The plant world is often full of controversy, sometimes over names or whether a plant is a species, hybrid, or cultivar, and sometimes it’s both.
But one plant, in particular, takes the cake for being controversial, even above the heated issue of whether sansevierias are dracaenas. This perennial plant is a relative of the spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) that hails from Tanzania.
“But wait, what’s the name of this mysterious plant?” you ask. Well, that’s the problem.
Some call it Chlorophytum orchidastrum (kloh-roh-FY-tum or-kid-ASS-trum), while others say it’s Chlorophytum amaniense (kloh-roh-FY-tum a-ma-nee-enn-sei).
But it doesn’t stop there, because there’s also a debate on whether this is a subspecies or cultivar, so there are a whole slew of additional scientific names proposed as well as cultivar names, such as:
- Chlorophytum ‘Fire Flash’
- Chlorophytum ‘Mandarin’
- Chlorophytum amaniense ‘’Fire Flash’
- Chlorophytum filipendulum amaniense
- Chlorophytum filipendulum ‘Fire Flash’
- Chlorophytum orchidantheroides
We’ll be perfectly honest: After hours of looking for patents and other information, we couldn’t find any authoritative source that had a solid answer for the true name.
Even worse, many cultivar names for this plant float around in addition to ‘Fire Flash,’ such as ‘Orange Mandarin,’ ‘Tangerine,’ and ‘Green Orange.’
And then there are the common names, which include:
- Fire Flash Plant
- Green Orange Spider Plant
- Mandarin Spider Plant
- Orange Mandarin Spider Plant
- Sierra Leone Lily
So what DO we know about this unnecessarily complicated member of the Asparagaceae family?
Once you get past its identity crisis, this plant is every bit as easy to care for as its more common cousin, but with ten times the character.
Mandarin Spider Plant Care
Size and Growth
The Mandarin is actually a lot smaller than the common spider plant, reaching maturity in between 5 and 10 years.
It has lanceolate leaves that can reach 10″ to 12″ inches long and up to 4″ inches at their widest point, yet the entire plant only reaches about 20″ inches across.
But despite this tiny size, the plant will burn its way into your heart, with the midribs and petioles of fiery orange forming a rosette of flame.
Flowering and Fragrance
As with most plants grown for their foliage, ‘Fire Flash’ is unlikely to bloom indoors and isn’t all that remarkable when it does.
It creates a single raceme of insignificant cream to greenish-white flowers measuring about 6″ inches tall from the middle of the plant.
If you’re growing the plant outdoors or manage to get it to bloom between July and August, expect the display to last only about a week.
However, the flowers give way to small orange seeds, which can be planted or left for a little while longer as a slightly more impressive end-of-season display.
Light and Temperature
Spider plants are adapted to live under a forest canopy and easily scorch in direct sunlight. Your Mandarin can handle a wide range of light levels, including partial shade, but full shade will cause it to lose that amazing variegation.
Instead, give the plant bright, indirect sunlight to ensure the orange remains bright, and the already slow growth rate doesn’t suffer.
You can also place it in a spot where it can get full morning or evening sun and shade in the afternoon.
While this plant likes some humidity, it does well in average household levels (around 30% to 40% percent). If your ‘Fire Flash’ is having trouble, you can move it to the bathroom or kitchen or group it with other plants.
You should refrain from resorting to a humidifier or other methods during the growing season, although it may need a slight boost from a humidifier in the drier winter months.
Speaking of winter, it’s a bad idea to ever expose this plant to temperatures below 50° degrees Fahrenheit.
Outdoors, this plant can grow in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11 but will need to be brought inside when the temperature drops to around 65° degrees Fahrenheit in cooler climates.
Ideally, though, you’ll want to grow this plant in a temperature range of 75° to 85° degrees Fahrenheit.
Watering and Feeding
If you hold up the leaves while watering, the soak-and-dry method works well for this plant, although some prefer the bottom-up method instead.
Water only when the soil feels dry 1″ inch deep, and avoid tap water, as this plant tends to be highly sensitive to the chemicals and mineral salts tap water contains.
You won’t need much to feed this tiny plant, so grab a decent balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer and dilute it to 1/8 strength.
Pay close attention to the package instructions, but if there are no clear rules for feeding spider plants, you can give one of these diluted doses once every 2 weeks.
Remember to cut back on food and drink in autumn and winter so the plant can rest.
Soil and Transplanting
Just about any soil will do, as long as it’s well-draining (so avoid heavy clay soils).
If buying a potting mix, go for a quality brand, such as Miracle-Gro, and add some perlite or vermiculite if the mix doesn’t already have an aggregate mixed in.
A slightly acidic soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0 will work fine for your ‘Fire Flash.’
Repotting can be a little more stressful for this plant than for many of your other foliaged friends.
You’ll need to repot with fresh soil every 2 years, upscaling the container by one size as needed during this process.
Try to avoid handling the roots any more than absolutely necessary and give your plant some extra TLC afterward while it recovers.
Grooming And Maintenance
You’ll want to wipe down the leaves every once in a while gently, but there’s not a lot of maintenance needed beyond this.
If you see damaged or diseased leaves, these can be removed (just don’t overdo it!) if you’re careful. The petioles on this plant tend to be more fragile than other spider plants.
Finally, if the plant manages to bloom, you’ll want to remove the raceme once the flowers are gone, as it will turn black soon after.
How To Propagate Orange Mandarin Spider Plant?
This is one of the subjects people often turn to when debating whether this plant is a cultivar.
Unlike most cultivars, Mandarin is seed stable, meaning you know what you’ll get when you harvest and plant the seeds.
While it’s also possible to divide the plant, this can be a little risky due to how sensitive its roots are.
Fire Flash Plant Pests Or Diseases
Orange mandarin is somewhat drought-tolerant and resistant to most pests and diseases.
However, if a nearby plant has an aphid, mealybug, or similar pest infesting it, they can decide to visit your spider plant too.
Disease-wise, the most common risks are chlorosis and root rot, although fungal infections may occur if the plant is exposed to too much moisture.
You’ll also be happy to know that this particular spider plant is non-toxic to humans and pets.
Mandarin Spider Plant Uses
While not as dramatic as its more common cousin when placed in a hanging basket, it can still look good when grown in one.
However, its smaller size makes it perfectly suited for bookshelves and tables.
It’s also a popular choice for dorms and offices, although you may need to give it a little extra light to keep the variegation vibrant.