The Best Place To Keep Your Spider Plant So It Stays Healthy

The humble spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) has a reputation for being among the easiest houseplants to grow. So easy, in fact, that it's usually recommended as one of the best houseplants for beginners. While the plant is relatively low maintenance, it is more likely to thrive and reward you with lush, green leaves and plenty of spider plant "pups" if you give it optimal conditions. Part of that is choosing the right spot for it in your home.

The best place to keep a spider plant so it stays healthy is in a room that has plenty of indirect sunlight. If possible, pick a room with a window that faces either east or west, rather than north or south. Your kitchen or bathroom can be an ideal spot, as both areas tend to have higher humidity levels than the rest of the home — while spider plants don't need super high humidity, their leaves tend to brown and crisp up in drier areas. If your kitchen is cramped and the bathroom doesn't get any natural light, your bedroom or living room could work, provided they are well-lit but don't get full, direct sunlight. Just keep the plant away from any radiators, heaters, or fans, which can dry it out. Keep a mister handy and spray your plant if you notice the air in the room is dry.

Choosing a room with adequate light — not too much and not too little — is a key part of caring for a spider plant. Indirect light is filtered before it reaches the plant, meaning the sun's rays don't come in direct contact with the plant's leaves. A room with an east-facing window will get direct sun in the morning, which is typically weaker than afternoon sunlight, and indirect light the rest of the day. If you choose to put your spider plant in an east-facing room, place it roughly 1 to 2 feet away from the window, rather than directly up against the glass.

A room with west-facing windows can also provide a home for your spider plant, but you need to be more strategic about placement. The sun's light will stream in through the windows in the afternoon — pay attention to where its rays land and keep your spider plant away from them. As for rooms with north or south-facing windows, well, it's best to avoid them if at all possible. The sun's rays will be too intense for your plant in a room that faces south, meaning its leaves may scorch or burn. A spider plant can do okay in a north-facing room, but its growth will be slow. It'll be surviving, rather than thriving. If that's all you've got, your best bet is to choose a plant that will thrive in north-facing windows instead.