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Chlorophytum comosum
In case you’re desirous about including numerous greenery to your property shortly, and desire a houseplant that’s each straightforward to take care of and unhazardous, the spider plant needs to be on the high of your checklist – I do know it’s at all times on the high of mine.
Although they’re pretty commonplace so far as houseplants go, for me, spider vegetation have at all times instilled a way of awe. Once I was a toddler, my mother’s buddy Sue had a ravishing mature spider plant. I’ll admit, I fell in love with it.
I bear in mind going to her dwelling, the place I might gaze up at this houseplant hanging from the ceiling, bathed in afternoon mild, and admire the seemingly numerous lots of little spider infants cascading down from it.
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In my baby’s thoughts, that houseplant appeared like some mysterious and otherworldly creature – and it at all times stands out in my reminiscences as the perfect illustration of all {that a} houseplant may very well be.
Lately, my very own spider vegetation aren’t fairly that awe-inspiring. Not but, a minimum of. Simply wait – they’re nonetheless younger.
I’m going to information you thru the most effective care ideas for this pretty and easygoing foliage plant, so you may maintain yours joyful and wholesome, and assist it develop right into a houseplant worthy of admiration.
Right here’s what I’m going to cowl:
In case you’re a beginner houseplant mum or dad, you’ve made a sensible choice to start out with.
This is likely one of the best vegetation you may take care of in your house – and studying the best way to give it correct care will set you on a very good path towards rising more difficult indoor vegetation.
And simply to ensure we’re all on the identical web page, this houseplant is to not be confused with cleome, the flowering annual that’s generally recognized by the identical widespread title.
What Is a Spider Plant?
Chlorophytum comosum, extra generally referred to as “spider plant,” is an herbaceous tropical evergreen perennial loved for its ample foliage and talent to provide lots of plantlets.
It’s recognized all over the world by a number of different widespread names as properly, together with “airplane plant,” “ribbon plant,” and “spider ivy.”
Some name it “St. Bernard’s lily” however this widespread title is used for one more member of the asparagus household, Anthericum liliago, as properly.
This tropical species is grass-like, with slender, arching leaves that develop in a rosette kind. Its leaves are both all inexperienced, or variegated in both inexperienced and white, or generally inexperienced and yellow, relying on the cultivar.
Lengthy stalks develop within the midst of its leaves, on which it produces small, white, star-shaped flowers, in addition to tiny offsets or “spiderettes,” as its vegetative infants are referred to as.
This attribute of manufacturing infants that stay hooked up to the mom plant provides C. comosum yet one more title, “hens and chicks” or “hens and chickens” – to not be confused with the assorted succulent species that go by the identical widespread title.
Spider ivy can develop and nourish multitudes of those infants with out seeming worse for put on.
Cultivation and Historical past
These productive houseplants are a well-known sight in our houses, however odds are little about the place they really come from. C. comosum is native to a large swath of sub-Saharan Africa, starting from Cameroon and Ethiopia all the way in which right down to South Africa.
Its extensive native vary is telling – C. comosum has flexibility constructed into its genetics.
In its native habitat, it has tailored to a various vary of areas – rising on cliffs, in river valleys, and in flat thickets – in addition to in quite a lot of completely different soil sorts and water situations. This adaptability is what makes it such a resilient houseplant.
With a look at its grass-like development behavior, you’d most likely have a tough time guessing that C. comosum is expounded to a typical backyard veggie – asparagus.
C. comosum is taxonomically labeled as a member of the asparagus household, and along with asparagus, its relations embrace agave, hosta, sansevieria, yucca, and monkey grass.
The latter is also called Liriope, and members of this genus bear a powerful household resemblance to the topic of this text.
Different members of the identical genus together with C. laxum and C. viridescens are additionally generally referred to as “spider vegetation.”
The which means of this tropical species’ scientific title couldn’t be extra literal – “Chlorophytum” means “inexperienced plant” and comosum means “tufted” or “leafy.”
Swedish naturalist Carl Thunberg was the primary European recognized to gather this species within the wild, and he gave it its scientific title in 1794.
As for its widespread title, some sources recommend that its lengthy, skinny leaves are the inspiration behind the title “spider plant,” whereas a minimum of one author claims the nickname is impressed as a substitute by the offsets, which resemble spiders rappelling down from a spiderweb.
C. comosum has been loved within the dwelling – and shared – since a minimum of the early 1800s. The German author and poet Goethe reportedly had a specimen of his personal and shared its offsets along with his buddies.
However lengthy earlier than Europeans found it, native populations had been possible utilizing C. comosum in quite a lot of methods. The Nguni individuals, who stay primarily in South Africa, use it medicinally, administering it to new moms and younger infants specifically.
And along with its conventional medicinal use, this species can be thought-about edible and might be consumed like a vegetable.
Whereas its grass-like, extraordinarily fibrous foliage might be eaten, the actual edible curiosity of C. comosum lies underneath the soil, on this species’ fleshy, tuberous roots.
These roots retailer each vitamins and water, and are the key to this plant’s resilience. I’ll delve into how the roots assist to bolster C. comosum somewhat later within the article, so maintain studying!
C. comosum has naturalized in some nations exterior of Africa, and lots of researchers have revealed research trying into this species as an necessary potential supply of domestically accessible meals.
One paper revealed in 2014 in “Vitamin and Meals Science Analysis” by Ali Aberoumand, Affiliate Professor within the Division of Fisheries on the College of Expertise in Behbahan, Iran, asserts that the edible components of this species include important quantities of nutritional vitamins C and E.
One other paper by the identical researcher, revealed within the “Journal of Medicinal Meals Crops” in 2009, claims the tubers of C. comosum include “good sources of plant fibre, potassium, zinc, lipid, protein and carbohydrates.”
As a wild meals fanatic, I’m at all times desirous about including new edible vegetation to my checklist, however I’m not fairly able to topic my spider ivy to my kitchen knife simply but.
Maybe when my house is brimming with additional specimens propagated from offsets, I’d sacrifice one to be able to have a style check.
Its edible potential is definitely fascinating, however spider ivy is used primarily as a houseplant, and could also be one of the vital generally cultivated houseplants on the planet.
It’s loved primarily for its foliage and intensive populations of pups, however its small delicate flowers can seem all year long and add to its general pleasant look.
Whereas most of us will take pleasure in this species from the tropics indoors, it may be grown outdoor as an evergreen perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones Sept. 11.
It can be handled as a perennial in Zone 8, however its foliage might be killed again in winter, and it’ll begin producing new development within the spring.
Propagation
Whereas propagating C. comosum from offsets is probably the most well-known technique, it can be propagated by way of division, and by sowing seeds.
From Seed
Rising spider ivy from seeds isn’t what first involves thoughts when one thinks of propagating this species, however seeds are one of many plant’s reproductive methods, and we are able to benefit from this as properly to develop new specimens.
Earlier than you launch into such a undertaking, although, contemplate that if the specimen is a hybrid cultivar, the seedlings might find yourself trying a bit completely different from its mum or dad.
In case you don’t have a mum or dad plant to start out with, be certain to buy seeds from a good supply.
To ensure that C. comosum to provide seed heads, it’s going to should be pollinated. In case your ribbon plant is flowering in the course of the summer time, place it exterior the place some pleasant bees, wasps, or hoverflies can discover the monoecious flowers and do the job for you.
As soon as your spider ivy flowers are pollinated, they may produce fruit, which is able to include the ripening seeds you’ll be harvesting.
Look ahead to the fruit to dry out to make sure that the seeds are totally matured.
As soon as the seed heads are dry, you may harvest the seeds.
Sow the harvested seeds in a sterile potting medium, and water them gently with a mister to keep away from oversaturating the soil.
Repot the younger plant as wanted, as indicated within the repotting part of this text beneath – and remember that younger vegetation may have extra frequent watering than established specimens.
From Offsets
Propagating C. comosum from offsets might be the simplest solution to create new spider vegetation.
Since this species is so giving – or from its perspective, so desperate to unfold its genes – why not benefit from the scenario?
If Mama Spider is roofed with infants, and the infants have roots rising from them, your work might be exceptionally straightforward.
All it is advisable do is to snip off an offset from the stalk, and pot it up.
Generally, your plant may need many offsets on it that don’t but have roots of their very own. On this case, you may assist a spiderette develop roots in just a few other ways.
One choice is to snip it off and set it in a small glass of water. With this technique, you need the bottom of the offset to be touching the floor of the water, however don’t submerge your entire offset.
One other technique of propagating unrooted offsets is to imitate what would occur in nature, and root the offset whereas it’s nonetheless hooked up to the mum or dad plant.
Merely place a small pot with potting soil underneath the offset, and permit it to root whereas it’s nonetheless hooked up to its mum or dad.
Or, you may snip it off from its stem and pot it up, letting it root within the soil by itself.
When utilizing any of the strategies described right here that contain soil or potting medium, I like to recommend watering with a mister or spray bottle. This can assist to maintain the medium from changing into overly moist, granting your child a better likelihood of survival.
As soon as your offsets are rooted properly, start caring for them as you’d for a potted plant.
Try our information for detailed step-by-step directions for rooting spiderettes.
From Division
Since propagating offsets is so darn straightforward, you is perhaps questioning – why would anybody hassle with division?
Division can turn out to be useful when your plant is outgrowing its pot, and also you wish to restrict its measurement. Quite than letting it proceed to develop wider, you may divide it, creating two smaller specimens – or extra, relying in your choice.
To divide spider ivy, you’ll wish to take away your plant from its pot after which work a clump away from the principle plant, with each leaves and roots intact.
Proceed by potting up as described within the repotting part beneath.
The right way to Develop
Not like the high-maintenance prayer plant, spider ivy is pretty undemanding in its care.
Selecting a Plant
You’ll begin off on the most effective foot together with your spider ivy in case you start with a wholesome specimen.
Listed below are just a few recommendations on what to search for when selecting yours:
- Ensure the foliage is freed from pests, similar to scale or mealybugs. You’ll study extra about these pests beneath.
- Search for specimens with none browning. They need to even be freed from yellowing leaves, except the cultivar is meant to have yellow variegation.
- Decide the most effective measurement on your wants, and keep in mind that these houseplants develop shortly.
If you discover a healthy-looking specimen, examine the pot. Does it have drainage holes? If not, be certain to repot your spider ivy as quickly as attainable. You’ll discover repotting directions beneath.
Mild
Spider ivy can adapt to situations starting from half solar to full shade. However what offers you the most effective outcomes? Medium to shiny oblique daylight.
Some direct daylight is okay, simply be certain your spider ivy isn’t sitting in full solar all day lengthy, or its leaves will scorch or even fade and free its variegation.
And whereas these houseplants can stay in shade, their leaves won’t be as vibrant when grown in very low-light situations. Vibrant, oblique mild offers you the most effective foliage shade.
Vibrant, oblique mild can be what you must goal for in order for you your spider ivy to provide a lot of offsets.
Many individuals like to position their houseplants outdoor in the course of the summer time. In case you do that, be certain to place your spider ivy in a sheltered place the place it receives dappled solar publicity, and never an excessive amount of direct daylight.
Temperature
Being from the tropics, C. comosum does greatest in a “Goldilocks” temperature vary – which means it appreciates situations that aren’t too sizzling and never too chilly. Temperatures between 65 and 75°F are ultimate.
If you may be inserting your spider ivy outdoor for the summer time, bear in mind to convey it again indoors earlier than nighttime temperatures fall to 55°F. Temperatures beginning on this vary might be a bit too chilly on your houseplant.
C. comosum will not be chilly hardy, and might be killed when temperatures dip beneath freezing.
When deciding the place to situate your spider ivy in your house, keep away from drafty areas similar to areas subsequent to exterior doorways or drafty home windows, in addition to spots close to heating and cooling vents.
At all times attempt to maintain your ribbon plant at a temperature beneath 80°F, each indoors and out. In sizzling situations, spider ivy turns into extra inclined to sure ailments. (I’ll get to {that a} bit later.)
Water
Now we come to one of many secrets and techniques of the spider plant’s resilience:
C. comosum is ready to retailer water in its roots, making it extra tolerant of inconsistent watering than another kinds of houseplants.
Whereas your spider ivy might be prone to forgive you in case you miss a watering, normally, it needs to be watered when the highest inch of its soil dries out.
Nonetheless, moderately than digging my finger into the potting soil, I check these houseplants for dryness by lifting their pots – once they begin to really feel mild, I do know it’s time to water.
If the water you give your vegetation is equipped out of your municipality and in any other case unfiltered, remember that spider ivy is sort of delicate to fluoride, and can exhibit browning ideas in response to it.
In reality, quite a lot of grass-like monocots (brief for “monocotyledons,” vegetation with seeds that include just one embryonic cotyledon) can endure fluoride toxicity that will result in tip burn. Others embrace dracaena, and lilies.
Watering with rainwater as a substitute, or filtered or distilled water, will help to stop this. In case you are utilizing filtered water, double examine to ensure your filter is ready to take away fluoride – not all water filters do.
In case you’ve been watering with faucet water containing fluoride and your houseplant’s foliage has a lot of brown ideas, go forward and swap your water provide.
You too can assist the plant get well by eradicating the potting soil round its roots, soaking them in contemporary filtered or non-fluoridated water, after which repotting with contemporary soil.
Humidity
Spider ivy isn’t as choosy as orchids are in terms of humidity. It is going to thrive in environments the place the relative humidity is between 25 and 49 p.c.
Until you reside in an especially dry local weather, or your plant is in a heat, dry room, you most likely received’t must take any further steps to supply it with additional humidity.
However, in case you do stay in an arid local weather or your indoor air is extraordinarily dry in the course of the winter, go forward and provides your spider ivy a morning mist from a sprig bottle.
Simply be certain to do that within the morning whereas temperatures are warming up, as a substitute of at night time when they’re cooling.
Fertilizer
With spider ivy, you’ll wish to restrict your purposes of fertilizer. There are a few causes for this.
The primary is to keep away from undesirable uncomfortable side effects. This plant is delicate to the buildup of salts and different minerals that may happen whether it is fertilized closely, and it will possibly exhibit brown leaf ideas consequently. Overfertilizing also can stop C. comosum from producing offsets.
Secondly, this houseplant has a built-in technique for storing vitamins in its tubers. Not like different vegetation which may be heavier feeders, these actually don’t want a lot!
To guard my spider ivies from undesirable tip burn, I exploit worm compost tea to fertilize them, which is a extra light, natural strategy to fertilizing in distinction to chemical-based merchandise.
In case you don’t have a worm compost system of your individual but, you should purchase readymade worm compost and make your individual “tea.”
For this goal, I really like TeaDrops, that are “tea” luggage that include worm compost. To make use of them, you soak a bag in room temperature water, and use the ensuing worm compost tea to each water and fertilize your houseplants.
TeaDrops Organic Houseplant Fertilizer
You should buy a pack of sixteen luggage of TeaDrops at Amazon.
Rising Suggestions
- Present medium or shiny oblique mild.
- Permit the highest inch of soil to dry between waterings.
- Maintain at 65-75°F and away from chilly drafts.
Upkeep
Being the low upkeep houseplants that they’re, spider ivy actually solely requires occasional repotting, and a little bit of trimming if leaf ideas flip brown.
In case you’re aiming to domesticate a lush plant with trailing infants, you’ll additionally wish to know what to do to encourage offset manufacturing. Let’s have a look, beginning with this fascinating characteristic.
Encouraging Offsets
If, like me, your plans on your spider ivy embrace encouraging it to provide cascades of spiderettes that path down from the mum or dad plant, there are some things you are able to do to encourage offset manufacturing.
First, these houseplants reply to altering day size, very similar to poinsettia and Christmas cactus.
When C. comosum is uncovered to brief days and lengthy, darkish nights for a minimum of three weeks, it takes these lengthy nights as a cue to breed. These situations will set off your plant to ship out an extended stalk, on which it could produce each flowers and offsets.
To duplicate these pure situations, attempt to maintain your spider ivy in a location the place it isn’t uncovered to synthetic mild within the night and all through the night time.
The following factor you are able to do to encourage offset manufacturing is to chorus from repotting steadily. Specimens which can be barely pot sure usually tend to produce offsets.
Why?
From the plant’s perspective, if it’s unable to proceed to stretch its roots by way of the soil, then it had higher get busy guaranteeing one other method of spreading its genes. And that method is thru producing offsets.
Repotting
There’ll come a time, nonetheless, whenever you’ll must repot your plant.
If it has develop into so pot-bound that its roots are bursting by way of the drainage gap within the backside, or rising above the floor of the soil, these are clear indicators that it’s time to repot!
Usually, you must plan to repot younger vegetation annually and extra mature specimens each two years, however regulate this schedule to your plant’s environment – these positioned in decrease mild situations received’t develop fairly as quick.
Earlier than you start your repotting undertaking, be sure to have a brand new pot that is just one or two inches bigger than the present pot.
In case you are considering of shifting your plant as much as a a lot larger pot to keep away from having to repot so steadily, I invite you to rethink. An outsized pot might be too sluggish to empty, and this may occasionally trigger root rot.
Follow a pot that has simply sufficient room on your spider ivy to develop over the following 12 months or two.
Additionally, be certain the pot you select has enough drainage holes, additionally to keep away from moist ft, aka soggy roots.
Upon getting selected a pot, select a potting soil. You’ll need one thing that has a pH of round 6.0-6.5, and can drain properly, however that additionally has some water-holding capability, to stop your spider ivy from drying out too shortly.
Whereas it does have these fascinating water-storing roots, it’s not a cactus, in any case. Customary business houseplant potting soil will work effective.
I like De La Tank’s Houseplant Combine. It comprises pumice for drainage, coconut coir for water retention, and it’s peat-free. You may buy it at Arbico Organics.
De La Tank’s Houseplant Combine
Upon getting your soil and pot on the prepared, it’s time to get right down to the enterprise of repotting.
First, place somewhat potting soil within the backside of your new pot.
Subsequent, take away your plant from its outdated pot. Loosen up the outdated potting soil and attempt to gently loosen the plant’s roots.
Set your plant into the brand new pot. Is it sitting low sufficient within the new pot that you simply’ll have a half an inch to an inch of headspace on the high, beneath the rim? If not, regulate the potting soil in order that the plant is sitting on the proper stage.
When the extent appears good, fill in with potting soil across the edges of the plant.
When filling in with contemporary potting soil, be sure to don’t bury the crown of the plant – maintain the soil floor on the similar stage.
Water the soil, and return your houseplant to its earlier location.
Pruning
Your spider ivy received’t should be pruned, per se, however you’ll want to trim any brown ideas that seem.
For the reason that leaves of those houseplants are very effective and skinny, a pair of backyard pruners will possible be overkill for this job. As a substitute, use a pair of sharp, sterilized scissors.
In case you are seeing numerous brown ideas in your plant, be certain to evaluation the sections on watering, temperature, and fertilizer above – the most probably causes of this browning are underwatering, fluoridated water, publicity to chilly drafts, or an excessive amount of fertilizer.
Cultivars to Choose
First, the fundamentals:
At first, there was inexperienced – simply inexperienced. C. comosum is the uncultivated species plant, and it sports activities no variegation. Its lengthy leaves are medium to darkish inexperienced, and it readily produces plantlets.
In case you’re curating a spider plant assortment of your individual, you’ll wish to be certain to incorporate a specimen of the fundamental species, whose inexperienced leaves will distinction properly in opposition to the variegated foliage of your different cultivars.
Surprisingly, the pure inexperienced species is now among the many extra uncommon and more durable to seek out kinds of spider vegetation – so in case you come throughout one, you may simply wish to snatch it up.
Many of the variations between the accessible C. comosum cultivars are pretty delicate – however they do provide options which can be distinctive, and a few are extra stunning than you may count on.
Bonnie
‘Bonnie’ is a cultivated selection that comes with a stunning twist – it has curled leaves! At the very least to this author, ‘Bonnie’ appears like a spider plant that went out and obtained a perm.
The curled leaves of this selection are variegated as properly, with inexperienced on the margins, and white operating down the facilities.
Whereas I’ve at all times wished I had curly hair myself, I’m not fully positive how I really feel about this selection… I suppose I just like the lengthy, skinny, wispy leaves of the species plant and different accessible cultivars, and I don’t actually see a necessity to enhance upon its development behavior.
Or perhaps I’m simply too caught on that exact incarnation of houseplant magnificence, the spider plant of my childhood.
However I’ll definitely admit that novelty might be engaging!
‘Bonnie’ Stay Plant in 6” Pot
So in case you immediately end up obsessed with the curly “locks” of ‘Bonnie,’ you could find this cultivated selection accessible for buy in a six-inch pot from California Tropicals, by way of Amazon.
Ocean
‘Ocean’ is a more moderen cultivated selection that has streaky inexperienced leaf margins, and a white stripe down the middle of its leaves.
A extra compact selection, ‘Ocean’ foliage reaches simply eight to 12 inches in size at maturity. Due to its shorter, broader leaves, it has a considerably spiky look.
‘Ocean’ Stay Plant in 4” Pot
You will discover ‘Ocean’ in a four-inch pot from Hirt’s Backyard Retailer, accessible by way of Amazon.
Variegatum
‘Variegatum’ is a cultivated selection that has inexperienced leaves with skinny white margins. Its lengthy, swish leaves can attain ten to sixteen inches lengthy.
This cultivar can be referred to as “reverse variegated” as a result of its markings are the reverse of the commonest selection, ‘Vittatum,’ which is developing subsequent on this cultivar checklist.
Whereas this kind can deal with extra direct solar than most others, it doesn’t produce a load of offsets that’s as heavy as what you’d usually discover with different varieties.
‘Variegatum’ received the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award for Backyard Advantage in 1993.
‘Variegatum’ Stay Plant in 4” Pot
You will discover ‘Variegatum’ for buy in a four-inch pot from Hirt’s Backyard Retailer, accessible by way of Amazon.
Vittatum
‘Vittatum’ is the commonest cultivar of C. comosum present in backyard nurseries at the moment. It has foliage with pale inexperienced margins and a white stripe down the middle.
Some growers name this selection “variegated spider plant,” with out point out of the species or cultivar title.
Like ‘Variegatum,’ talked about above, ‘Vittatum’ additionally received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award for Backyard Advantage in 1993.
‘Vittatum’ Stay Plant
You will discover ‘Vittatum’ vegetation accessible for buy at Nature Hills Nursery.
Managing Pests and Illness
These easy-care houseplants aren’t terribly susceptible to pests or illness. Nonetheless, it’s necessary to know what to be looking out for.
Pests
Listed below are among the commonest pest issues for C. comosum:
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are one of the vital widespread houseplant insect pests, and so they generally assault spider ivy too.
Fortunately, they’re straightforward to acknowledge and stand out like a sore thumb, so that you’ll be prone to catch them earlier than they trigger a lot injury.
Have you ever ever seen a white fluffy residue on the stems of a houseplant? That was truly an insect: the notorious mealybug.
Members of the size household, mealybugs could make foliage seem like it has little items of cotton caught to it.
Mealybugs will latch onto and feed in your houseplant, stealing useful vitamins. This can weaken the plant in flip, and might ultimately kill it if the issue goes on too lengthy.
Making issues worse, mealybugs secrete honeydew, which may give a foothold to fungi, inflicting additional danger to your plant’s well being.
You may management these cottony-looking pests by wiping them away with a paper towel moistened with rubbing alcohol. Make sure you examine the bottom of the leaves in addition to the leaves themselves.
If rubbing alcohol isn’t sufficient to wipe out an infestation, your subsequent mode of recourse is an software of neem oil, an natural therapy that may wipe out each pests and fungi.
Ensure to comply with the producer’s directions for making use of this product.
Learn extra recommendations on controlling mealybugs.
Scale
Scale is an insect masquerading as somewhat brown bump. Associated to mealybugs, they’ve exhausting brown shells. As soon as they get settled in in your C. comosum, you may suppose it has some filth on it, or maybe that it has some kind of illness.
Similar to mealybugs, scale bugs will suck vitamins out of foliage, weakening your plant. Yellow leaves are one of many telltale indicators of their presence.
Monterey Neem Oil
These pests might be handled in the identical method as mealybugs, with rubbing alcohol or neem oil, similar to this product from Monterey, accessible at Arbico Organics.
Discover extra recommendations on figuring out and controlling scale bugs.
Spider Mites
It will appear becoming, wouldn’t it, if the spider mites discovered your spider ivies?
Becoming, maybe, but in addition irritating.
In case you discover yellow spots on the foliage – or worse, webs – examine it properly, as a result of you might have mites. You may additionally be capable to see tiny colonies of purple or brown mites shifting in regards to the webs and the undersides of the foliage.
These pests additionally suck vitamins from the leaves, and might go away your plant sick and malnourished.
To deal with an infestation of those pests, first wipe them off of the foliage with a humid paper towel, then deal with with rubbing alcohol or neem oil.
Learn extra about combating spider mites.
Different Bugs and Pests
Aphids, root knot nematodes, whiteflies, and fungus gnats can all infest spider vegetation (in addition to different houseplants).
Illness
C. comosum isn’t very susceptible to illness, nevertheless it does generally exhibit indicators of sickness. Listed below are a few issues to look out for:
Root Rot
If the foliage in your specimen begins to show yellow or wilt, and its soil appears somewhat moist, root rot could also be the issue.
Root rot is commonly brought on by overwatering, inadequate drainage, poorly draining soil, a pot that’s too giant – or all the above.
When your houseplant’s roots sit in soggy soil, they will’t get the oxygen they want. This causes them to fail to move water to the foliage, and they’ll ultimately die off.
Paradoxically, vegetation with oversaturated roots that succumb to root rot will ultimately begin to endure from dehydration. And in the meantime, fungi and micro organism can simply proliferate in that soggy soil, simply making issues worse.
If root rot appears to be an issue on your plant, attempt to decide what the trigger is:
Are you overwatering? Is the soil holding an excessive amount of water? Is the pot outsized? Does the pot – heaven forbid – lack drainage holes? (Gasp!)
In case your plastic grower pot lacks holes, or appears to have in any other case inadequate drainage, drill extra holes into the underside of the pot. (Do take away the plant from the pot first, please.)
If root rot is an issue, it’s a good suggestion to modify out the potting soil to take away any fungi or micro organism which have been given a foothold. In case you’re reusing the identical pot, go forward and clear it, then sterilize it with some hydrogen peroxide when you’re at it.
Examine the roots of your plant, and trim any which can be rotten with a pair of sterilized backyard pruners or scissors.
Repot the plant in the identical sized – or smaller – pot as indicated within the repotting part above.
Southern Blight
Southern blight is a illness brought on by a fungus, Sclerotium rolfsii, which might have an effect on many backyard species, similar to apples and tomatoes. Spider ivy is susceptible to this fungus too, which can be known as Athelia rolfsii.
Signs of Southern blight embrace wilting or collapse of the foliage. The fungus is extra lively in sizzling climate, so retaining your houseplant indoors in its most popular temperature vary is an efficient safety measure.
In case your specimen appears to be contaminated with Southern blight, take away all contaminated plant materials, and swap out the soil.
Quite than inserting contaminated supplies in your compost bin, get rid of them within the trash to keep away from inadvertently spreading this illness all through your backyard.
And in case your spider ivy is wilting and also you’re unsure why, make sure to try our article on why spider vegetation wilt!
Finest Makes use of
So far as houseplants go, this species appears stunning in a dangling basket.
And it additionally works splendidly on a stand, the place its offsets can spill down.
However that’s not all you are able to do with it. It additionally appears nice in ornamental pots, grouped along with different houseplants.
Outside, in USDA Hardiness Zones Sept. 11 C. comosum makes a pleasant floor cowl, or it may be used to cascade over a low stone wall. It can be grown outdoor as an annual in zones with chilly winters.
Fast Reference Rising Information
| Plant Kind: | Evergreen perennial | Foliage Colour: | Inexperienced, white and inexperienced, yellow and inexperienced |
| Native to: | Africa | Soil Kind: | Potting soil |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | Sept. 11 | Soil pH: | 6.0-6.5 |
| Publicity: | Medium to shiny oblique mild | Soil Drainage: | Effectively-draining |
| Time to Maturity: | 5-10 years | Companion Planting: | Asparagus fern, Christmas cactus, inch plant, philodendron, pothos, prayer plant, rubber plant, snake plant |
| Peak: | 1-2 ft | Makes use of: | Decorative houseplant, evergreen floor cowl (in USDA Zones Sept. 11) |
| Unfold: | 2-4 ft | Order: | Asparagales |
| Tolerance: | Drought, humidity, low mild | Household: | Araceae |
| Water Wants: | Medium | Genus: | Chlorophytum |
| Upkeep: | Low | Species: | comosum |
| Widespread Pests: | Aphids, mealybugs, root knot nematodes, scale, spider mites, white flies | Widespread Ailments: | Root rot, southern blight |
A Houseplant of Unusual Resilience
I hope you’re respiration a sigh of reduction proper about now. Caring on your spider ivy doesn’t should be a difficult job – simply be certain to supply it with medium or shiny oblique mild, be certain its soil isn’t soggy, and let the highest inch of soil dry out between waterings.
And above all, benefit from the bountiful spider infants which can be sure to return!
Have you ever ever fallen in love with a spider plant earlier than, like I did as a toddler? How do you’re feeling in regards to the curly cultivar, ‘Bonnie’ – yay or nay? Tell us within the feedback part beneath.
And in case you’re desirous about studying about different low upkeep houseplants, listed below are some extra articles that you simply may take pleasure in:
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