Plants
String of Hearts
Ceropegia woodii · Apocynaceae
The string of hearts is one of the most enchanting hanging plants: small, silvery marbled heart-shaped leaves line up like beads along thin purple stems. As a semi-succulent it stores water in its leaves and tubers, generously forgiving forgotten waterings. We source our plants with long, dense strands via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Bright to sunny; the more light, the denser the strands and the prettier the marbling.
- Watering
- Sparing — treat it like a succulent and let the substrate dry out completely.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Ceropegia woodii
The plant owes its German name Leuchterblume, chandelier flower, to its curious blooms: small pink-purple tubes with fused tips that genuinely recall antique candelabras or little lanterns. Given good light they appear reliably and abundantly from summer into autumn — a detail many owners only discover at second glance.
Over time, small round tubers form along the stems. They are not a sign of disease but a built-in propagation station: laid on moist soil, the tubers root willingly and grow into new plants. That is also how you refill a bare centre of the pot from above.
The most common care mistake is too much water. The string of hearts is adapted to dry rocky slopes — its substrate may, indeed should, dry out properly between waterings. In permanently moist soil the tubers rot faster than you can react. Cactus compost, or houseplant soil leaned out with sand, is the right base.
Light is the second key: the brighter the spot, the closer together the little leaves sit and the stronger the silvery marbling. In shade the gaps between the hearts stretch and the colouring fades. An east or west window with some direct sun is ideal.
Besides the classic species there is the variegated form Variegata with pink-flushed leaves and the thicker-leaved Ceropegia sandersonii, the parachute plant. In our floristry work we like combining the fine strands with compact succulents such as echeveria — the delicate chains can happily trail a metre or more.
Is String of Hearts toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
The string of hearts is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. Since the trailing strands invite play, it is still best hung out of reach in cat households — for the plant's sake.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Hang bright to sunny; a few hours of gentle sun boost leaf pattern and flowering.
- 02Water sparingly: let the substrate dry out completely between waterings.
- 03Use a free-draining substrate such as cactus compost — waterlogging rots the tubers.
- 04In winter water even less and keep cooler (around 15 degrees Celsius); this encourages next year's flowers.
- 05Feed lightly with cactus fertiliser once a month from spring to autumn.
- 06Trim bare strands or lay bulbils back into the pot — that keeps the basket dense.
Frequently asked
- Is the string of hearts toxic to cats?
- No, Ceropegia woodii is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs and counts among the pet-friendly hanging plants. The dangling strands are tempting toys for cats, though — hanging it high protects the plant from play damage.
- How often should I water a string of hearts?
- In summer every one to two weeks is usually enough, in winter every three to four weeks. What matters is that the substrate has dried out completely beforehand — the tubers and fleshy leaves store enough water for dry spells. Too much water is the only real danger.
- What are the little balls on the stems?
- Those are bulbils — small storage organs the plant uses to reproduce. Lay them, still attached to a piece of stem, on moist seedling compost; within a few weeks they root and sprout. A free supply of young plants.
- Why are the gaps between my string of hearts leaves so large?
- Long, sparsely leaved strands are a symptom of low light: the plant stretches in search of brightness. In a brighter spot with some direct sun, new growth comes in dense again. Existing bare sections can be trimmed and the cuttings tucked back into the pot.