Plant care guide
Spider Plant Propagation: Plantlets and Division, Step by Step
Updated
How do you propagate a Spider plant?
Spider plants propagate most easily from the plantlets that form on their long, wiry stems. Root a plantlet while it is still attached to the parent, or pot one that already has roots. Large clumps can also be divided.
What to do first
Pin a plantlet onto a small pot of moist mix beside the parent. Cut the connecting stem once it has rooted. Use only healthy, actively growing plants, ideally in spring or summer.
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are among the easiest houseplants to multiply. Iowa State University Extension puts them on its list of the easiest houseplants to propagate. The small plantlets that hang from the parent are already young plants. They only need roots and their own pot.
There are three methods. Choose by what your plant has to offer.
Choose a method
| What you have | Method |
|---|---|
| Plantlets on long stems, no roots yet | Root while attached |
| Plantlets with small roots already showing | Detach and pot |
| A crowded clump, few or no plantlets | Divide the parent |
Seed is possible but not practical. Wisconsin Extension notes that seedlings will not necessarily have the parent’s leaf coloration.
Method 1: Root a plantlet while it is attached
University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension describes this as the standard method in its spider plant guide.
- Fill a small pot that has a drainage hole with soilless potting mix. Wet the mix.
- Set the pot next to the parent so the stem reaches it without strain.
- Rest the base of the plantlet on the surface of the mix. Keep the leaves above it.
- Hold it in contact with a bent paper clip or a piece of wire.
- Keep the mix moist while roots form.
- Once the plantlet has rooted, cut the stem that joins it to the parent.
Clemson Cooperative Extension’s spider plant factsheet confirms that plantlets root when they come into contact with soil. The parent keeps feeding the plantlet until you sever the stem.
Method 2: Pot a plantlet that already has roots
Wisconsin Extension says you can simply remove and pot up a plantlet that has already started developing roots. Clemson advises detaching plantlets once roots have formed and potting them directly into moist growing mix.
- Pick plantlets with visible root tips at the base.
- Cut the connecting stem close to the plantlet with clean scissors.
- Plant it shallowly in a small pot of moist mix, with the base just in contact with the mix.
- Water as the mix begins to dry. Clemson advises letting spider plants dry out slightly between waterings.
Method 3: Divide a large clump
NC State Extension lists plantlets and division as the two easy ways to propagate this plant. Clemson advises dividing and repotting before the roots expand enough to crack the container.
- Slide the plant out of the pot.
- Separate it into sections by hand, or cut through the root mass with a clean knife. Each section needs leaves and a share of the thick, fleshy roots.
- Pot each section in general-purpose potting mix at the depth it grew before.
- Water, let the pot drain, and keep it out of direct midday sun while it settles.
Timing and plant health
Iowa State says most houseplants can be propagated any time of year. Early spring through summer is best for both the new plants and the parent. Only propagate from healthy, vigorously growing plants. Skip plants with mottled leaves and weak growth, which Iowa State lists as signs of virus.
When there are no plantlets to propagate
Spider plants form their flowering stems in response to day length. NC State says stolons and plantlets develop when the parent gets short days and long, uninterrupted nights. That means less than 12 hours of light a day for at least three weeks. Clemson notes most offshoots appear as days shorten in fall. Wisconsin adds that indoor plants may produce them at any time of year.
Two other factors matter:
- Fertilizer. NC State warns that over-fertilizing decreases plantlet formation. Wisconsin agrees that heavily fed plants may form fewer plantlets.
- Pot size. Wisconsin says plants grow and produce plantlets best when slightly pot bound.
Because NC State specifies uninterrupted nights, keep the plant away from lamps that stay on late. If your plant still has none, the division method still works.
Care for the new plants
Give the young plants the same conditions as the parent. Clemson recommends bright, indirect light, with midday sun avoided. It gives 18–24 °C (65–75 °F) by day and 10–13 °C (50–55 °F) at night as ideal. NC State advises keeping temperatures above 7 °C (45 °F).
Feed lightly once the young plants are growing. Wisconsin notes that fertilizing every 3–4 months is usually enough, and that excess fertilizer can cause brown tips.
Our plantlet article covers attached and detached rooting in more detail. For general care, see the spider plant care guide. If tips brown on the new plants, see spider plant brown tips.
Related guides
Other spider plant problems we cover: sunburn, curling leaves, leggy growth.
References
How this guide was put together: University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Clemson Cooperative Extension, NC State Extension and Iowa State University Extension guidance.