Why are my spider plant tips brown?

It is usually a reaction to fluoride in tap water or dry indoor air.

How often should I water it?

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Plant guide

Spider Plant.

Chlorophytum comosum var. variegatum

Pronounced klor-oh-FY-tum koh-MOH-sum

Also known as Chlorophytum comosum var. variegatum, Chlorophytum, Grass Lilies, Green Lilies

Chlorophytum comosum — Photo by Captain David Burton (CC0) via gbif

The spider plant is a classic houseplant known for its arching, grass-like foliage and trailing plantlets. It is incredibly adaptable and thrives in many indoor environments. You will love how easy it is to propagate these little babies.

Another photo of Spider Plant — Photo by zebedeugalinha (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Light: Bright, indirect light is best, though it tolerates lower light conditions.
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 60 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 9 to 11
Bloom time: Spring to summer

Care

Keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy to prevent root rot. Watch for brown tips, which often indicate low humidity or mineral buildup from tap water. Wipe the leaves occasionally to keep them dust-free and happy.

Watering: Water when the top 2 to 3 centimeters of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength during the growing season.
Pruning: Trim off any brown or damaged leaf tips to maintain a tidy appearance.
Repotting: Repot when the thick, tuberous roots begin to push the plant out of its container.
Soil: Well-draining, peat-based potting mix
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.2
Temperature: 15 to 27°C
Humidity: 40 to 60%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 5 to 10 years.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot.
Stunted growth during the active season.

Safety

People: This plant is non toxic to humans.
Pets: This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: The long, dangling foliage can be a choking hazard if pulled down and ingested by small children.
Contact allergens: The sap may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen is generally not considered a significant allergen.
Edibility: While not considered toxic, it is not a culinary plant and ingestion may cause digestive upset.

How to identify it

Long, arching, grass-like leaves
Central white or yellow stripe
Produces small, dangling plantlets
Fleshy, tuberous root system

Height: 0.3 to 0.6m
Spread: 0.3 to 0.6m
Leaves: green, white, evergreen
Flowers: white, 1 to 2cm

Problems to watch for

Brown Leaf EdgesCommon
Root RotCommon
Tip BurnCommon
Fungus GnatsUncommon
MealybugsUncommon
Spider MitesUncommon
Scale InsectsRare

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your spider plant from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: division, cuttings
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: Bring the plant indoors before the first frost. Keep it in a bright spot and reduce watering during the cooler months.
In containers: It is an excellent container plant that prefers a snug pot to encourage growth.

Division

1. Remove the plant from its pot.
2. Gently tease the root ball apart into smaller sections.
3. Replant each section in fresh potting mix.

Plantlet Cuttings

1. Snip a small plantlet from the mother plant.
2. Place the base of the plantlet in a glass of water.
3. Once roots are 2cm long, pot it in soil.

Group plants with similar water needs to make maintenance easier.

Grows well with

Peace Lily · They share similar light and humidity requirements.
Pothos · Both thrive in indirect light and moderate moisture.

Similar species

St. Bernard's Lily · It shares a similar growth habit but is more cold hardy.

Science

Family: Asparagaceae
Genus: Chlorophytum
Order: Asparagales
Class: Liliopsida
Native range: Tropical and southern Africa.
Conservation: This plant is common and not of conservation concern.

It grows as a ground cover in shaded forest floors where it spreads via stolons.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees
Uses: houseplant, hanging basket, air purification

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Light: 4/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 4/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Temperature: 7/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my spider plant tips brown?: It is usually a reaction to fluoride in tap water or dry indoor air.
How often should I water it?: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Where the name comes from

The genus name comes from the Greek words chloros, meaning green, and phyton, meaning plant. The common name refers to the spider like appearance of the plantlets.

Good to know

It is nicknamed the spider plant because of the small plantlets that dangle from the mother plant.
These plants are incredibly easy to propagate from the babies they produce.
They are known to be safe for cats and dogs.

Keep your spider plant growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.