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There are more than 250 evergreen rhizomatous perennials in the genus Chlorophytum. The most common is Chlorophytum comosum, which comes from South Africa.
In Greek, Chlorophytum means “green plant,” but several variegated hybrids make this plant easy and fun to grow.
Spider Plants General Overview
According to its scientific name, the spider plant, or Chlorophytum comosum, is a perennial plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names for this plant include “airplane plant,” “ribbon plant,” “hen and chickens,” and “spider ivy.”
Spider plants, which belong to the Asparagaceae family, typically don’t get taller than 24 inches, and their leaves never get wider than 18 inches.
There are over two hundred different kinds of spider plants, and they all contribute to better air quality.
If cared for properly, spider plants can look strikingly unusual and visually appealing, with leaves that grow upward and arch outward.
They have both solid-green and striped-green spider plants, as well as variegated varieties.
Small, star-shaped white flowers are the hallmarks of this plant’s blooms, and its ability to produce offspring sets it apart. You can propagate new spider plants by removing these from the mother plant and repotting them.
A spider plant’s ideal environment is a high shelf or a hanging basket, where its foliage can drape gracefully down. This gives your plant plenty of room to expand, including its stems and leaves.
Green variants exist but are much less common than the many variegation forms. Further, the foliage of various cultivars can be either straight or curly. I like the way the leaves look when they curl up.
Even though these plants are well-liked for their low demands for light, water, and feeding, the greatest difficulty lies in watering and, more precisely, in avoiding overwatering. Root rot and fungal infections can be caused by overwatering.
Most spider plants thrive in the tropics in high humidity and temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
They can thrive in environments that have either full sun or partial shade.
Pet owners can have peace of mind knowing that their canine and feline companions are safe around spider plants because they are not poisonous.
Types of Spider Plants
Below is a table of 13 spider plant varieties with their scientific names. We’ll do a brief review of each. Blow that I list three additional “Spider Plants” from species other than C. comosum.
| Common Name | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Solid Green Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum |
| Curly Spider Plant | C. comosum ‘Curly Green.’ |
| Reverse Variegatum Spider Plant | C. comosum ‘Curly Green.’ |
| Shamrock Spider Plant | C. comosum ‘Shamrock’ |
| Variegated Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum ‘Bonnie Variegated’ |
| Airplane Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’ |
| Mandanum Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’ |
| Lightning Spider Plant | C. ‘Mandaianum’ |
| Spider Plant Milky Way | C. ‘White Lightning’ |
| Ocean Spider Plant | C. comosum’ Milky Way |
| Pacific Spider Plant | C. comosum ‘Pacific’ |
| Atlantic Spider Plant | C. comosum ‘Atlantic’ |
| Lemon Spider Plant | C. comosum ’Lemon’ |
Below is a table of four Chlorophytum (green plants) species other than C. comosum, also favorite spider plants, but scientists have disowned them from the spider plant family.
Common Name | Botanical Name |
|---|---|
| Fire Flash Spider Plant | Chlorophytum amaniense ‘Fire Flash’ |
| Hawaiian Spider Plant | Chlorophytum viridescens ‘Hawaiian’ |
| Spider Plant | Chlorophytum sparsiflorum |
| Zebra Spider Plant | Chlorophytum laxum’ Zebra.’ |
How many Types of Spider Plants are available?
It has more than 200 different spider plants. It can’t be found among the 200 different types. These plants adapt and proliferate indoors and outdoors in virtually all circumstances. Hence, they are considered popular houseplants.
Vittata varieties have leaves with white centers, while variegated varieties have white edges and green centers.
Below I share the most common spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) and some of the other popular species.
Favorite Types of Spider Plants
Solid Green Spider Plant
This original Chlorophytum comosum is a solid green plant with glossy leaves without white stripes. Spider plants are super durable and thrive in low-light environments, making them a houseplant favorite.
Though it thrives in partial shade, spider plants can also handle bright indirect light, but you should avoid direct sunlight for all your spider plants. The ideal conditions for growth are slightly moist soil and relative humidity of about 60%, though it won’t die if the air is drier.
Keep spider plants away from temperatures below 50 °F (10 °C). Avoid using water directly from the faucet to water houseplants, especially the spider plant.
Let tap water stand in an open container for 24 hours, allowing the chlorine and fluorides to dissipate. Watering with chlorinated water causes leaf tip burn.
In the colder months, watering should be reduced. Mist the leaves occasionally in summer to minimize transpiration and water loss.
Overfertilization reduces plantlet production, so take. Spider plants aren’t heavy feeders; some compost will do them well.
Propagation is simple, but look at my Spider Plant Care article for how to do that.
Heads-up: Spider plants are short-day sensitive, only reproducing if the nights have been longer than 12 hours for at least three weeks.
If nightlights are in the room where you keep your plants, they won’t develop stolons and plantlets from the mother plant.
Spider plants make great low-light hanging baskets plants – I also wrote an article on that topic: 13 Best Hanging Plants for Low-Light Rooms.
Curly Spider Plants – Also Called Bonnie Spider Plant
Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum Bonnie. This spider plant has distinctive curly leaves, especially on the plantlets. The curly spider is one of the easiest plants to care for and ideal for beginners due to its hardiness, low water requirements, and rapid growth.
Graceful and distinctive, the curled leaves of the Bonnie spider plant are one of the plant’s most recognizable characteristics. Similarities between a Bonnie and a Vittatum can be seen in their appearance. The leaves of this plant are a moderate green color, and yellow stripes run vertically down the middle of each leaf.
In contrast to other spider plants, the Bonnie spider plant is easily distinguished by its shorter, more coiled leaves.
The leaves of this variety are typically arranged in an alternating pattern and have a wavy, curly appearance.
This particular variety is an excellent option for a plant growing in a limited space. This plant will only reach 8 to 18 inches because its leaves are much smaller.
Its compact dimensions make it ideal for use in bathrooms, patios, and small rooms.
The Bonnie spider plant is called the “Toilet Plant.” This is because many plant parents use the Bonnie to embellish their bathrooms.
They can tolerate drying out and must be watered every few weeks in the winter and every week to two weeks in the spring and summer.
Chlorophytum is non-toxic to pets and children.
Reverse Variegatum Spider Plant
The ‘Variegatum’ cultivar of the houseplant known as the spider plant has green leaves with white margins and is considered a variegated variety. It produces tiny white flowers in the shape of stars, giving rise to plantlets hanging from stems that can grow up to 2 feet long.
A variegated plant requires bright indirect light to boost the vibrancy of the variegation, so place it right in front of a window for the best results. Unlike other spider plants, variegated spider plants thrive in conditions ranging between 4 – 8 bright indirect light daily.
If your reverse spider plant starts turning light green, they’re not getting enough light. It is more light-sensitive than other spider plants that flourish in low-light environments.
This is a beautiful plant, but then again, all the varieties of spider plants are – and they’re easy to maintain.
Variegated Spider Plants
Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum Vittatum; that’s your variegated spider plant botanical name. It is an absolute favorite among the common spider plant varieties. The first listed is the most widely used spider plant, the Vittatus spider.
You will probably see the same plant variety in a local nursery/garden center. The Vittatum Spider Plants, also called the venomous spider plant, are among the more familiar plants among houseplant lovers.
These particular varieties possess a medium green leaf that has yellow stripes in its middle. The leaf is large as well and usually appears in alternating patterns. The tree can reach 2 – 3 feet tall at full growth rates.
Ocean Spider Plants
The ocean spider plant (Botanical Name: C. comosum’ Ocean’) is the perfect choice for growing a small specimen in small spaces. This perennial spider plant variety will be ideal if you like plants with a minimal tropical look.
The ocean is a little spider plant with yellow borders and a green center that resembles visitants. This plant can be called “Mini Variegatum.” Many residents in smaller apartments prefer the ocean plant because of its compactness.
Hawaiian Spider Plants
The Hawaiian spider plant’s botanical name is different from the rest. This is a C. viridescens and is my favorite spider plant due to its distinctive color combination. Many gardeners call the plant Golden Glow.
The Golden glow is caused by the varied coloration of leaves, creating multi-colors. It has golden colors, making it a unique spider species from other species. Intriguingly, the Hawaiian spider plants grow a variety of newly colored leaves that slowly fade with age, making them more color.
Zebra Spider Plants
Botanical name: Chlorophytum laxum ‘Zebra’ – another alternative to the common Chlorophylum. If you want spider plants with varying color palettes, consider Zebra Spider Plant. These species are distinguished by their wide leaves with dark green corners and bright white streaks across their center.
This is most noticeable in zebra spiders because they lack the characteristic yellow stripes. The house will have a new vibe after a few upgrades are made. The unusual color scheme is guaranteed to attract attention and spark a lively discussion. Its unique color combinations will surely turn heads and make an interesting conversation.
C. laxum, or Bichetii Grass, is a houseplant characterized by long, narrow, arching leaves that typically feature white banding down the middle or along the margins.
Roots are fleshy, and the infrequently seen white flowers have six tiny petals.
The roots are fleshy, and it has tiny 6-petaled white flowers that rarely appear.
It is often confused with Spider Plant (C. comosum).
Spider Plant Varieties Final Thoughts
Several types of spider plants exist, but not everything called by that name is a spider plant. Still, they all make the most attractive houseplants.
The most excellent thing about them is that they are no-fuss plants that reproduce like nobody’s business.
The spider plant grows well in low light – another bonus.
