Grass Lily (Chlorophytum Comosum)
Originally, the Grass Lily (or Chlorophytum comosum) comes from South Africa where it grows as a ground cover. In South Africa, there are as many as 65 different species of this iron-clad plant.
The easy and graceful Grass Lily
Originally, the Grass Lily (or Chlorophytum comosum) comes from South Africa where it grows as a ground cover. There are as many as 65 different species of this hardy plant in South Africa. Since the 19th century, the Grass Lily has been found in living rooms around the world. The Grass Lily also has several nicknames such as; Zebra Grass, Flying Dutchman or Sprite Plant.
The leaves of the Grass Lily are spiky (like grass), and they can grow up to 45cm long. The leaves have green edges and a white center. Aside from the fact that you can find these houseplant very nice place it will also do well as a hanging plant.
Watering the Grass Lily
As mentioned, the Grass Lily is a easy to care for houseplant. You should water the Grass Lily two to three times a week in the summer months and once a week in the winter months will suffice. This houseplant likes a moist soil but be careful not to water it too much. It is better for the Grass Lily to be a little too dry than too wet. If it gets too much water, it will get wet feet and this increases the risk of root rot.
The amount and frequency of watering is different for each Grass Lily and depends on several factors such as; ambient temperature, light intensity and the size of the pot. We recommend that you keep an extra eye on the Grass Lily for the first few weeks after purchase and check the potting soil regularly. If you notice that the soil already feels a bit dry 3 days after watering, it is best to give a little more water next time. However, if you notice that the soil is still very wet after 5 days, it is better to give less water next time.
Watering the Grass Lily
The Grass Lily likes slightly higher humidity. If the humidity is too low, it will lose its ornamental value. Its leaves will develop brown tips and its color will fade. You want to prevent this, of course! That is why it is good to give the Grass Lily a helping hand by watering it regularly.
Air-purifying effect of the Grass Lily
The Grass Lily is one of the best air-purifying plants around. According to NASA, the Grass Lily removes 95% of bad substances from the air. Without you having to worry much about this houseplant, it is always working for you to improve air quality.
The best location for the Grass Lily
The Grass Lily likes the necessary light and warmth, however, full sunlight is just too much for this houseplant. We recommend placing the Grass Lily near a north-facing window or else in a place with indirect sunlight.
Help! The leaves of my Grass Lily discolor
Although the Grass Lily is an easy houseplant, it can sometimes show signs of stress. Are the leaves drooping? Then it probably has too little water. If so, don't give it a lot of water at once, but small bits scattered around. Are the leaves turning pale? Then it is getting too much sun. Do the leaf markings disappear and the growth stops? Then it has too little light. Move it to a better spot, and it will recover quickly.
Is the Grass Lily a poisonous houseplant?
Another nice thing about the Grass Lily is that it is non-toxic.
However, the spiky leaves are inviting to cats. So, if you have cats and want to keep the leaves beautiful, we recommend placing the Grass Lily out of reach of your cat(s).
Pruning the Grass Lily
The leaves of the Grass Lily can develop yellow leaf tips in addition to brown tips. Many people think this comes when you touch the leaves; however, this is not true. These yellow tips are unfortunately part of the process and difficult to counteract. Leaves that are ugly or discolored can be cut off!
Giving the Grass Lily additional nutrition
The Grass Lily is a houseplant that likes to get the occasional "nutrition boost. Especially in the summer months, it likes to get a capful of plant food. Add this capful of plant food to the water you give it during a watering. Do not do this too often, at most once every two weeks but once a month is also sufficient.
We do not recommend giving the Grass Lily extra nutrition in the winter months as well. This is because during the winter months this houseplant uses less energy and then it will not be able to absorb the nutrition so it remains in the soil. The nutrition is quite acidic and when it is not absorbed by the plant it will affect the roots.
Repotting the Grass Lily
We recommend repotting the Grass Lily once every two years. The Grass Lily will probably grow to a height of about 30 centimeters in your living room. Repotting this houseplant will also make it grow in width and give it a fuller appearance. If you are going to repot the Grass Lily, we recommend that you do this in the spring. Any damaged roots can recover better during these seasons. We recommend a pot with a diameter at least 20% larger than its predecessor. When repotting, simply use universal potting soil and if you have a high container/pot we recommend you use an insert sleeve. This insert cover prevents the water at the bottom of the pot from rotting which can eventually lead to root rot.
Common diseases in the Grass Lily
The Grass Lily is somewhat susceptible to pests such as spider mites and aphids. If you notice this, you could initially spray the plant with a somewhat harder jet. If this does not work, we recommend that you treat the Grass Lily with a chemical or biological pesticide.
Propagating the Grass Lily
Grass Lilies are known for being easy to propagate, there are three different methods of doing this. However, tearing is the most successful method of propagating the Grass Lily. Tearing can be done when the Grass Lily has grown to the size of a cauliflower. We recommend propagating in the spring when the Grass Lily has a lot of vigor and its roots can recover well. Remove the plant from its pot and tear off a piece of the root ball, this can take quite a bit of strength and sound "painful" because of the tearing roots. Don't worry, if you then put both plants in their own pots and take care of them as always they will recover completely.
A Grass Lily buy at Green Bubble
Are you looking for a beautiful, healthy and strong Grass Lily as a houseplant? Then you've come to the right place at Green Bubble! The moment you buy one of our Grass Lilies you naturally want a beautiful and fresh plant. At Green Bubble we work directly with growers so we can guarantee the freshness of our houseplants. We strive to deliver healthy and high quality plants to our customers every day. This ensures that you get your houseplant delivered as fresh and good as possible!
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