Wildfeuer · CC BY 2.5
About
Known commonly as spider plant, this resilient evergreen perennial is highly popular as a houseplant, especially its variegated cultivars like 'Vittatum' and 'Variegatum'. It is notable for its ability to produce plantlets (spiderettes) that droop and root, allowing for easy propagation.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant grows to about 60 cm tall and features long, narrow leaves that reach 20–45 cm in length and are 6–25 millimeters wide. Flowers are produced in a long, branched inflorescence up to 75 cm long, featuring greenish-white flowers with six triply veined tepals. The inflorescences also bear vegetative plantlets at their tips.
Distribution & habitat
It has a widespread native distribution across Africa, being native to six of the ten World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions regions, including West Tropical Africa and Southern Africa.
Cultivation notes
It is easy to grow and can tolerate temperatures down to 2 °C, though it thrives best between 18 °C and 32 °C. It is non-toxic to humans and pets. Care should take note of its sensitivity to high fluoride or boron levels in water.
History & etymology
The first formal description of *Chlorophytum comosum* was by Carl Peter Thunberg as *Anthericum comosum* in 1794. It was subsequently moved through several genera before receiving its current placement in *Chlorophytum* by Jacques in 1862.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Crossed Chlorophytum comosum with another species?
Register the cross — if it's not yet documented you'll be the first contributor. If someone already registered it, you'll be redirected to add your photo.