Download Chlorophytum comosum

Weeds of Australia - Biosecurity Queensland Edition Fact Sheet
Chlorophytum comosum
Scientific Name
Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques
Family
Anthericaceae
habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Common Names
bracket plant, ribbon plant, ribbonplant, spider ivy, spider lily, spider plant, spider-ivy
Origin
Native to sub-Saharan Africa (i.e. Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon,
Equatorial Guinea, Zaire, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Malawi,
Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland).
Naturalised Distribution
tuberous roots (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Naturalised in south-eastern Queensland, in the coastal districts of central New South
Wales, in central Victoria and in south-western Western Australia.
Also naturalised on Lord Howe Island and in south-eastern USA (i.e. Alabama and
Florida).
Notes
Spider plant ( Chlorophytum comosum) is regarded as a minor environmental weed in
New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Plants become established in native
habitats when they are introduced to the area in discarded garden refuse. Once
established they spread by plantlets and individual clumps can spread quite extensively,
excluding native plants in the ground layer of natural vegetation.
leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
This species is mainly a problem in urban bushland and coastal sites near Brisbane and
Sydney. In the Sydney area, spider plant ( Chlorophytum comosum) is also found in
grassy woodlands and sandstone vegetation. In Western Australia, it has been recorded
spreading into burnt and disturbed karri-marri forest and along highly disturbed
creeklines.
A cultivar with variegated leaves (i.e. Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum') is very
common among cultivated and naturalised populations.
elongated flowering stems (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
(DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13 25 23). Check our website
at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control
methods referred to in this fact sheet should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal
and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method.
These restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on
individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, DEEDI
does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions
based on it.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Identic Pty Ltd. Special edition of Environmental Weeds of
Australia for Biosecurity Queensland.
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plantlets, flowers and immature fruit (Photo: Sheldon
Navie)
close-up of flower (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
garden planting of Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum'
(Photo: Sheldon Navie)
habit of Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' (Photo:
Sheldon Navie)
variegated leaves of Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum'
(Photo: Sheldon Navie)
close-up of the leaves of Chlorophytum comosum
'Vittatum' (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
fruit of Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum' (Photo: Sheldon
Navie)
plantlets, adventitious roots and old fruit of Chlorophytum
comosum 'Vittatum' (Photo: Sheldon Navie)