Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Family Asparagaceae
Spider plant might be the most generous thing you can hang in a window: arching striped fountains that launch baby plantlets on runners like a mobile of tiny green spiders. Every one of those babies is a future plant — and a free gift for somebody.
Fully pet-safe — cats famously chew it and come to no harm — fast, and unfussy in ordinary bright rooms, it's the classic starter plant that never stops being worth it. Hang one basket this year; give away a dozen plants next.
Bright indirect
Moderate water
Fast growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing spider plant? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries spider plant — Chlorophytum comosum, print Nº 446, “Spider Plant.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what spider plant actually needs.
Hardy inZones 9-11Spider Plant · Common problems
Common spider plant problems
Pests
2 problems on file
- Almost none
- Fungus Gnats
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Tip burn (fluoride/salts)
- Salt Burn
Spider Plant · Growing & propagation
Growing spider plant
- Light
- Bright indirect
Tolerates medium
- Water
- Moderate
Brown tips usually mean tap-water fluoride, not thirst
Soil- Any potting mix · pH 6.0 - 7.2
Fertilizer- Monthly, lightly
Overfeeding reduces plantlets
Pruning- Anytime
Snip spent runners; pot up the babies for endless free plants.
Spacing- One per pot
How to plant & propagate spider plant
- Propagate
- Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups
Spider Plant · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The spider plant growing playbook
When to spray spider plant
Growing season. Use rainwater or distilled if tips brown badly.
Spider Plant · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Spider Plant · Yearly calendar
The spider plant year, month by month
Jan
PruneJanuary to December
PrunePruneJanuary to December
What each band means
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Spider Plant · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Chlorophytum comosum
Spider Plant in the garden system
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What spider plant is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicSafe for pets (cats love chewing it)
Use- Hanging baskets
- Use
- Pet households
- Use
- Gifts
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Spider Plant · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a spider plant variety
'Variegatum'; 'Vittatum'; 'Bonnie' (curly)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Chlorophytum comosum
- Plant family
- Asparagaceae
- Growth habit
- Houseplant · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- CHCO28
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Spider Plant
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Spider Plant questions, answered straight.
Is spider plant safe for kids and pets?
Spider Plant is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Safe for pets (cats love chewing it. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate spider plant?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
Elsewhere
Where spider plant sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron