Spider Plant

Arching striped leaves and dangling babies; one of the easiest pet-safe plants.

Produces baby plantlets on runners that you can pot up as gifts. Great on a shelf above a Boston fern.

Chlorophytum comosum

Varieties: Variegatum (white stripe), Vittatum

Southern Africa

Approx. 20-40 cm

Final size varies with the variety, pot size and light conditions.

Fast

Medium indirect light

Place it one to two metres from a bright window. Avoid direct midday rays.

Water once the top 3-5 cm of soil is dry and empty the saucer afterwards. Yellow leaves mean too much water; drooping means watering was late.

Watering needs change with room temperature, pot size and season, so check the soil rather than following a fixed schedule.

Low humidity is fine

Handles dry air well and needs no extra humidity.

Ordinary indoor temperatures between 18 and 28°C suit it well.

Avoid direct AC airflow and intense heat behind glass in summer.

A well-draining indoor potting mix.

A balanced diluted liquid feed once a month from spring to early autumn; stop in winter.

Repot when roots fill the pot or push through the drainage holes, when the plant becomes unstable, or when growth slows. Move up one pot size only.

Trim long or bare stems to keep the plant full, and remove any yellow leaves.

Wipe broad leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust, and avoid leaf-polish products.

Brown tips are almost always from fluoride and salts in tap water; use filtered water.

Non-toxic. Cats love to chew it; harmless but can cause a little vomiting if they eat a lot.

Source: the ASPCA list of toxic and non-toxic plants. If a pet swallows any plant, contact a veterinarian immediately.

• Yellow leaves: usually overwatering or poor drainage.
• Brown tips: dry air, tap-water minerals or a direct AC draft.
• Drooping: watering was delayed or the soil dried out completely.
• Slow growth: not enough light or time to repot.

Spider mites in dry conditions, Mealybugs on stems and leaves, Fungus gnats when the soil stays wet

• Kitchen
• Bathroom
• Office
• Desk

• New Baby
• Get Well
• Thank You

Simple cream ceramic in keeping with the Flower Palace look.

• Small·20-40 cm · 12-15 cm pot
• Medium·40-90 cm · 17-21 cm pot
• Large·90-150 cm · 24-30 cm pot
• Statement·Over 150 cm · 30 cm pot and above

Available sizes vary by plant and stock; confirm the size when ordering.

One of the few cat- and dog-safe choices, and easy to propagate.