The illustrated growing guide
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Family Asparagaceae
Est. zones 9-11
The classic pet-safe houseplant that makes its own offspring on arching runners — one plant becomes a dozen gifts.
Bright indirect
Moderate water
Fast growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing spider plant? Hang it.
Our Houseplants Vol. 1 collection carries spider plant — Chlorophytum comosum, print Nº 7, “Spider Plant.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will spider plant suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
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 at a glance
Common spider plant problems
- Almost none
- Tip burn (fluoride/salts)
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow spider plant: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate spider plant
When to spray spider plant
Growing season. Use rainwater or distilled if tips brown badly.
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The year
What spider plant asks for, month by month.
The spider plant year, month by month
PruneWhat each band means
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The spider plant year as text
- Jan pruning
- Feb pruning
- Mar pruning
- Apr pruning
- May pruning
- Jun pruning
- Jul pruning
- Aug pruning
- Sep pruning
- Oct pruning
- Nov pruning
- Dec pruning
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.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Spider Plant in the garden system
What spider plant is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicSafe for pets (cats love chewing it)
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.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of spider plant, ruled as a catalogue.
Best spider plant varieties & cultivars
'Variegatum'; 'Vittatum'; 'Bonnie' (curly)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to spider plantyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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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.
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Elsewhere
Where spider plant sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron