Just for a change, most of this is a genuine horticultural op.
Most, but not quite all.
And when my good and knowledgeable friend Lee (Gardenex), has written about Chlorophyta – which is of course the correct Latin plural for more than one Chlorophytum – (nothing worse than a smart-arse-Aspen, is there?) What can I add?
Well, I won’t in fact try to add anything. I’ll just write my own thing, as usual.
If ever there was a beginner’s house plant, this is it.
Now it is a fallacy to say that some plants thrive on neglect.
But the Chlorophytum, or Spider Plant, is about the closest you’ll ever get.
It doesn’t like to be overwatered, but as a first houseplant, it is ideal, because you’ll forget it’s there. And so, you will under-, rather than over-water. And if you underwater, the worst that
will happen, is that the tips of some of the leaves will turn brown.
Okay, no big deal, trim the brown bits off with a scissors.
Good as new.
Chlorophyta are dead easy to propagate. They produce young plants at the ends of the flowering stems, not unlike strawberry runners. Although in botanical terms, totally different, but who cares? Similar enough for Ciao. This is hardly Gardeners World. And although as I get older, and I suspect I begin to sag in places, it will be a helluva long time before I can be compared to a Charlie (or two).
To get your own babies, you have two choices.
Either fill a small (3”) pot of seed/cutting compost, pull the shoot with the plantlet at the end, down to the pot of compost, and peg it down with a piece of wire. Or basically anything which will hold it in situ.
Or be really brave, cut it off, and plant it in a pot of compost, and just pretend it has roots. Very soon it will have.
I have rarely seen a houseplant so easy to propagate as a chlorophytum.
And as for growing conditions – well, anywhere. Apart from a darkened room, obviously.
Like all plants, Chlorophyta need light to photosynthesise (make food), but our adaptable Spider needs less light than most. Which makes it ideal for that shaded hallway, or the bathroom windowsill, if, like mine, it only gets direct sunshine for one hour per evening between the months of July and . . . well, just July, really.
I have never known a houseplant to survive so well on neglect. This does not mean you should neglect it. Feed it, water it, give it good light, and it will take control of your living space. You will need a machete to control it.
But if you do put it in a shady place, and forget to water it, it is unlikely to die.
It may go off a bit round the edges, but will perk up as soon as you rediscover it and give it some revised TLC.
The spider plant is the ideal beginners’ houseplant. Not only is it almost unkillable, but it will give you babies.
(Now all sorts of follow-on comments from that last statement wizzed briefly through my mind. But you know me. Resistor of all temptations.)
[For those of you who only wanted a horticultural op, and sorry it’s a bit shorter than usual, may I suggest you stop reading now, and scoot down to the rating thingy.]
For anyone who’s still reading, I cannot help but see the similarity between the Chlorophytum and the Ciao Member.
Thrives on neglect.
Continues to grow despite lack of sustenance (like the Aspen Chlorophytum who hasn’t been paid since May, but what the hell, writes on regardless.)
Gets browned off with neglect.
Will thrive in any obscure corner (sub-topic), despite failing to attract light (Premium Fund).
In the current climate, did you really think any op of mine wasn’t going to have a dig at some stage??
There’s just one thing I don’t understand. The Spider is a Chlorophytum, right?
So why Boris, wigggly?
Stupid question, sorry..
Your bum ain’t big enough for Chlorophytum.
Maybe one day!!
PS. When was the last time you read an Aspen op without a PS?
PPS. Where are you Dan? I depend on you to tell Uncle Aspen he should be in bed at 3.00 on a Friday morning. Even though I’m only drinking iced water (shame), I still have to be up in three and a half hours!
Oh, b*gger. G’night, all.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Good op. I'm not exactly known for being 'green-fingered', but I do like houseplants - I have been sticking to aspidestra's for now, because they can tolerate a bit of neglect, so your op has now given me another option for cheering up my house. Thanks.
MRSCANADA 14.04.2002 21:12
...'we weave...' nice review..LL
anjib 21.10.2001 21:54
Ahem.... I recently killed my little babies off - I forgot to water them, I'm terrible with plants that you have to water!
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