You can also tell a spider plant from its tell-tale thin, grass-like leaves that come in beautiful variegated patterns. The Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’ has leaves with white/yellow centers with green outlines, while the Chlorophytum Comosum ‘Reverse Variegatum’ leaves have green centers with white/yellow outlines. The Chlorophytum Bonnie’s leaves come out hilariously curly. When a spider plant is happy, these leaves will grow very quickly. Native to the coast of West and South Africa, the spider plant is relatively hardy and can withstand a wider range of temperatures than some other popular houseplants. “Spider plants are fantastically adaptable and will tolerate a range of conditions indoors,” says Brooke Blocker, the founder of houseplant shop Outside In. That being said, Karen Hugg, gardener and author of Leaf Your Troubles Behind, says that they wouldn’t be at the top of her list of easy-care varieties. “The only reason is that spider plants like to be moist; they don’t want to be wet, and they don’t want to be dry,” she says. So you should know your way around a watering can before bringing one of these coastal plants into your space. “These houseplants are sensitive to overwatering (which can cause irreversible damage), so when in doubt, less is best,” say Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan, authors of the upcoming book Bloom: Flowering Plants for Indoors and Balconies. As for how often you’ll need to water, Blocker says it really depends on where your home is, how much light your plant is getting, and the time of year. Brush up on your skills to ensure you’re always getting watering day just right with this comprehensive houseplant watering guide. If your plant’s leaves are drooping, it might not be getting enough sun. Move it closer to a window or place it under a grow light. If the leaves look light in color—almost like they’re getting scorched—it’s a sign they’ve had too much sun and should be moved further away from your light source. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
