How to grow and care for String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) Indoors

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String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) requires bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, average warmth, moderate humidity and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season.

Ceropegia woodii also called Rosary Vine, Chinese Lantern or Chain of Hearts is among the popular string of plants. It bears trailing stems and fleshy, grey-green leaves with an eye-catching marbled pattern and is ideal for a hanging basket.

Rosary Vine is a magnificent easy to grow plant but the heart-shaped leaves are sparsely spaced and the tubular flowers are insignificant.

On account of its beauty emanating from its splendid foliage and ease of care, Chain of Hearts Plant is one of the most popular indoor plants for the home.

Botanical name: Ceropegia woodii
Family: Apocynaceae
Common names: String of Hearts Plant, Rosary Vine, Chinese Lantern, Chain of Hearts

Origin

Ceropegia woodii is native to southern Africa where it is found hanging on rocks.

Size

Rosary Vine purple-colored, thin stems can grow to 3 feet long and they easily tangle. The plant is one of the best hanging succulent plants for the home.

Flower

Chinese Lantern flowers are about 1 inch long and they have a bulbous base which forms into enclosed beads which gives this plant one of its common name "Rosary Vine".

Varieties

The popular varieties of Ceropegia woodii include;

1. Ceropegia woodii variegata (Variegated string of hearts Plant) bears green leaves with cream, pink and silver markings


2. Ceropegia woodii 'String of Arrows' (String of arrows Plant) has oval, pointed leaves with silvery variegations


3. Ceropegia woodii ‘Orange River’ has green leaves with an orange tint


4. Ceropegia woodii 'String of Spades' (String of Spades Plant) bears elongated, dark-green leaves with silvery variegations


5. Ceropegia woodii ‘Silver Glory’ whose apple-shaped leaves bear silverish variegation with a dark-green line


6. Ceropegia woodii ‘Heartless’ or String of Spades bears bright-green leaves with pink undersides

Toxicity

String of Hearts Plant is not known to be toxic to humans or pets. The plant is safe to grow in the home.

Where to Buy

If you are looking to add this beautiful String of Hearts Plant to your collection, you may acquire these plants online from Amazon (Link to Amazon).

String of Hearts Plant Care Indoors

String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) flourishes in bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight (filtered light), average warmth of 16-25⁰C, moderate humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, rich, well-drained, succulents potting soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.

Ceropegia woodii requires pruning to keep it neat, to discorage pest and disease infestations and to encourage a compact growth. Repotting is only needed when it becomes pot-bound. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to achieve them.

Watering

Water Ceropegia woodii liberally during the growing season while allowing the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to maintain the soil moderately moist.

Significantly reduce watering during the cold season to keep the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time but do not let the soil dry out completely.

Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole inorder to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting and eventual death of the plant.

Avoid wetting the foliage during watering to prevent fungal infestations. You may water from the bottom. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.

Light Requirements

String of Hearts Plant grows best in bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight. A brightly lit or a sunny window is ideal for this plant. Keep it away from direct sunshine as it can lead to scorching of the beautiful leaves.

To keep or make the Chain of Hearts Plant fuller, ensure that it receives bright, indirect light at all times. If it does not get enough light, it will become leggy with wide spaces between the leaf nodes.

Where the natural lighting is not sufficient, you may grow the Rosary Vine under a grow light to supplement it. Take a look at these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.

Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant gets adequate light on all sides for even growth. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.

Temperature and Humidity

Average warmth of 16-25⁰C is ideal for String of Hearts Plant. Keep it away from cold drafts as they can cause yellowing, leaf drop and brown leaf tips and edges.

Average room humidity of 50-55% is adequate for String of Hearts Plant. It has no need for extra humidity. Ensure that there is good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.

Potting Soil

The best soil for String of Hearts Plant should be rich in organic matter, loose and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy soil. The soil should be loose enough to allow water to drain out fast enough.

Fertilizer

Feed String of Hearts Plant monthly with a balanced, liquid fertilizer during the growing period for a lush growth.

Do not feed the plant during the cold season as growth is minimal and feeding at this time may lead to fertilizer burn and death of the plant.

Repotting

Repot Ceropegia woodii at the beginning of the growing season only when it becomes pot-bound. Take care not to damage the fragile stems.

Use a pot one size larger than the current one. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting.

A shallow rather than deep pot is preferable as the Chain of Hearts plant has a small root system. Check out these succulents pots available on Amazon.

Pruning

Pruning String of Hearts Plant involves regular removal of dead foliage to maintain the plant neat and tidy as well as reduce pest and disease infestations.

To encourage a bushy compact growth and to control growth, regularly pinch off the growing tips. Plant the tips in the pot to fill up the empty spaces for a fuller plant or use them to propagate new plants.

Propagation

String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) can be propagated from leaf or stem cuttings.

How to Propagate String of Hearts Plant from leaf cuttings

String of Hearts Plant leaf cuttings root easily therefore, there is no need for a rooting hormone.

Take leaf cuttings from a healthy plant while ensuring each leaf cutting has a petiole.

Allow sometime for the formation of a protective callus tissue over the cuts.

Insert the leaf petiole in moist, free-draining soil and place the set up in a warm, well-lit place until growth begins at the base of the petiole.

Allow for substantial growth of the roots and new leaves on the leaf cutting.

Transfer the new plants to individual pots and place in a warm, well-lit place. For a fuller plant, transfer several cuttings into one pot.

Maintain the soil moist until the new Ceropegia woodii are well established after which routine care can begin.

How to Propagate String of Hearts Plant from stem cuttings

String of Hearts Plant stem cuttings root easily and there is no need for a rooting hormone.

Take stem cuttings of about 4-5 inches length from a healthy String of Hearts Plant and ensure each cutting has at least 2 sets of leaves.

Lay the cuttings on moist rooting soil and place in warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight. For a fuller Rosary Vine, plant several cuttings in one pot.

Maintain the soil moist until new growth emerges and substantial growth has been observed after which you can begin routine care.

String of Hearts Plant Common Problems

String of Hearts Plant (Ceropegia woodii) common growing problems include leaf drop, yellowing leaves, brown tips and edges, pests and diseases among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to fix them.

Pests

Common pests in String of Hearts Plants are spider mites, aphids and scales. Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants and treat it with appropriate products like neem oil and insecticidal soap as per the manufacturer's recommendations.

Leaf drop (dropping leaves)

String of Hearts Plant may drop its leaves due to wrong growing conditions like insufficient lighting, incorrect watering, cold water, improper feeding, wrong temperatures, poor quality soil, pests and diseases among others.

Check out these 11 Reasons Why String of Hearts Plant is Dropping Leaves & How to Fix Them.

Yellow leaves

Yellow leaves in String of Hearts Plant are caused by improper watering, wrong temperatures, poor feeding, wrong soil, inadequate light, being pot-bound, pests and diseases among others.

Take a look at these 11 Causes of String of Hearts Plant Yellow Leaves & their Remedies.

Wilted and discolored leaves

Wilted and discolored leaves with corky (scabs) on the underside in String of Hearts Plant are an indication ofroot-rot disease which is prevalent in soggy soil.

The disease is characterized by wilted, discolored leaves, corky swellings under the leaves, yellow and dropping leaves and eventual death of the plant.

Slip the String of Hearts Plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot, trim them off and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution.

Disinfect the pot with the fungicidal solution or use a fresh pot to repot the String of Hearts Plant in fresh, free-draining soil. Keep the plant dry for some time before resuming watering.

Always use a pot that has a drainage hole and soil that is well-drained to prevent it from getting soggy in the future. Lessen the watering in the cold season as growth is minimal at this time, therefore, the plant does not require much water.

Leaf spot disease

String of Hearts Plant is also prone to leaf spot disease which is characterized by brown, moist spots on the foliage and is prevalent in overwet growing conditions. The disease is caused by various bacteria and fungi. In a serious attack the spots can enlarge and merge, killing the whole leaf.

Remove and burn the affected parts to reduce the risk of spread to the rest of the plants and spray the affected plant with a systemic fungicide while ensuring that all the parts are completely covered with the fungicidal solution.

Brown leaf tips and edges

Brown leaf tips and edges in String of Hearts Plant are due to sudden drop in temperature from cold drafts. Remove all the damaged leaves and keep the plant away from cold drafts like windy doors and windows, air conditioning units.

Dull and lifeless leaves

Exposing String of Hearts Plant to hot direct sunlight will cause the leaves to become dull and lifeless. Shield the plant from hot direct sunlight or move it to a more shaded spot.

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