Chlorophytum Comosum “Spider Plant”

The Spider plant, or Chlorophytum comosum “Ocean”, resembles clumps of long grass, although they are most closely related to hyacinths and dracaenas than true grasses. They have long striped leaves, fleshy, almost succulent, roots and produce offsets from long stems. Small white flowers are also occasionally produced and these form distinctive seed pods once pollinated.

Spider Plant offsets are often produced on very long stems. These hang from the parent plant until they reach the ground and root (or are taken as cuttings and rooted to form new plants). However, the long offsets means that spider plants can make good plants for indoor (and even outdoor) hanging baskets.

The foliage of Spider Plants is usually striped. “Ocean” is a cultivar of the variety ‘Variegatum’, which has leaves that are predominantly green with creamy white margins. The offsets are borne on green stems. ‘Vittatum’ is another naturally occurring variant, but its leaves have green edges and a white central stripe, with its offsets carried on white stems.

The scientific name “Chlorophytum” comes from the Greek words Chlorus meaning green, and phytum meaning plant – quite possibly the least imaginative botanical name ever given. All our potted plants come in compostable coir pots.