The spider plant is a houseplant classic: arching, grassy leaves striped green and white, and once mature, wiry stems carrying little plantlets that dangle around the pot like spiders on silk. In a hanging basket the effect is a full green fountain.

Bright, indirect light keeps the striping crisp, but it puts up with less. Water when the top inch of soil dries; the thick roots store enough to forgive a missed week. Keeping it slightly pot-bound encourages more plantlets, and each one roots easily in water or soil.