by Max – last update on September 8, 2020, 9:09 pm
Ever wonder how to give a green vibe, even in the most crowded space with little light of your home? That’s when hanging plants come in place.
In this article, we’ll go into some of the best hanging plants you can grow indoors – all with detailed care tips and photos.
1. String of Hearts
Quick Links
Scientific Name: Ceropegia Woodii
Mature Size: Up to 12 feet long
Light: Bright light
Water: Low moisture needs
Soil: Sandy, well-draining soil
This is a low-maintenance trailing plant that has become very popular over the last few years as an interior design accessory. In fact, many home and interior stores now stock artificial string of hearts plants because their look is so on-trend, but there’s no need to have a faux version of this plant when the real thing is so easy to care for and so much more rewarding.
These plants are loved for their dainty appeal, with delicate hanging vines adorned with small heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are slightly variegated, with mottling on the upper side of the leaves in pale sage green and darker blue-green. The underside of the leaves is a solid color. The string of hearts has an impressively speedy growth habit, gaining several feet in length in just one season.
You’ll no doubt need to cut back the long stems to prevent them from getting in the way or hitting the ground, but these cuttings shouldn’t go to waste as they are very simple to propagate and have a high success rate. Simply tuck your cuttings into the soil of your plant, and they will take root in a matter of weeks, adding more fullness to your plant. Alternatively, use the cuttings to start a whole new string of hearts plant.
These plants are semi-succulents, so they are able to store moisture in their leaves. This means, like other succulent type plants, which they don’t need to be watered very often, and can survive periods of drought by using their water reserves in the foliage. These plants are native to South Africa, and so love bright light and can withstand direct light and bright indirect light. To grow them indoors, position them in your sunniest spot for best growth. They won’t survive in the shade and will struggle to grow without several hours of sun each day.
These plants don’t enjoy draughts, so keep them away from doorways, windows, and heating vents. They can easily succumb to root rot, so water them sparingly. It is much better to underwater this plant than over water it, so err on the side of caution if you are unsure. Typically, you can expect to only need to water this plant once every few weeks, though this will differ depending on the size of the plant, the climate, and light exposure. If you live in a warm climate, you can move your string of hearts plant outside during the summer month to see even greater growth.
They are used to warm temperatures, so they make ideal house plants, thriving in average room temperatures. They dislike humidity, so don’t mist these plants, and avoid keeping them in bathrooms or other humid-environments.
2. String of Pearls
Scientific Name: Senecio rowleyanus
Mature Size: Up to 3 feet long
Light: Bright light
Water: Low moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining, sandy
This is a succulent hanging plant that produces trailing vines of foliage that look like peas. The way they are closely strung together has earned them the common name of ‘string of pearls’ as they are reminiscent of a pearl necklace. Much like the string of hearts, this plant has become enormously popular in recent years in interior design. This plant is now considered to be a very fashionable accessory in a home, and artificial versions are widely available in home decor stores, but nothing can beat the real thing. Live string of pearls plants can now be sourced fairly easily online or in good garden nurseries.
These plants have a quirky look that appeals to many people, with foliage in a fresh shade of green that brings life to indoor rooms. This hanging plant is a type of succulent, and it stores moisture in its globulous foliage. This means it can survive periods of drought well and does not need much moisture to survive. In order to ensure you don’t overwater this plant, allow all of the soil to dry out between waterings, watering the plant infrequently but deeply and evenly. This plant is native to hot and dry climates, so it can live outside year-round in hot regions, but even cooler climates can grow this plant because it thrives in homes with average room temperature. It should be grown in a bright spot with plenty of natural light for best growth.
Like many succulents, the string of hearts is not a fan of humidity, so don’t mist the plant or hang it in bathrooms where humidity is naturally higher. These plants are easy to propagate, so if you get any breakages or take cuttings from the stems, simply lay the pearls on the top of your soil and gently push them in. Loose ‘pearls’ will take root easily in lightly moist soil and add further strings to your string of hearts.
3. English Ivy
Scientific Name: Hedera helix
Mature Size: Up to 100 feet long
Light: Bright indirect light
Water: Average moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining
English ivy enjoys a wide range of climates, enjoying warm temperatures right through to freezing. This ability to survive in different climates means it works well when grown both indoors and outdoors. Ivy makes a wonderful indoor plant for a number of reasons. It is very low care and low-maintenance and is quite difficult to kill, making it suitable even for people who have a bad track record with keeping houseplants alive.
Ivy has a trailing habit that makes it look very elegant and suiting it perfectly for hanging pots and planters, and it will survive in a range of conditions. English ivy is also known for having excellent air filtering properties and is considered to be the number one house plant for filtering the air in bathrooms, as it is especially good at targeting and removing certain particles that are commonly found in bathrooms.
Ivy is also easy to get hold of and inexpensive to buy, making it a good starter plant. To grow your ivy plant indoors, choose a position for it that has bright, indirect light. It will also survive in low light and direct light, but bright indirect light will produce the best results. These plants grow quickly, so even if you start with a small ivy plant, you should soon have an attractive plant ready for hanging within a few months.
English ivy likes soil that is neither dry nor wet. It should be kept moist, though it can withstand short periods of drought. It enjoys humidity so it can be misted or kept in a bathroom, but it will also survive fine with low humidity. It requires little attention, and as long as it is watered occasionally, it can thrive on neglect.
4. Golden Pothos
Scientific Name: Epipremnum aureum
Mature Size: Up to 10 feet long
Light: Bright light to shade
Water: Average moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining
This plant is also commonly known as ‘devil’s ivy,’ because it will continue to grow even in the most uninhabitable conditions, and is known to be difficult to kill. Golden pothos plants have arrow-shaped leaves that are green with yellow-gold marbling and variegation. They hang from the stems that drape down in irregular tendrils, producing a luscious trailing plant.
These plants make for ideal houseplants because they thrive in warm climates. They are a good choice of plant for anyone who is notorious for killing their houseplants, as well as people who are forgetful or sporadic with their waterings. They prefer soil that is moist but not wet and should be watered when the top few inches of soil have dried out. However, they can survive in dry soil, so periods of drought will be well tolerated. They are also fairly forgiving of overwatering, though too much moisture in the soil on a regular basis would lead to root rot and death of the plant.
Golden pothos is renowned for thriving in almost any lighting position. If you have a dark corner of your home, you would like to brighten up, then hang a golden pothos plant because they are very tolerant of shade. They also perform well in artificial and fluorescent lighting, which makes them popular plants to grow in offices and shopping malls. For the fastest growing golden pothos, place it in bright indirect light, and watch the trailing stems extend as if before your eyes.
These plants enjoy humidity but equally will thrive in dry air. Golden pothos can be easily propagated from stem cuttings, so if you cut back this plant, then use the stems to create new plants.
5. Wandering Jew
Scientific Name: Tradescantia zebrina
Mature Size: Up to 1 foot long
Light: Bright indirect light
Water: Average moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining
This is a stunning plant that adds a splash of color to indoor decor. It produces winding stems that reach out in all directions, including downwards, which makes the plant great for growing in a hanging planter. The ovate leaves are zebra-striped on the uppermost side, with pale green and dark green striping running the length of the foliage. The foliage is quite fleshy, as the plant is semi-succulent, and the surface of the leaves is shiny and smooth, with a shimmering finish that glistens when the light catches it. The underside of the leaves is a vibrant shade of deep purple.
As a semi-succulent, this plant can survive short periods of drought, though it fares best in soil that is kept evenly moist. Water it every time the top few inches of soil have dried out. Avoid overwatering this plant as it is quite susceptible to root rot.
It will thrive in low light through to bright indirect light and has a vigorous growth habit. You can expect several feet of growth each season, so give your Wandering Jew plenty of space to grow so that it doesn’t entirely take over your shelf and nearby ornaments. This plant enjoys humidity and can suffer from dry air in homes, which is common in winter, so take care to mist the plant or use a humidifier.
If your plant looks leggy, prune the stems to encourage bushier growth. Don’t waste your pinched cuttings, and instead propagate them to create new wandering jew plants. These propagate well in moist soil or in glasses of water.
6. Spider Plant
Scientific Name: Chlorophytum comosum
Mature Size: Up to 3 feet long
Light: Bright indirect light
Water: Average moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining, fertile
This plant has long and slender strap-like foliage that grows outwards in all directions from a central rosette, which makes it look like a very leggy spider and gives the plant its common name. The foliage is variegated, with a central pale creamy green stripe, bordered on each side by a medium green color.
This is a fast-growing and easy-to-care-for plant, which looks great hanging in a hanging planter or draping down from the edge of a shelf. It is known to be a good air purifying plant, which improves the condition of indoor air by removing and reducing toxins.
The spider plant likes bright indirect light and soil that is watered whenever the top few inches become dry. It enjoys humidity, so it works well on a bathroom windowsill, or otherwise, you should try to mist the plant every few days. These plants produce pups from the end of their foliage when they are a few years old, which look like tiny dangling spiders. These can be removed and planted to create new spider plants.
7. Mistletoe Cactus
Scientific Name: Rhipsalis baccifera
Mature Size: Up to 3 feet long
Light: Partial shade
Water: Maintain moist soil
Soil: Well-draining
This plant is not as commonly known as many of the more popular indoor hanging plants, but it has a big following among the plant community. It is a hanging succulent, with slender yet fleshy stems that branch out and trail downwards, in shades of bright to dark green.
As a succulent, this plant retains moisture in its stems and is able to withstand drought; however, unusually, it prefers moist soil. Aim to maintain moist soil at all times for best growth, but try not to overwater and leave the soil too wet. That being said, this is a very forgiving plant when it comes to watering habits, and it can survive short periods of waterlogged soil, though if left for too long, it can suffer from root rot.
Also unusual for succulents, this plant enjoys humidity and would grow well in a bathroom or kitchen. In areas with dry air, aim to increase the humidity around the plant by misting with a water spray or using an electric humidifier.
This plant grows fairly quickly and can become quite messy, which many believe, only adds to its erratic appeal. However, if you feel the need to prune your mistletoe cactus, use the stem cuttings for propagation. This plant roots easily; simply take stem cuttings of around three or four inches long, and tuck the cut ends into moist soil. Maintain moist soil, and roots should form within a month.
This is a stunning plant to hang in a home, which makes a real feature when hanging from a shelf or wall. It thrives in darker areas of rooms, in moderate shade, so use it to brighten up a dull corner in your home.
8. Monkey Mask
Scientific Name: Monstera adonsonii
Mature Size: Up to 12 feet long
Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Average moisture needs
Soil: Well-draining
This plant has foliage similar to the swiss cheese plant and is also a type of monstera. It has elongated heart to arrow-shaped leaves, with several holes in each leaf. The leaves have a satin-like texture and a fresh mid-green color. This works well as a trailing plant, growing in a hanging planter or draping down from a shelf. The foliage appears along winding, trailing stems, which grow out in all directions.
Like most types of monstera plants, the monkey mask enjoys bright indirect light and soil that is moist. It will survive short periods of drought but grows best when it is watered when the top few inches of soil dry out. In its natural habitat, it grows in rainforests, with the light shade of overhead canopies of taller plants or trees. It makes an ideal houseplant, thriving in average temperatures found within homes. Regularly mist this plant to increase humidity in order to avoid the tips of the leaves turning brown.
This plant can be propagated from stem cuttings with good chances of success. Take stem cuttings several inches long just below a node. You can then sit this cutting in a glass of water or plant it directly in moist soil, taking care to remove all leaves except for those at the far end of the cutting. Roots will grow out from right next to the node.
Thank you to the wonderful folks at Trees.com for providing this helpful information. You can find their original article here: https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-landscaping/indoor-hanging-plants
The vibrant and captivating images accompanying each plant description added an extra touch of visual appeal to the article. They made it easier for me to imagine how these plants could enhance the aesthetic of my indoor environment.Thank you for sharing this wonderful resource. I feel inspired and ready to embark on my indoor hanging plant journey, and I couldn’t be more excited.