Central and Southern Africa is the origin of the Chlorophytum comosum plant. More precisely, the tropical and subtropical zones, which extend from West Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Cameroon, and eastward to almost all countries from Ethiopia to South Africa. Chlorophytum comosum is highly adaptable to environments suitable for its development. The plant has been fully naturalized in Ecuador, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula, and Western and Eastern Australia. Especially in Australia, it has even been classified as an invasive weed. Chlorophytum comosum is typically utilized as a hanging ornamental plant, indoor houseplant, or garden decoration. The roots of the Chlorophytum comosum plant have remarkable medicinal value. In Chinese tradition, the spider plant root is used for treating bronchitis, burns, and bone fractures.

Chlorophytum comosum grows in diverse environments ranging from sea level up to 1,000 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) and in sedimentary or volcanic soil, derived from granite, dolerite, shale, and sandstone parent rock with a pH of 5.5–7.5. In its natural range, the average annual rainfall is between 500 and 2,000 mm. Chlorophytum comosum requires shade or protection from direct sunlight as its growing environment.

• Root: Has a dense root system consisting of thickened, elongated white fleshy tubers and fine roots. The tubers are conical at both ends, 5–10 cm long, and 0.5–1 cm in diameter.

• Stolon: Grows sideways. From each stolon, spider-like plantlets form leaves and roots. With these plantlets, the plant spreads vegetatively, which is an easy way to propagate the Spider Plant.

• Stem: The vegetative stem is short and stout with very short internodes, while the flower stalk is stiff, slender, and slightly scarred.

• Leaves: Emerge directly from the rhizome to form a rosette. Leaves are simple, sessile (without a petiole), linear-lanceolate, alternate arrangement, and have a dark green color. The lamina is flat, with parallel ribs, entire or slightly wavy margin, leading to a pointed tip. Leaf dimensions vary in length between 20 and 45 cm and width between 0.6 and 2.5 cm. In wild species, the leaves are green, but many cultivars with white or yellow variegation are well-known.

• Flower: Hermaphroditic (bisexual) and completes its biological cycle within a few hours. They are grouped 1 to 6 on a clustered inflorescence, the axis of which is initially erect but curves into an arch of 30 to 75 cm (11–30 in) long in full growth. Where the inflorescence touches the ground, leafy plantlets and roots are produced. Each individual flower is star-shaped, 1.8–2 cm (0.7–0.8 in) in diameter, and consists of 3 oblong sepals and 3 petals 0.6–1 cm (0.23–0.4 in) long. The stamens are 6, with delicate filaments 0.3–0.5 cm (0.11–0.2 in) long, and anthers 0.3–0.35 cm (0.11–0.14 in) long. The style (pistil stalk) is short and delicate with a small, capitate stigma.

• Fruit: A three-celled capsule containing 9 to 45 seeds.

• Seed: Black, smooth, shiny, and flat.

• Propagation: By rhizome division and from plantlets.

Maintains liver health, cures bronchitis, cough, and cold, potential prebiotic, used in healing bone fractures and burns. It has anticancer activity.

Several fatty acids, isoprenoid and steroid compounds, 4′-methylphenyl-1C-sulfonyl-β-D-galactoside.