The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a popular houseplant that is native to South Africa. It is thought to have been introduced to Europe in the late 18th century by the Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg.
The spider plant gets its name from the small plantlets that it produces. These plantlets, which are called "spiderettes," dangle from the ends of the plant's leaves. When the spiderettes are mature, they can be harvested and planted in soil and grown into new spider plants. Spider plants leaves are edible and are high in beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and calcium and a good source of vitamin E, iron and oxalic acid. The plant is also known for its air-purifying qualities. They can remove toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air. This makes them a great choice for homes and offices.
Spider plant locally referred to as Mwangani (Swahili), Thageti (Kikuyu), Tsisaka (Luhya), Alot-dek (Luo), Saget (Kalenjin), Chinsaga (Kisii), Mwianzo (Kamba), Jjobyu (Luganda), Yobyu (Lusoga) is an erect herbaceous annual herb with hairy, often purple stems and many branches growing to a height of about one metre. The plant has edible leaves; each leaf has up to 7 leaflets spreading like fingers, which are usually 2-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. The flowers are rather showy, long and bearing many small white or pink flowers. The elongate fruit resembles a pod, but is referred to as a capsule, containing many small, dark seeds. It is a fast-growing plant that is ready for harvest in as few as three weeks. The fresh leaves are used as ingredients in other mashed foods, and the dried leaves are ground and incorporated in weaning foods.
Maturity Duration: 24 months
Expected Yield: Up to 8 tons of leaves/Acre
Growing Season per Year: Leaves harvested for over 2 years
Nutritional Value: Contain 5% protein, 6% carbohydrates and are high in vitamins A and C, calcium, phosphorus and iron.
Altitude: 0 - 2400 m
Rainfall: above 500mm
Temperature: above 15°C
Soils: Sandy loam soils.
PH: 6.0 to 7.2