Why does my spider plant have brown tips?

Brown leaf tips are almost always a reaction to something in the water — fluoride, chlorine or salt from tap water and fertilizer building up in the leaves. Spider plants are unusually sensitive to fluoride, which is added to most municipal water. Switch to filtered, distilled or rainwater, flush the pot occasionally to wash out accumulated salts, and cut back on fertilizer. Trim the brown tips at an angle if you like, but the real fix is the water, not the scissors.

How often should I water a spider plant?

Water when the top inch of soil is dry, which is usually every 5 to 10 days depending on light, warmth and pot size. Spider plants have thick, fleshy tuberous roots that store water, so they tolerate a missed watering far better than a soggy pot. In winter, water less as growth slows. Let the top of the soil dry between waterings and never leave the pot sitting in a saucer of runoff, which is the quickest route to root rot.

Why isn't my spider plant producing babies?

Spider plants usually produce their trailing plantlets, or babies, only once mature and slightly pot-bound, and they need enough light. A young plant or one in a huge pot with room to spare often puts energy into leaves and roots instead of runners. Give it bright indirect light, stop over-potting it, and be patient — most healthy plants start throwing runners within a year or two. Some growers also find that shorter fall daylight helps trigger flowering and plantlet production.

Are spider plants toxic to cats?

No, spider plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA, which is a large part of their popularity in pet homes. The complication is that cats are often drawn to chew the arching leaves, and the plant contains mild compounds that some describe as faintly stimulating to cats. Chewing rarely causes more than occasional stomach upset from the fiber, but heavy nibbling can shred a plant, so many owners hang it out of reach. For a broader list see our guide to houseplants toxic to cats.

Should I cut the babies off my spider plant?

You do not have to — the plantlets are harmless and many people love the cascading look. But removing them channels more energy into the parent plant and gives you free new plants. Snip a plantlet that has small nubby roots forming at its base, set it in water or moist soil, and it roots within a week or two. Leaving many babies on a plant can also gradually tire it, so thinning them occasionally keeps the parent vigorous.

How to Care for a Spider Plant: Light, Water and Brown Tips Fixed

Written & researched by Elena Marsh Gardening & Landscaping Editor

Updated April 2026

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The short answer: a spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) wants bright, indirect light, watering when the top inch of soil dries out, and filtered or distilled water to prevent the brown leaf tips it is famous for. Keep it in ordinary well-draining potting mix, feed lightly in spring and summer, and it will reward you with arching striped leaves and dangling plantlets. It is genuinely one of the hardest houseplants to kill, which is why it is a classic first plant.

Spider plants are tough, fast-growing and forgiving, but two things trip owners up: brown tips (a water-quality issue, not a care failure) and the wait for babies. This guide covers both, plus the basics. Our advice reflects grower consensus rather than first-hand testing — see how we rank.

Spider plant light: bright but indirect

Spider plants do best in bright, indirect light — an east or north window, or a few feet back from a brighter one. They tolerate lower light better than most striped plants, which is why they thrive in offices and bathrooms, but growth slows and the variegation fades toward plain green in deep shade. Avoid harsh direct sun through south or west glass, which scorches the leaves and bleaches the stripes. If your only spot is dim, growth will still happen, just slower and greener; a modest grow light restores vigor and variegation. See our picks for grow lights for indoor plants and our guide to how much light houseplants need.

Overhead view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in warm late-afternoon light

Water: let the top dry first

Spider plants store water in thick, white, tuberous roots, so they handle a dry spell far better than a wet one. Water when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch — typically every 5 to 10 days in the growing season and less in winter.

Water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer. Never let the pot stand in water.
Ease off in winter as growth slows and the soil stays wet longer.
Use filtered, distilled or rainwater if you can — this is the key to avoiding brown tips (more below).

Signs of overwatering are yellowing leaves, mushy bases and a sour-smelling pot; signs of underwatering are pale, limp, folded leaves that perk up quickly once watered. When unsure, wait — this plant forgives thirst far more readily than sog. Our guide to how often to water houseplants covers judging moisture by feel.

Fixing the famous brown tips

Brown leaf tips are the number-one spider plant complaint, and they are rarely about care technique. Spider plants are unusually sensitive to fluoride, added to most U.S. municipal tap water, and to chlorine and salt buildup from tap water and fertilizer. These accumulate in the leaf tips and kill the tissue.

Cause	Fix
Fluoride/chlorine in tap water	Switch to filtered, distilled or rainwater
Salt buildup from fertilizer	Flush the pot with plenty of water every few months; feed less
Low humidity	Group plants or use a pebble tray in very dry rooms
Underwatering / erratic watering	Water consistently when the top inch dries

You can trim existing brown tips at an angle to keep the plant tidy, but new growth will keep browning until you address the water. Letting tap water sit out overnight helps with chlorine but does nothing for fluoride, so filtered or distilled water is the real answer.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft early-morning light

Soil, potting and feeding

Spider plants are not fussy about soil — any well-draining general potting mix works. They actually flower and produce plantlets best when slightly pot-bound, so resist the urge to over-pot. Repot only every year or two when roots crowd the surface or crack the pot, moving up just one size. Their fleshy roots can literally push the plant up out of the pot when badly overcrowded, which is your cue. Feed with a balanced, diluted liquid fertilizer once a month in spring and summer only, and skip winter feeding entirely — over-fertilizing is a common cause of brown tips. For general feeding, our indoor plant fertilizer picks cover suitable options, and our repotting guide walks through moving up a pot size.

Plantlets: the spider plant babies

A happy, mature spider plant sends out long stems tipped with miniature plantlets — the "spiders" that give it its name. They appear once the plant is established, slightly pot-bound and getting enough light, often prompted by shorter fall days. If yours has none, it is usually too young, too shaded, or in too large a pot.

To propagate a baby:

Choose a plantlet with small root nubs already forming at its base.
Root it in water or moist soil. You can leave it attached to the parent while it roots, then cut it free, or snip it first — both work.
Pot it up in well-draining mix once roots are an inch or two long.

One plant can produce dozens of babies over a season, which is why spider plants are the classic pass-along plant.

Wide view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft overcast light

Common spider plant care problems at a glance

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Brown leaf tips	Fluoride/chlorine/salts in water	Filtered or distilled water; flush the pot
Yellowing leaves	Overwatering or old age	Let soil dry more; remove old leaves
Pale, limp leaves	Underwatering or too much sun	Water; move out of direct sun
Fading variegation	Too little light	Move to brighter indirect light
No babies	Young, shaded, or over-potted	More light; keep slightly pot-bound; be patient
Gnats in the soil	Chronically wet soil	Water less; see our gnat guide

Where to put a spider plant

Part of the spider plant's appeal is how many spots suit it. Its cascading habit, with plantlets dangling on long stems, is shown off best from height, so it is a natural for:

Hanging baskets, where the babies trail freely and stay out of reach of curious cats.
High shelves and plant stands, letting the arching leaves and runners spill over the edge.
Bathrooms and kitchens with a window, where the extra humidity is welcome and low-to-moderate light is tolerated.
Offices, since spider plants handle fluorescent lighting and inconsistent watering better than most.

The main things to avoid are a hot, sun-baked south window that scorches the leaves and a dark interior corner where growth stalls and variegation fades. A bright, indirectly lit spot a few feet from a window, ideally up high, gives you the full fountain of striped foliage and dangling babies the plant is loved for. Because it grows fast, give it a little room to arch rather than crowding it against a wall.

Pet safety

Spider plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs per the ASPCA, which makes them a safe choice for pet homes. The quirk is that cats are often drawn to bat and chew the dangling leaves; the plant contains mild compounds sometimes described as faintly appealing to cats, and while chewing rarely causes more than minor stomach upset from the fiber, it can shred a plant fast. Hanging it out of reach protects both plant and cat. For a wider list of which plants to keep away from cats, see houseplants toxic to cats.

Spider plants are close to unkillable once you sort out the water. For more on light needs and troubleshooting yellowing, browse yellow leaves on houseplants and the full houseplants hub.

How to Care for a Spider Plant