Also called spider plant, phalanx or hairy chlorophytum, chlorophytum is a herbaceous plant that flourishes most of the time indoors and in pots. Appreciating indirect sun, the hardy perennial, native to South Africa, is very easy to maintain. Ideally installed in suspension, it dresses your interiors with its variegated cream-green

• Scientific name: Chlorophytum comosum
• Family: Agavaceae and Liliaceae
• Varieties: chlorophytum comosum (vittatum, variegatum, hawaiian spider, aloe, bonnie, ocean, Atlantic),
• Flower color: White flowers, Yellow flowers
• Planting: Planting in March, Planting in April
• Exposure:  Partial shade, Shade
• Type of soil: drained, humus, clayey
• Use: In suspension, In planter, In pot
• Flowering:  Flowering in May, Flowering in June, Flowering in July
• Foliage: Evergreen
• Watering  : Abundant (summer), moderate (winter)
• Growth: Fast
• Longevity: Perennial
• Height: 30 cm
• Symbolic : Attention, care, union
• Medicinal virtues: depolluting plant

Varieties of chlorophytum

Chlorophytum exists in more than 200 species and many varieties. The foliage all in ribbon and falling all in green, sometimes light, sometimes dark, and dressed in cream is one of the key aesthetic characteristics of this South African perennial . All are easy to grow and maintain  ; the spider plant, depending on its species and varieties, can reach more than 30 cm. The most common of all the species is the chlorophytum comosum , which has varieties that are just as common in nurseries.

• Chlorophytum comosum bonnie : long green leaves supported with white bands in the center that roll up between them.
• Chlorophytum comosum ocean : dark green foliage tinged with creamy white, smaller but wider with a tighter tuft.
• Chlorophytum comosum atlantic : long dark green leaves with white tones in cascading ribbons.
• Chlorophytum comosum variagatum : long spider plant with green and cream colors growing irregularly, which gives it an additional charm .
• Chlorophytum comosum vittatum : white banded foliage with a green band in the center.

Other species also compete in beauty, such as chlorophytum laxum which presents species with smaller dimensions. Its leaves are also a little wider, crimped with a very bright green and a white edge, and it is embellished with pretty white flowers during the summer. The chlorophytum laxum pacific is a good example.

The species chlorophytum orchidastrum has varieties (Fire Flash, Green Orange) with wider and very green leaves.

What soil for a chlorophytum?

Teasoilfor the chlorophytum should be both rich and light . It is not mandatory to take a particular potting soil but mixing it with your garden soil is a basic rule. The chlorophytum adapts well to all types of soil, whether in pots or in the ground.

Another important rule for your soil, whether it is well drained, provided with gravel or clay pebbles.

Finally, find a bright place for your spider plant without direct sunlight at the risk of yellowing the leaves.

How to plant chlorophytum?

Hairy chlorophytum is an indoor plant that is planted in pots. It likes bright places, without direct sun. To plant it well:

1. Choose a pot that is large enough and pierced to leave room for the roots
2. Place clay balls and a little potting soil
3. Position your motte
4. Cover with soil
5. water

If you want to plant your herbaceous plant in the ground, the location can be partially shaded or even shaded.

1. Dig a hole at least twice as wide as your root ball
2. Mix your garden soil and compost
3. Add clay pebbles
4. Lay out your root ball
5. Cover with soil
6. water well

How to maintain a chlorophytum?

For an indoor chlorophytum, be sure to keep a temperature between about 8°C and 19°C during the summer period and around 10°C in winter.Foliage can dry out so spray occasionally. Maintain moderate watering and remove stagnant water in a saucer. Watering remains more or less abundant in summer and moderate in winter. Dose your watering well because too much moisture is not good for the roots.

Add some fertilizer on sunny days and get your plant out a bit. If your plant needs more space, plan for a larger pot. For an outdoor chlorophytum, think about setting up a mulch to preserve the roots. Any wilted leaves should be cut off.

How does the spider plant reproduce?

Chlorophytum reproduces easily. And we owe it to its constitution. Its stems, or stolons , give life to buds, which give rise to a cluster of leaves that take root. This therefore gives free rein to reproduction through vegetative propagation .The plant also reproduces sexually.

Once mature, the stolons temporarily give way to pretty white star-shaped flowers with a yellow heart. Then the bushy leaves take over. It is also because of the shape of these flowers that the chlorophytum took the nickname of “spider plant”.

Cutting a chlorophytum

The multiplication of hairy chlorophytum can be carried out by cuttings .

1. Pick the leafy seedlings that are born from the stolons;
2. Leave them in a glass of water, the time that the roots take;
3. If there are no roots, use rooting hormone and plant your seedlings in moist soil with sand;
4. After nearly two months of patience, the roots should have developed: you can proceed to repotting , in a pot or in the ground.

A poisonous plant for cats?

A lot of information exists on plants that are beneficial or not for animals, especially for cats. The chlorophytum is no exception to the rule. It seems to be toxic to felines, which greatly appreciate its stolons and foliage. The toxicity would be of digestive origin. And this is due to the toxins contained in the bulbs and leaves which also generate irritation around the mouth and skin.

If in doubt, if you have tomcats, avoid installing the plant in your home and first seek advice from a professional such as your veterinarian.