I have never seen a curly spider plant for sale in a nursery, so I figure shopping on the internet is the best way to get one. Fortunately, you can buy them online fairly easily.
Curly Leaf Spider Plants VS Regular Variegated Spider Plants:
Compared to the standard green spider plant, the curly version looks quite unique. Plus, when it starts sprouting off-shoots, it can have a very interesting appearance.
Compared to the typical 4″ shrub or flower that you can buy at your local nursery for about $5, the Bonnie Curly Spider Plant costs about $15. That may sound expensive at first, but consider this…
Get 100’s of Spider Plant Babies for No Additional Cost
As you already know, Chlorophytum Comosum can turn into hundreds of plants over time. In other words, $15 is cheap for 100’s of plants, right?
Not many varieties have this multiplying feature. Not to mention, they are extremely easy to propagate even in a bowl of water.
4″ Spider Plant Quickly Grows into a Massive Mound of Foliage
But what if you only want one plant without propagating new spiderettes? In that case, their foliage quickly grows to a large, full size, especially when you keep the off-shoots attached.
Place the Chlorophytum Comosum in a larger flower pot so that it has room to expand. Then, feed it plant food regularly and provide adequate sunlight and water.
You will quickly have impressive looking greenery that looks like it costs much more than $15.
Can You Actually Buy Healthy Spider Plants by Mail?
Buying plants online can pose a challenge, because you don’t really know what you’re getting until you receive it in the mail. Not to mention, it’s a living plant, at least you hope it will be when you get it. =)
I found the video below very helpful in seeing what the curly green spider plant looks like when you receive it. You can see that it arrives healthy with lots of brightly-colored leaves and a strong, established root system.
As you can see from the video, curly spider plants don’t have spiderettes when you buy them. This may take up to year for them to sprout baby spider plants.
Note: From my experience, the “parent” plant will grow offspring once it becomes root-bound. Keeping it in a smaller container can help crowd its roots faster and therefore, sprout baby spider plants sooner.
Alternatively, you can transplant your new plant into a larger pot or add it to an existing garden. Let it take its time in growing new plants.
I have found that my spider plants over a year old typically sprout new plants more frequently. Plus, if I keep them well fertilized (a few times a year), their new growth is more prolific.
In addition, my outdoor plants grow faster and greener than the ones I keep indoors. Having said that, I keep them in low light (less than optimal) conditions, so I expect this.
Curly Spider Plant Care:
Chlorophytum Comosum are very forgiving, which makes caring for you curly spider plant simple. If you water them to much or too little, they can quickly recover if you give them time.
That said, they do prefer bright, indirect light. Therefore, if you keep them indoors, make sure you place them by a window or under artificial light.
Outdoors, they do well under trees or walkways where they can receive some sunlight. However, direct sun can burn their leaves, so keep that in mind when selecting a planting location.
You don’t need to fertilize these plants, but I feed mine a few times a year if I want them to produce more offspring.
Find out more about spider plant care.
Curly Spider Plant Propagation in 3 Easy Steps:
If you want to know how to propagate curly leaf spider plant, the process is simple. In fact, you do the exact same steps as you would with the regular variety.
Step 1: When you notice that a spiderette has started growing roots, you can cut off the mini plant and transplant it to a bowl of water.
Some people take the sprout and plant it directly in soil. However, I find that placing it in water first helps the offshoot grow a stronger root system.
Step 2: Next, let the roots of the spider plant baby sit in the bowl of water for about a week. You’ll notice that the roots grow significantly
Step 3: Lastly, move the plant to the soil and water it. With a healthy root system, I find that I can wait several days before watering again. More on propagating spider plants.
By the way, I have yet to find curly spider plant seeds for sale. Probably because it’s easier to grow this species from the baby offshoots. Having said that, you can take the seeds from your own Chlorophytum Comosum to grow into new plants. Here’s how.
Are Curly Spider Plants Safe for Cats?
Cats may like to chew on the leaves, however, spider plants are not toxic to cats – or dogs for that matter. Therefore, the party involved that may be most at risk is the plant. =)
