Find out some of the solid reasons Why You Should Not Grow Spider Plant And Citrus Tree Together at all.
If you are someone who is growing a spider plant and a citrus tree (like Lemon or Orange) together in a single pot, stop!
They might be popular for home gardens, but planting them jointly can have surprising consequences; here’s why!
Why You Should Not Grow Spider Plants and Citrus Trees Together
1. They Have Different Light Needs
Growing these together won’t end well for one of them. How so?
Citrus trees are sun-lovers that crave bright, direct sunlight to give you those juicy fruits. If you don’t give them enough light (about 6-8 hours daily), their growth will slow, and fruiting may never occur.
On the other hand, spider plants are delicate when it comes to lighting and thrive in indirect or filtered light. Notice the issue now?
The Problem: If you prioritize the citrus plant’s sunlight, the spider plant will suffer and get scorched leaves. But keeping the light indirect for the spider plant could stunt your citrus tree’s fruit production. And trust us; you do not want to be caught in this near-impossible juggling act.
2. Watering Them is a Nightmare
Just like light, moisture tends to get in the way of growing spider plants and citrus trees together, too.
That’s because citrus trees are thirsty fellows! You will need to ensure a consistently moist soil for them that never dries out completely but also isn’t waterlogged for their root health and fruit yield.
Spider plants, on the other hand, are much less demanding and thrive on a “less-is-more” approach–you can let their soil dry out slightly between waterings.
The Problem: Now, planting the two together would spell trouble because slightly overwatering to keep the citrus tree happy would drown the spider plant’s roots and lead to root rot. And if you water them less, you’ll have to say goodbye to those delicious citrus fruits.
Note: The roots also play a role here–citrus roots develop a finer fibrous network sensitive to water fluctuations. On the contrary, spider plant roots store water in thickened tuber-like rhizomes, which makes them naturally drought-resistant. It is a bad, bad idea to plant them along with each other.
3. Their Soil and Fertilizer Regimes Do Not Match
Soil compatibility is another central reason not to grow spider plants and citrus trees together.
These trees will flourish in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5. Also, the soil mix should be nutrient-rich, well-draining, and amended with specific fertilizers to encourage flowering and fruiting.
Spider plants do not give you fruits, so they are slightly laid back in their soil demands. They tolerate a broader pH range (6–7.5) and don’t fare well in soil heavily modified for citrus trees.
The Problem: If you still try to grow them together, the fertilizers high in nitrogen you have to give to citrus trees would encourage excessive leaf growth in spider plants at the expense of their health. Over time, these differing soil and nutrient preferences will create an imbalance, making it hard for both plants to thrive simultaneously.
4. Pest and Disease Considerations
If you’ve grown citrus trees before, you’ll know they are magnets for aphids, spider mites, and scale insects. Pests love to feast on their leaves and fruit because citrus trees can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that signal pests and pollinators to infest them.
Unfortunately, these pests don’t respect boundaries and can easily migrate to neighboring plants, which include your spider plant. That hint should be enough to make you understand why these two plants cannot go well as companions.
The Problem: Apart from the pest problems, planting these two close to each other will also create a humid microclimate, providing ideal conditions for fungal diseases like powdery mildew or root rot. The spider plant will succumb to these issues and eventually die.
5. Allelopathy
This sounds like a fancy term, so people overlook it. Don’t follow in their footsteps.
Basically, it is a process where plants produce chemicals that affect the growth and survival of other plants around them. It may be positive or negative, changing for different plant combinations, but it’s terrible for citrus trees and spider plants.
Citrus trees aren’t intensely allelopathic like mint, but they do produce some chemicals that might interfere with other plants’ growth. Their fallen leaves and mulch, especially citrus peels, can subtly alter the soil’s composition.
The Problem: This organic debris can increase soil acidity or release compounds that spider plants might find unfavorable. Over time, you will experience changes in the soil environment that will inhibit the spider plant’s ability to thrive. We don’t want that, do we?
Well, now that you understand all the issues, you know why it’s a bad idea to plant citrus trees with spider plants. But don’t get disheartened; you can always try these plant combos with spider plants!
