How To Care For Plants

How to care for a String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Ceropegia woodii

Care facts verified

String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is an easygoing trailing succulent that wants bright indirect light, soil left to dry out completely between drinks, and a gritty, fast-draining mix. The fastest way to kill it is overwatering, which rots the small tubers, so water sparingly. Its silver-marbled heart leaves trail for feet, perfect for hanging baskets.

Care at a glance

Light
Bright indirect light to keep the leaves tightly spacedAn east- or west-facing window is ideal; in dim light the vines stretch and the heart leaves lose their silver marbling.
Water
Water only once the soil has dried right throughSoak it thoroughly, then wait until the mix is bone dry; cut back hard in winter, when the plant is semi-dormant.
Soil
Free-draining cactus mix with extra perliteRoughly two parts succulent or cactus compost to one part perlite — the tuberous roots rot fast in anything that stays wet.
Humidity
Normal household humidity around 40–50% is plentyAdapted to semi-arid conditions, it never needs misting or a humidifier.
Temperature
15–27 °C (60–80 °F); avoid below 10 °CKeep it away from cold draughts; spells under 50 °F (10 °C) damage the delicate trailing foliage.
Difficulty
EasyForgiving and drought-tolerant — the main skill is simply resisting the urge to water too often.
Pets
Non-toxic to petsListed as non-toxic to cats and dogs, so it is a safe trailing plant for shelves in homes with curious pets.

Where it comes from

Native rangeSouthern Africa — South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe

Propagation

String of Hearts roots easily from stem cuttings: take a length of vine, strip the lower leaves, and either stand it in water or lay it on moist sphagnum moss, where roots appear in about two to three weeks before you pot it into a gritty mix.

The pea-like aerial tubers that form along the vines can be pressed onto the surface of damp soil while still attached to the mother plant, then snipped free once rooted; laying single leaf-node sections flat on moist soil (the butterfly method) works too.

Common problems

  • Yellowing, mushy leaves

    Likely cause: Overwatering or a waterlogged pot, which quickly rots the roots and tubers of this drought-adapted vine.

    Fix: Let the soil dry out completely, check the tuber and roots for rot, and repot into a grittier, faster-draining mix if needed.

  • Sparse, leggy vines with widely spaced leaves

    Likely cause: Too little light, which stretches the stems and washes out the silvery variegation.

    Fix: Move it to a brighter spot with several hours of bright indirect or gentle direct light to tighten up the growth.

  • Shrivelled, flattening leaves

    Likely cause: Prolonged underwatering or very dry air drawing moisture out of the foliage.

    Fix: Give the pot a thorough soak from the base and return to a regular dry-then-water rhythm.

  • Soft, rotting base tuber

    Likely cause: Excess moisture sitting around the tuber combined with poor drainage at the base of the pot.

    Fix: Repot into a very free-draining mix, make sure the pot has drainage holes, and water far less often.

Frequently asked questions

How fast does String of Hearts grow?

In bright light through spring and summer a healthy plant can push out a foot or more of new vine each season, then it slows almost to a standstill over the cooler, darker winter months.

How do I make my String of Hearts fuller?

Coil the longer vines back over the top of the pot and pin them down at the nodes with bent wire or hairpins; those pinned nodes root and send up fresh shoots, thickening a thin, straggly plant.

Why are my String of Hearts leaves turning pale?

Washed-out, faded leaves usually mean too much harsh direct sun, which bleaches the silver marbling. Shift the plant to a spot with bright but filtered light and the colour and patterning should slowly deepen again.

Should I fertilize String of Hearts?

During spring and summer give it a dilute succulent or cactus feed about once a month; stop completely through autumn and winter, when the vine is barely growing and extra nutrients just build up unused.

Sources

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