Care guide
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
The friendliest plant in the house — fast-growing, pet-safe, and forever producing baby plantlets to share with friends.
At a glance
tap for detail ↓Just arrived?
Welcome home! A little settling-in is completely normal — here’s what to know in week one.
- A dropped leaf or a little droop in the first week is just travel shock — give it a calm, bright spot and time.
- Don’t repot for at least 4 weeks. It ships happy in its nursery pot — just sit that inside your decorative cover.
- Check the plant-specific watering guidance below before giving it a drink — different plants prefer very different levels of dryness.
Light
Bright, indirect light keeps the stripes crisp and the growth quick — near an east or north window is ideal. It tolerates shadier spots too; the variegation just fades a little. Avoid strong direct sun, which scorches the leaves.
Watering
Check weekly and water when the top few centimetres are dry. Spider plants store water in their thick roots, so they’d rather be slightly dry than sitting wet. If you can, use rainwater or filtered water — they’re sensitive to the fluoride in tap water.
Humidity & temperature
Average room humidity suits it fine. Keep it between roughly 13–25°C — it’s tolerant of most homes, just not frosty porches or spots pressed against a radiator.
Feeding
A monthly feed with a balanced houseplant food through spring and summer keeps the plantlets coming. None needed over winter.
Repotting & size
Those chunky roots fill a pot quickly — expect to step up a size every year or two, when roots start showing at the surface or drainage holes. Any good peat-free houseplant mix suits it.
Something wrong?
Most problems are fixable — find the symptom below.
Brown leaf tips
Cause
The classic spider plant complaint — usually fluoride in tap water, dry air, or feed build-up.
Fix
Switch to rainwater or filtered water, flush the pot through occasionally, and trim the tips with scissors. It’s cosmetic, not serious.
Pale, limp leaves
Cause
Too much direct sun or heat.
Fix
Move it out of the direct beam — it recovers quickly in bright shade.
No babies appearing
Cause
The plant is young, or light is too low.
Fix
Plantlets come with maturity and good light — give it a bright spot and a little patience.
Yellowing leaves
Cause
Overwatering, or the pot has poor drainage.
Fix
Let it dry out further between drinks and check water can escape the nursery pot freely.
Mushy centre
Cause
Crown rot from water pooling in the middle of the plant.
Fix
Water at the compost, not over the leaves, and let it dry out. Remove any rotted material.
Faded stripes
Cause
Not enough light.
Fix
A brighter spot will bring the cream stripes back on new growth.
Meet the plant
About Spider Plant
Common names include: spider plant, airplane plant, ribbon plant.
- Listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs, though enthusiastic nibbling can still cause an upset stomach.
- The ‘spiders’ are plantlets on runners — snip one off and it roots readily in water or compost to make a new plant for free.
- It’s been a popular British houseplant since Victorian times — a genuine parlour classic.
Shop this plant
Seasonal care tips, four times a year
What to change as the light changes — no spam, ever.
