About
Chlorophytum comosum is a perennial plant that maintains its foliage year-round. It features elongated, linear leaves in a medium green hue that grow in dense clusters. Long stems produce clusters of small white flowers, and plantlets develop along the branching stems.
About the genus
Chlorophytum consists of evergreen, rhizomatous perennials characterized by narrow, linear or lanceolate leaves. These plants feature slender, arching stems that support loose clusters or panicles of small white flowers, which may appear star-like in some species. Certain varieties also produce plantlets.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained, Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing, North-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
- Plant type
- Houseplants, Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Houseplants
- Native to
- S Africa
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow as a houseplant, under glass or in frost-free environment, ideally above 10˚C. A very tough houseplant, tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Keep the plant looking healthy and fresh by re-potting and dividing every 2-3 years or replacing with a young plantlet. See houseplant cultivation and Chlorophytum for further advice
- Pruning
- Trim back flowering spikes once they have finished and if new plantlets are not needed
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, by division or root plantlets
- Pest resistance
- Maybe susceptible to scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free