How to care for a Chlorophytum (Spider plant)

The roots of the Chlorophytum or Spider Plant lie in the southern area of Africa, where these plants grow as ground cover in nature. It was taken home by travellers some centuries ago and can now be found in our living rooms.

The Chlorophytum is one of the best air purifiers among plants there is. It's particularly strong at removing from the air harmful substances that are present in every home or office. A perfect choice for a cool and healthy roommate!

This plant is not toxic for cats, pets or humans, and is therefore completely safe to have at home. We honestly were sceptical because its name sounded kinda toxic! But hey, whaddayaknow!

The Chlorophytum or Spider Plant prefers a splash of water twice a week. That's a lot and a big commitment, we know. Its not a huge deal if you miss a few though. Just make sure that no water remains at the bottom of the pot, causing roots to rot. We also recommend giving it a little mist or spray of water on the leaves every now and then. This ups the humidity levels around your Spider plant which it really likes.

Bright spot please! The best location for a Chlorophytum is in a light place without direct sunlight. A window on the north or near a window on the west / east is perfect. If this doesn't work, you can go darker but it will grow darker leaves and grow less fast.

Fertilizer for Spider Plants is a good idea in spring and summer. Skip it all-together in fall and winter. Thank you!

The Chlorophytum is a fairly fast grower and therefore often needs a larger pot. Hence why it's wise to repot it every year.

The leaves and especially the tips of its fronds can turn yellow relatively quickly. This is unfortunately part of the plants natural behaviour and difficult to prevent. It's best to cut these leaves, as it grows new ones soon after. This plant is also known for the ease with which you can make new cuttings, because they literally grow baby spider plants if the mother plant is large enough. A small cutting will then dangle from the stem. You can cut this and place it in fresh potting soil to grow a new Spider plant. There you go, your first lesson in propagating!

The Chlorophytum is unfortunately somewhat susceptible to diseases such as louse and spider mite. So check your plant every now and then for white or brown spots. See our general care page for ways to combat these diseases.