Question
Hello, I bought a spider plant last month from a foreign country.
It came without a pot, instead in a dirt-filled seashell with no
drainage. It is a small plant with about 10 small leaves. When I
bought it, there were two separate plants in the same small
shell. It seemed to be healthy. I brought it back to the US on an
8 hour plane ride and it survived! I noticed it was starting to wilt
about two weeks after I returned. I live in Hawaii and I bought it
in Okinawa, a similar climate. Last week I used tweezers to pluck
out the roots and put the whole thing in a cup of water. It had
been indoors, but I put it outside on my porch where it is in
direct sunlight about 3 hours each day. I didn't change the water
or add anything to. The plant only has a small amount of brown
on a few tips, but it seems to be wilting and limp. Please give me
some advice! (I am known for killing plants. I bought this one
because I heard it takes all kinds of abuse) Thanks!

Answer
Hi Brie,

I am going to assume that the plant you have is a Chlorophytum. However, there are other plants that are also sometimes called spider plants, so I want to be sure.

Potting a plant in a seashell is a clever sales idea, but not a good way to insure longevity!

Spider plants root easily in plain water or in small pots filed with damp soil - pots with drainage holes, of course.

If yours already has roots that are about an inch long, then I suggest moving it into a pot with soil. Water it whenever the top quarter of the soil feels dry.

Direct outside sun is too strong for spider plants. A sunny window inside is the best location for a spider plant. Outside it can go in a shaded place, but the wind and rain can easily crease and damage the leaves.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
   
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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