Cultivation
Chlorophytum comosum is a popular houseplant. The species, with all-green leaves, forms only a small proportion of plants sold. More common are two variegated cultivars:
- C. comosum 'Vittatum' has mid-green leaves with a broad central white stripe. It is often sold in hanging baskets to display the plantlets. The long stems are white.
- C. comosum 'Variegatum' has darker green leaves with white margins. It is generally smaller than the previous cultivar. The long stems are green.
Both cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Spider plants are easy to grow, being able to thrive in a wide range of conditions. They will tolerate temperatures down to 35 °F (2 °C), but grow best at temperatures between 65 °F (18 °C) and 90 °F (32 °C). Plants can be damaged by high fluoride or boron levels.
Spider plants have also been shown to reduce indoor air pollution in the form of formaldehyde, and approximately 15 plants would neutralize formaldehyde production in a representative energy-efficient house.
Read more about this topic: Chlorophytum Comosum
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