PLANT GUIDE:SPIDER PLANT

Watch out, there could be a spider invasion heading your way!! But hold on, don’t worry if you’re an arachnophobe because we’re not talking about those little creepy crawlies, and instead we’re all about the gorgeous spider plant.

With their elongated leaves hanging majestically over the edge of the pot, the spider plant adds a dramatic flourish to any space. So, if you fancy going for the retro vibes, read on and we’ll explain all about this houseplant and how to care for it.

Spider plant benefits

If you headed back to the 1970s, you probably wouldn’t find many homes without a spider plant taking pride of place. It’s not really surprising, especially when you find out the benefits this houseplant has to offer.

They are easy to grow – a typical spider plant features arching leaves which are usually green with either a white or yellow stripe, although if you fancy something a bit different there are some variations which have solid green leaves. These houseplants don’t need much looking after and will pretty much grow in any conditions – perfect for beginners.

They’re compact – the long leaves of the spider plant grow out from a central rosette and then cascade down the side of your pot. As a result, this houseplant rarely grows bigger than 50cm in height making it ideal for someone living in a flat or if you have a small space you want to fill. Just be aware, this plant delivers trailing foliage so you might need to give them some space – pop them on a shelf and they’ll be very happy.

They clean up the air – did you know the spider plant is a great air purifier. Studies have shown that this houseplant can remove formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air. You might need a large group of them to make a real difference.

Spider plant care

As we mentioned earlier, this plant is an excellent choice if you’re not green fingered and have a habit of killing off houseplants because the spider plant is incredibly forgiving.

First, watering. Over spring and summer, during the peak growing season, this houseplant does get a bit thirsty, and you’ll need to continuously check the soil. You can check by simply putting your finger into the top of the soil and seeing if it feels dry. The amount it needs will reduce over the winter months. Don’t worry if you do forget, the spider plant will quickly forgive you as long as you give it a good drink. If you can remember, your spider plant will appreciate a little dust of its leaves and a mist of water every now and again.

Unlike a lot of houseplants, the spider plant is fairly adaptable to the temperature of the room. It can easily cope in cooler rooms, as long as it doesn’t go below 8 degrees in the winter months. The only thing to be aware is that this plant may struggle if the air is very dry and ideally you want to avoid putting it directly neat a heat source such as a radiator.

One of the biggest factors you need to get right is the amount of light in the room. Ideally you want a bright spot that is out of direct sunlight. However, if you’re stuck with only a dark room, your spider plant can still survive although the growth may be slower, and the leaves may lose their stripes. One thing that is a big no-no for this plant is too much direct sunlight, if the plant goes too big on the sunbathing it might scorch the leaves and turn them yellow or brown.

Are the leaves on your spider plant looking a little sad? There are usually some simple solutions. If the leaves turn yellow, it’s usually down to a lack of light and you might need to move to a brighter spot. If the spider plant has brown tips on its leaves, it can be because it’s been underwatered, overwatered or the air is too dry. If you know you’ve got all the conditions right and you still have brown on the tips, it could be down to fluoride and chlorine in the water. If possible, use collected rainwater. You can remove any brown leaves or snip off the brown tips.

How to propagate a spider plant

Have you ever fancied trying to create new plants from an existing one? A spider plant is the ideal place to start. A mature houseplant is great at growing new babies and it needs only a little effort from you.

In spring your spider plant may produce spider babies at the end of the stems called plantlets . If your plant grows lots of spider plant babies, you’ll need to remove these (even if you don’t want to grow them) to let the parent conserve energy.

If you fancy growing these plantlets into a new spider plant, first keep an eye on the baby. When the spider plant baby starts to grow its own roots, detach it from the parent plant by cutting the stem just above the plantlet. Don’t cut the spider plant baby off until the roots are about 2.5cm to 5cm in length. Now pop it into a pot of compost and remember to water well. If you’re not seeing any roots appearing on your spider plant baby, you can get a small pot of compost and place it next to the parent plant. Place the plantlet on top of the soil, keep moist and it should start to develop roots. When it does, cut the plantlet off and continue growing in the new pot.

Not seeing any spider plant babies? First, think about the age of your plant, they will only appear once your houseplant is at least a year old. If it’s not down to its age it may be that the plant is not happy in its location – try switching it up and see if that makes a difference.

Are spider plants toxic to cats and dogs?

Luckily, spider plants are not known to be toxic, which means they are safe to leave around your pets and children. Of course, like most things, too much of a good thing can be bad for your pets. If you notice your cat or dog frequently having a nibble, then you might want to move the spider plant to a safe spot. If eaten in large quantities, there is a small risk of this plant causing vomiting and diarrhoea.