I just had to start this thread because I am finding more and more different varieties of spider plants and some are really unusual. You almost have to see them together to tell the difference, but if you have one or one hundred, you just never seem to get tired of them. They are so easy and really a joy to have around.
I came across a link I want to share with whoever likes Spiders. I found it while doing some research on them and I was so impressed. I know I have posted this in some of the other threads so if you have already seen it, sorry about that.

http://www.johnjearrard.co.uk/...

If anyone out there wants to discuss spider plants, please join in and let's talk. I can't seem to get enough information about these little wonders. Looking forward to having some company on this thread.

Thanks for the link it is interesting. I no longer have the various spider plants I had because I started keeping more Succulents.

However, we recently were talking about Fire Flash and I found that one interesting in the link that there is one that is similar called Greenorange. I remember you or someone saying that there was not one with the prominent orange that my pic had. It might be something that could be added to the description of the plants in the plant database.

There is also one called 'Green Bonnie,' which looks just like 'Bonnie,' but it's all-green.

Planto

I would love to see the solid green Bonnie. That sounds interesting. I will look for it. Is there another name that you know of?

My Chlorophytum orchidiastrum 'Fire Flash' is just a baby but it is coming along. I need to repot it soon. I think it looks straggly but I am not sure how they are really suppose to look, and it is growing, so I will just wait and see. Here is a pic of its leaf and stem. I agree Cinta if there are differences we should add that to the database.



I have a problem with being sure you get what you order when you are buying these different spiders. Too many people just tack a name on one that looks like something. I have this Shamrock that is a pure deep green with a slight greenish center strip and it is completely different than the normal green.....I got it from a seller in Canada and have not seen it anyplace since I bought it. Just the other day a lady said to me she has a solid green and it is probably a Shamrock....there is quite a difference in the leaves and I am not sure it is a Chlorophytum comosum...I just wish I could find someone who is sure what they have so we could compare the leaves and hopefully they have more info than I do. I just love digging around and finding these different varieties. I am running out of space, that is the big problem.

Here is the Shamrock...it is a real beauty. Wider leaves and deep deep dark green.

This is one of the babies I am selling on eBay.


This is a stock plant of Shamrock.


Now here is my plain green that has no cultivar just plain green.

They have a wide pale green center strip on the green leaves. They are a lovely plant, but I prefer the darker green leaves.
I also have one that has darker green leaves but it is just a baby.

This is a solid green from a man who I met on eBay. He has a great collection and he shared this one with me.


One more solid green that I have had for sometime. It seems to be reverting the older it gets. The babies are pale green almost white. I have no idea where I got this one but I have my doubts it is a solid green. Just my gut talking. This is an example of what I mean about people giving their spider names without being really sure.


Sorry I got carried away. That happens when I talk spiders.

JB,
I've only seen 'Green Bonnie' at Wal-Mart. The cultivar name is an Exotic Angel tag, so I don't know if there's another name for it. It seems rather uncommon here, I've only seen two or three at most. Just imagine 'Bonnie' without the white in the leaves. Pure green leaves, but it's still curly like 'Bonnie.'

I think your 'Fireflash' looks fine for its size. Here's a link to a blog that shows a picture of an older specimen. http://plantsarethestrangestpe... I used to see 'Fireflash' a lot when I first got into plants years ago, but I haven't seen one in a really long time.

I haven't heard of 'Shamrock' before. I think one of my 'Spider Plants' is just your plain 'ol all-green variety.

I have only four 'Spider Plants' myself. They are rather tough plants for sure and it's nice that there are so many different cultivars. Even my Mother hasn't killed hers yet, which says something.

The last one you showed and described reminds me of 'Hawaiian'. Do you think it's possibly a 'Hawaiian'?

Planto

I am successfully growing my *2nd* so-called Bonnie Spider Plant indoors. "Indoors", being the operative word here. I do not have many indoor plants as the outdoors keep me busy enough. But Bonnie surely is an attractive addition to my home...or rather, she COULD be!

The first Bonnie's new leaves never curled. So I put her outside where she promptly died. That was devastating and quite humbling to me since I rarely have plants just up and die. The Bonnies are truly my houseplant challenge. I have literally a yard full of reverse-variegated spider plant borders. This little lady with the supposedly curly top is giving me fits!

The second Bonnie is growing well. But again her leaves are not curling at all!? I won't put her directly outside. This Bonnie is about to go out to the Greenhouse where she will get more all day sun (instead of just the afternoon) and yet be sort of indoors. But I thought I would mention it here to see if @Jo or anyone else might have a hint for me, anything short of a Lilt Perm?

I've read that they will lose their curls if not provided enough light. I have a baby that has been receiving indirect light for most of the year and doesn't sport the curls. I've since placed it in my sunny window, but it's too soon to say if the light is helping.

Planto

@Planto, do you recommend full sun then?

Indoors, I'd recommend a West window during the Spring/Summer, East at a minimum. I'd recommend a South window for Winter (sInce the intensity of light is less in Winter, a South window is best for a number of houseplants). I have a Southeast window, but it acts more like an East window than a South window. :lol:

With respects to your greenhouse, do you have a shadecloth at all? The one I grew outdoors during the Summer only received afternoon sun (the intensity of light outdoors will be higher than that coming through a window in a house), but not all day sun. That might be too much looking at your zone, if you don't have a shadecloth or something to reduce the intensity of the sun in your greenhouse.

I hope this helps.

Planto

Thanks @Planto. I get what you are saying. The spider plant borders I have are in shade, mottled sun at best in the yard. The indoor Bonnie has been in a South facing window all spring and summer. But there are hedges in the front that shade it for part of the time. I use my GH for winter protection. The most sun it gets is in the winter when the trees around it have dropped their leaves. There is no issue of sunburn in the GH. I think it will get more sun in the winter in the GH than in the house where we get little sun in general.

Oh I see (about your greenhouse). As long as it doesn't freeze, I assume it would be fine in there then. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much growing they do in the winter though. Do you have a West window that isn't obstructed?

Planto

Only one west window that isn't shaded, over the kitchen sink but not really useable for plants. In the winter it is the south window that gets the most sun. The west window(s) have shade screens on them. I think the best bet for sun is outside, and in this case it would mean the GH. (See the Greenhouse Thread "Harbor Freight Greenhouse" The thread "Harbor Freight Greenhouse projects" in Greenhouses forum ) Wish me luck!

Oh I see. I understand, most kitchen windows barely fit smaller plants. *crossing fingers* Keep us updated on your progress. I hope my advice serves you well, again I'd feel horrible if something bad were to happen to your 'Bonnie.'

Planto

Planto, I completely agree with the last picture looking like Hawaiian. Did you know that the Hawaiian plant also sells under the name of Golden Glow? Only learned that lately.

I have something I want to share with you all, just to make things more confusing for Bonnie. This information is from John Jearrard of the UK. Notice what he says about the curl.

Chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie' is a recent introduction. It began commercial distribution in Holland in about 1999, and has rapidly spread worldwide. Although very similar to Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' in leaf colour, it is distinct for it's curling twisted leaves. Although this is quite attractive , the major significance is that it makes the plant more compact and so more resistant to damage during transport. As a consequence it is a much more attractive commercial proposition than the taller and more fragile cultivars.
The amount of curl in the leaves is strongly dependant on the growing conditions. If kept moist and well fed, the plant will grow very strongly, but tend to produce more or less straight leaves. To get a good curl, the plant has to be slightly stressed, and allowed to get dry between waterings. During summer it will produce large numbers of flowering stems, which are always characteristically twisted and kinked.

This is basically what I do with my Bonnie's and the only ones that are really curly are those growing in indirect light and are allowed to get dry before watering. I mean really dry too. The one that was giving me trouble in the house has now began to curl again. Not alot but the mature leaves are definitely changing. I put it in an area of indict light, some sun if I open the door but most of the time just indirect light. I only water it when it is stone dry. The babies are always curlier than the mature plants. Here are some of my baby bonnies.






This plant is a real challenge but it is one of the most attractive houseplants on the market just now. I can hardly keep them in stock.

JB,
I've heard of 'Golden Glow,' but I didn't know it was another name for 'Hawaiian,' that's interesting!

I did read something similar about 'Bonnie,' (stressing it to create more curly leaves), but I couldn't remember where I read that or it's validity. So it is true! I guess in that care my baby 'Bonnie' with all its sun and water won't be all that curly then. I wonder where Shady should put her 'Bonnie' then. I guess that means I was wrong on more light.

Planto

We could toss a coin. That would seem to be the only way we could give her an answer since we both know unless the humidity and the conditions are just the way the plant wants it to grow, nothing we can say or do will make it happen.

I am honestly inclined to keep them OUT of the sun. Those plants in the GH get very little sun...they are are a bottom shelf and the ones in the 6 inch pots are the same...all are curly.....also, when the plants get older they seem to loose their curl.
I have asked my friend to drop in and tell us about her Bonnie. She also works part time at Home Depot in the garden center and I ask her about the Green Bonnie...I hope she drops in and puts her 2 cents in. I remember years ago when i was teaching an online class on breeding and handfeeding parrots ,.....it is similiar to raising plants in a way because what works for you just may not work for someone else. I usually ended my classes by telling them the things I did and learned and I was happy to share, but because it worked for me does not mean it will work for them. This is true with plants. Every little thing, the kind of pot, the air quality, the light, the humidity, the location, the soil, the water all those things need to be perfect to grow the perfect plant. None of us have all those perfect. So, we are back to square one. I never guarantee any information I pass on...but it works for me.

I have also feel that many of the Master Gardeners and others who think they know it all, really should not be so sure that the information they are giving will work for everyone. Totally impossible, but can be only guidelines. Just my opinion.

JB,
That's very true. I've read about caring for certain plants before and have found that following the information didn't really work for me. And looking at the way my MIL cares for plants, I don't understand how they're still alive. So, I completely agree, you have to figure out what works for you. Unfortunately, sometimes that means killing a plant or two lol.

Planto

I have done that and some of them were much to expensive. I used to play around with orchids until I realized I was just throwing money down the drain. I never had an orchid live for me for any length of time and never was I ever able to propagate them. I just moved on to something easier. My first real success was with the Aimee Gardenia Trees. I must have sold a hundred of those babies. I was doing really well until my mother plant decided to freeze and after that I was unable to get any of the cuttings to root. I had three mother plants at one time and one by one they all died of some stupid reason. I finally gave up with them too. It was really difficult keeping the GH clean when I raised them also. They would get mealy bug and other insects over night I swear. Since I am a certified NJ nursery, I get state inspections during the year. The inspector never tells you when he is coming and if you have a bug on a plant, he will find it I swear. I was always getting negative inspections when I had the gardenias and then you have to be reinspected and keep cleaning your plants. Since they are gone the only one that gives me any problems are the mandevillea....that the mealy bugs love.

JB,
I also can't grow orchids. They say if you can grow AVs, you can grow Phal orchids. I
must be a special case. Have you ever tried Phal orchids?

The only experience I've had with Gardenias was the ones my Mom tried growing. They slowly died one by one, but I couldn't say if she was doing the right "things" with them or not. I think they do better in the ground here. But, it sounds like the ones I'm used to seeing aren't as special and tender as the ones you grew.

Unfortunately mandevillea freeze here, but they sure are pretty! I saw one growing up someone's mailbox one year and hoped to get one myself.. That was until Mom told me they don't survive our winters lol. I take it you grow yours in pots? I wonder what makes certain plants more mealybug susceptible than others?

Planto

Here is my red mandevilla...just brought it inside about Sept. 1st.


Isn't see cute. I just cut her back last year and now she has grown and bloomed since early Spring. She is patented or I would try and propagate her.

Never tried the Phal orchids. No more orchids for me.