Four Fantastic Spider Plant Benefits
You might not have a green thumb, but Spider plant benefits will be a good reason to add one or two of these attractive plants to your home or place of work.
As the only types of “spiders” that you would be happy to see in your house, a spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is both a welcome resident and a lovely addition to any home.
Spider plants produce a ling, thin arched foliage. They are especially nice grown in a hanging basket where the leaves can hang over the pot and grow down in a cascade.
The “Vittatum” variety of spider plants has green foliage with a off-white stripe down the center of each leaf.
The “Variegatum” has an off-white stripe that runs along each edge of the leaves. There are also solid green spider plants.
The spider plant got its name from the spiderettes (or babies) produced in the summer months that hang down from the mother plant. They look much like baby spiders dangling from a web.
Originating from South Africa, spider plants also go by the names “airplane plant”, “ribbon plant” and “spider ivy.”
There are many advantages to having plants both at home and work. We are going to take a look of four of those fantastic benefits.
#1 Takes Out Carbon Dioxide and Releases Oxygen
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. That is a whole lot of time!
Unfortunately, indoors is also where there are some pollutants that are up to five times higher than outdoors.
But before you despair, The National Aeronatuics and Space Administation (NASA) comes to the rescue!
NASA did a Clean Air Study about ten years back. They were looking for a way to provide purer and cleaner air on space stations.
During this study, NASA used houseplants, the spider plant included, to see if they made any difference in air quality.
The NASA study proved that spider plants benefits you by helping to clear the air when it takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. Not only that, spider plants look good while doing so!
#2 Easy To Grow, Maintain and Are Non-toxic
If you are new to taking care of a plant or just a busy person, spider plants are one of the more forgiving plants to have.
Spider plants benefit the newbie who has not had a plant before, as they can pretty much take care of themselves.
They will do well in various lighting conditions except direct sunlight and enjoy a bit cooler temperature between 55 to 65 degrees.
Spider plants don’t need a lot of water, once a week will do them just fine. These clever plants have the ability to store water in their roots. They actually prefer to dry out between waterings.
When you see the plant having taken up all available space in their pot, it is then time to give them more room for their feet.
They don’t mind a semi-pot bound environment, but when it becomes difficult to water them, you will know it is time to repot.
You can use these handy mini gardening tools to transplant your spider to a larger pot and to divide the “babies” into other pots.
You can impress your friends by Growing Plantlets From Spider Plants. Use them as gifts for your friends and family. They will make a lovely, easy to care for addition to their homes.
A major benefit of the spider plant is that they are non-toxic.
If you have a household that has pets (cats in particular) or kids (of the two year old variety) you will not have to call poison control if you see one of them chewing on a spider plant leaf.
#3 Spider Plants Are Natural Humidifiers
When you water your spider plant only a small amount of the water is taken up by the roots to be used for growth. The rest of the water, about 97%, is expelled by the leaves of the plant.
This expelled water evaporates, making the transpiration process act like a humidifier. This can aid an area of your house that has dry air.
It will make breathing easier and eyes less dry and throats less scratchy.
#4 Removes Toxins From The Air
Those same NASA tests found that the spider plant benefits the quality of the air around it. It is a champion cleanser!
The tests showed that spider plants remove almost 90% of potentially concer-causing chemical formaldehyde from the air.
This is especially important as many household products like adhesives, grout and fillers contain formaldehyde. You would not be remiss to have a spider plant in your bathroom or kitchen.
There have been some studies that suggest spider plants can also bring down the instances of colds and coughs.
One of the reasons why is that having plants removes toxins from the air you breathe, it gives your immune system a boost that, in turn, helps you to ward off a cold.
In Conclusion
Plants in your home or place of work have many benefits. They improve air quality, they can boost your mood and productivity.
Plants add an appealing visual to your home and make it feel more cozy and welcoming.
Plants have been shown to reduce stress, increase productivity, clean the air and reduce noise levels.
The spider plant in particular is easy to grow and requires little specialized maintenance. Using a few basic steps will keep your spider plant growing and thriving.
FAQ
Should I cut brown tips off my spider plant?
Any foliage that needs pruning should be cut off at the base of the plant. Use sharp pruners or scissors. When removing spiderettes, cut the long stem back to the base of the plant.
How often should I water a baby spider plant?
Keep the soil for a baby spider plant moist, but not soggy. Be careful not to overwater as it will rot the roots of the plant. As the baby grows, only water when the top inch of the soil is dry.
Do I have to take the babies off the mother plant?
No, you don’t have to detach the baby plants, you can leave them as is. If you do decide to detach them, plant them in their own container while they are still attached to the mother plant. Once they are established, then you can cut them apart.