Spider Plant 'Bonnie' | Chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie'
Spider Plant 'Bonnie' | Chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie'
Live Indoor Plant | Native to Southern Africa | Curly Spider Plant | Pet-Safe
The spider plant that curls — and produces just as many babies as the straight-leafed varieties.
The 'Bonnie' is a curly-leafed cultivar of Chlorophytum comosum — the same species as the classic Spider Plant, but with leaves that spiral and curl rather than arching straight. The effect is denser and more compact than the standard variety: the curling leaves layer over each other, creating a fuller, more textured appearance in the pot. The variegation — a cream or white central stripe on green — is the same as the classic form, but the curled leaves make it read differently, catching light at more angles and creating more visual depth.
Like all Spider Plants, the Bonnie produces long, arching stolons that carry small plantlets — the "spiderettes" that give the plant its common name. These can be left to trail from a hanging basket, or removed and rooted in water or soil to propagate new plants. A healthy Bonnie will produce them continuously through the growing season.
The Spider Plant was one of the top performers in NASA's original clean air study, removing formaldehyde and xylene from indoor air through the same dual leaf-stomata and root-microbe mechanism shared across the Air + Scent collection. It is also one of the most studied plants for indoor air quality in subsequent independent research, consistently appearing in the top tier of performers for formaldehyde removal specifically.
It is non-toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — one of the most unconditional choices in the collection.
Product details:
- Compact, curly-leafed form; produces trailing stolons with spiderettes
- Medium to bright indirect light; tolerates lower light but variegation fades
- Allow top inch of soil to dry between waterings; sensitive to fluoride — use filtered water when possible
- Average indoor humidity; appreciates occasional misting
- 60–80°F | keep from cold drafts
- Non-toxic to cats, dogs, and humans
Care notes: Well-draining potting mix. Water when the top inch of soil is dry. Brown leaf tips are common and usually indicate fluoride in tap water or low humidity — use filtered water and trim tips with clean scissors if desired. Fertilize monthly at half strength during spring and summer. Propagate spiderettes by placing in water until roots develop, then pot in soil.
Why we love it:
- Curly leaves create a denser, more textured appearance than the standard Spider Plant — the same plant, differently expressed
- Produces spiderettes continuously — one plant becomes many, freely and quickly
- One of the top performers in NASA's clean air study for formaldehyde removal
- Non-toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — unconditional for any household
- Compact form suits smaller spaces and hanging planters without the sprawl of the standard variety
Native Manor Note: The Bonnie contributes to the rooms it lives in through the same documented air quality performance as the standard Spider Plant — formaldehyde and xylene absorbed through leaf stomata and broken down at the root zone, continuously, as long as the plant is healthy and adequately lit. The curly form adds a textural dimension that the straight-leafed varieties don't have: a denser, more layered appearance that rewards closer inspection. It is one of the most genuinely useful plants in the collection — safe for every household, actively improving the air, and producing new plants to give away throughout the growing season.