Spider plants are fun novelties

It’s easy to see how the plant gets called “airplant” plant or “spider” plant when you see its dozens of offsets. Click image for larger view.

Yep. It’s the same plant you’ve probably also called “airplant plant.” And however you identify it, it’s one of our most popular hanging basket plants.

Our son met his daughter from college halfway for Sunday lunch a few weeks ago. We tagged along to the famous Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap. Our waitstaff lady told us that Mr. Perini had this spider plant’s great-great-great-keep-going-grandmother in his wedding decades ago, and he’s been showcasing it at the restaurant ever since. Click images for larger view.

Odds are you have one hanging out on the patio right now and you’re wondering what you should do with it over the winter. Or maybe you wanted to start some new ones to hand off to friends. Let me give you a few quick facts that should be all that you’ll need.

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Here are the spider plant basics…
Scientific name: Chlorophytum comosum

Common names: Spider plant, airplane plant

Native home: South Africa

Hardiness Range: Zones 9-11

Best temperatures: 60-85F, will not tolerate temperatures near or below freezing.

Best lighting: Outdoors early morning sunlight, shade rest of day; Indoors in a bright south or west window.

Chlorophytum amaniense (foreground) and Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’ in Sperry landscape. Click image for larger view.

Cultivars:
I have several photos, but the link at toward the end of the story shows photos of most.

• Variegated spider plant Chlorophytum commosum ‘Vittatum’

Arching green leaves with white stripes in centers.

• Reverse spider plant
Chlorophytum commosum ‘Variegatum’

Green leaves with white stripes along edges.

• Green spider plant
Chlorophytum commosum

Looks similar to the two above, but with solid green leaves. Not as showy.

• Bonnie spider plant
Chlorophytum commosum ‘Bonnie’

Green leaves with yellow stripes down middles. Leaves curl. Plants are more compact.

• Ocean spider plant
Chlorophytum commosum ‘Ocean’

More compact, wider variegated leaves.

• Zebra spider plant
Chlorophytum laxum ‘Zebra’

Very dark green leaves with white edges for dramatic look. Shorter at maturity.

Young variegated spider plants in smaller pots are just getting a great start. Each of these, properly grown, will become mother to hundreds. Click image for larger view.

Preferred soil: Highly organic potting soil, preferably no native topsoil. Ideal mix would contain 50-60 percent sphagnum peat, 20-30 percent finely ground pine bark, 15-20 percent horticultural perlite.

Fertilizer: High-nitrogen, but do not over-feed. Plants that are over-stimulated tend not to produce as many offsets. The tubers store nutrients efficiently.

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To help new plantlets form:
In addition to keeping plants a bit “hungry,” plantlets will form when nights are long and uninterrupted for several weeks.

Propagation from plantlets:
As your plant develops new plantlets, clip them off and plant them into 4-inch pots filled with the potting soil described above.

Note about air purification:
The NASA Clear Air Study (1989) found that spider plants (airplane plants) were effective at removing common household air toxins formaldehyde and xylene. I remember that report.

However, in preparing this story, I found subsequent studies that suggest that the numbers of plants required would be impractical – that normal outdoor-to-indoor air exchange would be sufficient.

So we are left to enjoy our spider plants for their beauty alone.

And another Note…
I saw reference to the fact that there are 200 species in the genus Chlorophytum. I had no idea! Here is a story from a source I don’t know that lists 15 unusual spider plants. If you’re really interested in starting a collection of the rare types, this might be a starting point.

Posted by Neil Sperry
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