Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this
The classic arching grassy houseplant that sends out wiry stems tipped with baby plantlets — the dangling 'spiderettes' that give it its name. Nearly indestructible, fast to fill a hanging basket, and famously easy to share with friends.
Light
Spider plants do best in bright, indirect light — a spot near an east or north window, or a few feet back from a brighter south or west window. Good light keeps the variegated stripes crisp and the foliage dense and arching. They tolerate medium and even low light better than most houseplants, but in dim corners growth slows, the leaves lose their bold cream-and-green contrast, and the plant produces fewer of its signature plantlets. Avoid harsh direct midday sun through glass, which bleaches the leaf tips and edges to a faded pale tan. If yours looks washed out or limp, more bright indirect light usually revives it.Watering
Water when the top inch or two of soil dries out, then water thoroughly until it drains and empty the saucer. In a warm home that's roughly weekly in spring and summer and every 10–14 days in winter — but check the soil rather than the calendar. Spider plants store water in thick, tuberous roots, so they shrug off the occasional missed watering far better than they tolerate soggy soil. Brown leaf tips are very common and usually point to fluoride and chlorine in tap water; let water sit out overnight, or use filtered or rainwater, to keep the tips green.Soil & potting
Any good general-purpose potting mix works, ideally loosened with a handful of perlite for extra drainage — these plants aren't fussy. Always use a pot with drainage holes so the fleshy roots never sit in water. Spider plants grow fast and pack a pot with thick white roots, so they'll happily become slightly root-bound (which can actually encourage more plantlets). Repot in spring every year or two, moving up one pot size, once roots crowd the surface or push the plant up out of the container.Humidity & temperature
Average household humidity suits spider plants fine, though a little extra moisture in the air helps reduce brown tips in dry winter rooms — a pebble tray or nearby humidifier is plenty. They're comfortable between 60–80°F and grow well at normal room temperatures. Growth slows below 50°F, and they're not frost-hardy, so keep them away from cold drafts, unheated porches, and frosty winter windows. They also enjoy a spell outdoors in shade once nights stay reliably above 50°F.Fertilizing
Feed with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength every 2–4 weeks during spring and summer, then stop in fall and winter while growth slows. Go easy — spider plants are sensitive to salt build-up, and over-fertilizing is itself a leading cause of those brown leaf tips. If you see a white crust on the soil or rapidly browning tips, flush the pot with plain water to leach out excess salts and feed less often.Pruning & maintenance
Pruning is minimal. Trim any brown leaf tips with clean scissors, following the leaf's natural point so the cut blends in, and snip whole damaged leaves at the base. You can remove the long flowering or plantlet stems anytime to tidy the plant or redirect energy into fuller foliage — though most growers leave them for the cascading look. Pinch off spent flowers if you don't want plantlets.Propagation
About the easiest plant to propagate there is. Each plantlet (spiderette) on the dangling stems is a ready-made baby. Set a plantlet, still attached to the parent, onto a small pot of moist soil and pin it down until it roots, then snip it free. Or cut a plantlet off and root it in a glass of water for a week or two before potting up. Either way you'll have a new plant in no time.Common problems
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Diagnose your Spider Plant →Through the year
Spring
Growth takes off — resume regular watering and feeding, repot if root-bound, and pot up plantlets to multiply your collection.
Summer
Peak growth and plantlet production. Water when the top inch dries, feed lightly, and move it to a shaded spot outdoors if you like.
Fall
Growth slows — stretch out waterings and stop fertilizing as light levels drop.
Winter
Resting. Water sparingly, skip fertilizer, and keep it away from cold glass and heat vents to limit brown tips.
Recommended supplies for Spider Plant
- A well-draining indoor potting mix
- Pots with drainage holes
- A balanced liquid fertilizer
- A long-spout watering can
- Clean pruning snips
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