Chlorophytum - Another easy to keep alive houseplant !! 

Spider Plant

Description

 Chlorophytum are commonly called spider plants. It’s a genus of almost 200 species of tropical flowering plants native to Africa, Australia, and Asia.But of all of those there are only 2 species commonly used as houseplants. C orquidastrum, and C comosum (plus all its varieties and cultivars).The genus name, Chlorophytum is derived from the Greek words, chloros, meaning "green" and phyton meaning "plant." 

Chlorophytum orquidastrum

 The orange Spider plant!Native to the seasonally dry tropical regions of West Africa. The plant is best known for its rosette of broad, vibrant, lance-shaped green leaves with orange petioles and midribs. There are no varieties yet – just the one species. 

Orange !

 It has an erect and clumping habit and grows about 8 inches tall. They thrive in bright, indirect light and well-drained, loamy soil.The flowers are star-shaped and white to creamy white and appear along an 8-inch shaft from the center of the plant during the summer. If pollinated, the plant produces green triangular seed pods. 

Chlorophytum comosum

 THE most common and well-known of all houseplants. It is easy to grow and propagate, tolerant of neglect, and able to thrive in nearly any type of condition. It gets its common name from the small plantlets produced on long trailing stems that vaguely resemble spiders. 

Spike with plantlets

 A clump-forming herbaceous plant, native to coastal areas of South Africa. It has narrow, strap-shaped leaves arising from a central point. Plants grow 15″ tall.The thick, fleshy roots and rhizomes evolved to store water, allowing it to survive inconsistent watering. The leaves are not flat, but appear channeled or folded down the middle. Another adaptation to infrequent rains. 

large thick water storing roots

 Depending on the variety - leaves may be solid green or variegated with lengthwise stripes of white or yellow. Long thin stems up to 2 feet long are produced, especially in response to short days and long, uninterrupted nights.Small white, star-shaped flowers are produced at the ends of the stems. After flowering, more leaves are produced at the end of the stems, forming small plantlets. If a flower is pollinated, a leathery, 3-angled capsule-type fruit is produced that contains flat black seeds. 

pretty flowers !

Common varieties include:

 Milky Way - leaves with green margins and a broad white to cream centerVittatum - dark green leaves with a wide, creamy white stripe down the center of each leaf.Variegatum - broad green leaves with white margins.White Stripe - has a narrow white to cream line down the central leaf vein 

Air purification

 Studies have shown that spider plant is quite effective in cleaning indoor air by absorbing chemicals including formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, and carbon monoxide in homes or offices. Recent study confirmed this happens in just a few hours after placing in the home !!! 

Growing

 Thick, fleshy roots allow spider plants to tolerate inconsistent watering. So - allow the soil to dry slightly between thorough waterings. Overwatering (too frequently) or planting in poorly drained soils can lead to root rot.Fertilizing every 3-4 months is usually sufficient. Heavily fertilized plants may not form as many plantlets and excessive fertilizer may lead to tip browning. Low humidity, excessively dry soil, salt accumulation and/or chemicals, particularly fluoride or chlorine, in tap water may cause brown leaf tips too.   

You can't go wrong with a Spider Plant !

How about filling your windowsill with some !

Call us - we know our Chlorophytum !  

PLANT SPECIALISTSGREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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