If a spider plant conjures up s of college dorm room décor, that’s because it’s one of the best houseplants for beginners and one of the easiest to propagate and share. As trendy today as it was generations ago, the spider plant creates a living mobile when put in a hanging basket, where its multitude of baby spiders, or “spiderettes”, can dangle freely from their long, arching stems.
If you thought all spider plants looked the same, you’ll be delighted to discover that the attractive, fountainlike foliage comes in an assortment of color variations and forms, including a cultivar with curly leaves. And while they are usually grown indoors, spider plants can also flourish outdoors when given the right conditions.
May be solid green or variegated in green and white or green and yellow, depending on the cultivar.
Spider plants are one of the most popular and recognizable houseplants. With their graceful, arching leaves and easy care requirements, it’s no wonder spider plants are a favorite for many indoor gardeners. When it comes to taking pictures of these pretty plants, there are a few tips and techniques to help you capture their beauty.
Get Up Close
One of the best ways to photograph a spider plant is to get up close. Take pictures that highlight the details of the leaves. Try different angles – shoot from above below, or the side. Getting close allows you to capture the striking color variations and intricate patterns on the leaves. Variegated varieties with painted white, yellow, or cream stripes are especially photogenic.
Play with Lighting
Lighting can make or break any photograph. Pay attention to the direction, quality, and color of light when taking pictures of your spider plants. Bright, indirect natural light from a window produces excellent results. But you can get creative with artificial lighting as well. Try backlighting to illuminate the thin leaves. Side lighting brings out the dimensionality. And overhead lighting emphasizes color and textural details.
Use Negative Space
The arching leaves and trailing spiderettes of spider plants lend themselves perfectly to using negative space in photos Shoot against plain white, black, or colored backdrops to really make the leaves pop You can also frame a single leaf or spiderspprout against an empty background. The simple composition highlights the shape and draws the eye.
Foreground Interest
Adding a foreground element helps provide depth and scale to spider plant pictures. Photograph your plant next to other houseplants. Include garden tools or decor items like stones or containers. Picture your spider plant with a pet or person in the shot. This gives the viewer a sense of the plant’s size and adds visual interest.
Creative Compositions
Spider plants offer many possibilities for intriguing compositions. Photograph a row of spider plants of different varieties together to showcase the range of leaf shapes and colors. Shoot from below to emphasize the wild, reaching nature of the foliage. Take pictures of just the spiderettes dangling down to focus on the spiraling shapes. Laying leaves and spiderspprouts on a flat surface creates an abstract, artful look as well.
Highlight Unique Qualities
Each spider plant variety has qualities that make it distinct. Be sure to highlight these unique characteristics in your photographs. The solid green leaves of a shamrock spider plant convey a different look than a reverse spider plant with white stripes along the leaf edges. Capture the tight, crispy curls of a Bonnie spider plant. Showcase the bright splash of color on a fire flash variety.
Morning Dew and Raindrops
Early morning or after a rain shower provides the perfect opportunity for magical pictures of spider plants covered in dewdrops and raindrops. The water droplets on the thin leaves glow and stand out beautifully. Backlighting enhances the effect. Plus, the droplets add texture and variety to your spider plant portraits.
Pots and Hangers
The pots and hanging baskets holding spider plants can complement your photos when chosen thoughtfully. Opt for simple pots in neutral colors that don’t distract from the foliage. Or pick complementary colors that enhance the plant’s hues. Photographing plants in their hangers maintains a natural look. And you can use the trailing growth to frame the pot.
Care and Grooming
Well cared for, healthy plants always make the best subjects. Before a photoshoot, check for any dead leaves, spent flowers, or other debris and trim as needed. Remove dust from the leaves with a damp cloth. Rotate the pot to show the fullest, bushiest side. Prune back any damaged or excess spiderettes. Your spider plant will look its best and greenest.
Location, Location
Scout out and photograph your spider plants in a variety of spots at home to find the most photogenic locations. They look great on tabletops, hanging in front of bright windows, perched on shelves, or even outdoors on a porch or patio. The setting you choose impacts the overall style and feel of the photo. Lean into the eclectic boho vibe or keep it sleek and modern.
Creative Effects
Get creative with filters, textures, and editing effects when post-processing your spider plant pictures. Convert images to black and white or sepia for an antique look. Boost vibrancy and contrast for eye-catching results. Overlay subtle paper or grunge textures. Use a shallow depth of field to blur the background. Or isolate the subject against a pure white or black backdrop. The options are endless for putting your own artistic spin on photos.
Capturing stunning photographs of the graceful, spiraling leaves and trailing spiderettes is an enjoyable way to showcase the unique beauty of spider plants. Following these photography tips and techniques will help you take your spider plant pictures from basic to brilliant. So grab your camera and start shooting – your spider plants are ready for their closeup!
Is spider plant toxic?
Although spider plant is generally safe for households with children and pets, it contains chemicals that can be mildly hallucinogenic to cats, causing a euphoric effect similar to that of catnip. It’s best to keep the plant out of a cat’s reach because ingesting too much can cause digestive upset.
Other benefits of growing spider plants:
In addition to its wonderfully retro appearance, spider plants can benefit your home’s indoor air quality, filtering out formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and other harmful impurities.
Indoors or outdoors, spider plants prefer a location with bright, indirect light. Although spider plant can tolerate low-light conditions, it needs adequate light in order to bloom and produce offshoots. Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves. Can be grown outdoors year-round in warmer climates (Zones 9-11).
Average household room temperatures (65° to 75° F) and humidities are fine. Keep away from cold drafts and spots near heating and cooling vents. If planting outdoors, avoid exposing to temperatures below 45° F.
Use a well-draining potting mix.
As with most houseplants, be sure to use a pot with drainage holes to prevent soggy soil and root rot. Spider plants don’t mind being a bit cramped in their homes, so choose a container that is only slightly larger than your plant’s root ball.
10 Best Varieties of SPIDER PLANT with name & picture
FAQ
Where is the best place to put a spider plant?
Although spider plants can grow well without humidity, they will do best if they are placed in a humid spot, so try it in a bathroom or kitchen, away from any south facing windows.
How do you take care of a spider plant?
- Light: Spider plants thrive in bright, indirect light. …
- Watering: Allow the top two inches of the soil to dry out before watering. …
- Humidity: Spider plants appreciate higher humidity, but they can adapt to typical indoor humidity levels.
Do spider plants like sun or shade?
A spider plant likes bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight as it has the potential to scorch the leaves. Spider plants will grow in low light, but they’ll grow slowly and may not produce plantlets. In low light, striped spider plant leaves may lose their variegation.
What does the spider plant symbolize?
Benefits: Spider plants are natural air purifiers, removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene, leaving you with a cleaner, healthier breathing space. Symbolism: In Victorian times, spider plants symbolized new beginnings and good luck, perhaps due to their prolific propagation.
What are the different types of spider plants?
Some common names for different types of spider plants include: Spearwood bush (English) (Cultivated species), Spicy jatropha (English) (Cultivated species), Spider flower (English), Spider-wisp (English), Spiderweb chloris (English), Spikenard (English), Spiky dropseed (English), Spiky love-grass (English), Spiky mother-in-law’s tongue (English), and Spindle palm (English) (Cultivated species). Spindle pod (English)
Are spider plants easy to grow?
Plus, spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are extremely easy to care for and grow rather fast compared to other houseplants, producing lots of new offshoots that are easy to propagate. Palmstreet plant expert and seller Jackie Pinkston says the these beauties are ideal for plant enthusiasts at any experience level, including beginners.
What is a spider plant?
Spider plant is first and foremost a hanging basket plant. It became popular as such during the Victorian period when decorative foliage plants adorned the parlor of all the finest homes. Flower scapes are produced in the summer with plantlets forming on those stems as the days get shorter in the fall.