorophytum - Chlorophytum
Species	Chlorophytum comosum - Chlorophytum comosum
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Half-shade Shade
Substrats	Clay soil Humus soil Sandy soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs Planter
Categories	Interior Herbaceous
Origins	South Africa West Africa Central Africa
Hardiness (USDA)	10b
Leaf color
Flower color