String of Hearts, or Ceropegia woodii, is one of the most delightful and satisfying trailing plants that you can grow indoors! It is super easy to care for, grows at a satisfying rate, and so easy to propagate! Let me teach you all my tips so keep reading all about how to care for String of Hearts.
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The correct botanical name for this plant is Ceropegia linearis subsp. woodii according to Kew Gardens. Some common names for this plant include String of Hearts, Rosary Vine, and Chain of Hearts.
Table of Contents
String of Hearts or Chain of Hearts Care
This is definitely an unusual and quirky houseplant and I find it very fun to grow. Some people consider this plant a succulent, and some say it is not, but in the end, whether it is technically a succulent or not, you want to treat the plant similar to succulents when it comes to care.
1. String of Hearts Light
String of Hearts definitely is a higher light plant so give this plant at least some direct sun when growing it indoors if at all possible.
If you don't give it enough light, what happens is that there will be more space between the leaves and this will make your plant look more spindly.
This is not the fullest, bushiest plant by nature to begin with, so having lower light will make it more sparse.
So give this plant as much sun as you can, or at least a few hours if at all possible! North facing windows (in the northern hemisphere) would be least preferable since they will not get any direct sun. An eastern or western facing window would work really well.
2. String of Hearts Soil
Like I mentioned earlier, treat this plant like a succulent. Any well-draining soil will do. There are so many different potting mediums that you can use. As long as they drain well, you are good to go!
My potting mix recommendation would be the following:
I like to use the Miracle Gro Cactus Palm and Citrus mix and add some ¼" pumice (links to Amazon) to the mix. This works really well for me for this plant. I also use this formula for any succulents that I grow.
I honestly don't measure the proportions, but I would say I use roughly 1 part pumice to 2-3 parts of the soil mix.
You'll be amazed how much the pumice will improve the drainage and aeration of your potting mix. This will allow more oxygen to your roots and help prevent root-rot.
As far as watering goes, if you follow me closely, you know how I like to water! Water thoroughly and let all the water drain away.
Make sure you moisten all of the potting medium. Then simply wait for the potting medium to dry out (allow at least the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out ) before you water again.
Please please please water the proper way. If you need more convincing, check out my blog post on watering myths. Proper watering is one of the pillars of plant health so be sure to get it right!
Let at least the top inch or two of the potting mix dry out, before watering it again. Don't keep it excessively dry for TOO long though otherwise you will get a lot of brown crispy leaves to clean up and your plant will become more sparse.
Too many people are scared of overwatering, a term that I really despise, because it drives the wrong behavior and makes people scared to water. If your plant is sitting in front of a nice, bright window, you should not be scared of "overwatering."
You should always water thoroughly. Failing to do so will only cause you a host of issues and cause the demise of your plant.
In the winter when growth can slow down or completely stop, I would recommend letting it dry out completely before watering again. Don't wait too long though otherwise you will get a lot of brown leaves. During the months of active growth, try and allow only the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out before watering again.
I will caution you against using a moisture meter. Most of them are absolute junk and they will give you very misleading results. I have steered many of my clients away from using them. I feel so strongly about not using them that I wrote a blog post on the dangers of using moisture meters.
Using your finger is the best way to judge how dry your potting mix is.
Final words on watering...NEVER let this plant sit in water and NEVER grow this plant in pots without drainage holes. That would be a complete no-no.
4. String of Hearts Fertilizer
I prefer to fertilize dilutely with every watering. That way I don't have to remember the last time I fertilized.
I have switched to using Dyna Gro Grow fertilizer pretty much for everything now. I have used many other fertilizers in the past with success, but Dyna Gro Grow provides even better results!
It provides all the macro and micronutrients that plants need and is urea-free which is another plus. You will not be disappointed with the results.
Of course, fertilizing should supplement a plant care routine that is already good. You should not use fertilizer to "fix" any cultural issues that may be absent.
5. Propagating String of Hearts
My very first String of Hearts that I grew was actually from cuttings that a friend sent me. There are a couple ways of propagating string of hearts so let me explain both ways for you!
This is the plant that I propagated just from a handful of strands. I'm actually going to chop it off a bit and propagate more so I can plant them back in the original pot and make the plant a bit fuller.
There are two good ways that you can propagate String of Hearts. You can choose whatever is easiest for you!
The first way is simply to take stem cuttings and place them in water. This is how I propagated the plant I have shown above. After a few weeks, the cuttings grew roots and then I simply potted them up! Easy peasy.
The second way is to propagate your Ceropegia woodii using the tubers that form along the stems. They can be of varying sizes. Take a look at the one on my plant below.
String of Hearts tuber
This is an exceptionally large tuber that formed on the stem, but it was easier to show in a photograph than a smaller one. Look for any of these along the stems.
Then you can simply lay the tuber on top of a moist potting mix. You can either leave the tuber attached to the plant while you do this (this may give you better results), or simply cut it off and lay the tuber on top of the soil mix to root.
I have an older string of hearts that desperately needs repotting. Another friend sent me this plant (I have great friends don't I???) and I never changed the pot. Take a look at the woody caudex that the plant developed.
It's going to be a doozy repotting this one! But I will do it.
When you do repot, make sure that you follow the tips for the potting mix I described earlier. The best time to repot most plants is going to be the Spring when growth starts back up.
For more tips on how I repot houseplants, be sure not to miss my repotting post with step by step details on how to properly repot a houseplant! There are some very necessary steps so don't miss it!
STRING OF HEARTS DYING? COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS & PROBLEMS
Is your string of hearts dying or unhappy? Here are some of the most common questions and issues you might be experiencing with your plant.
Is it normal for string of hearts to grow aerial tubers?
Yes! You will eventually have your plant grow tubers right on the strands. This is perfectly normal and they can get quite large. You can either leave them be, or even use them to propagate your plant. Be sure not to miss my string of hearts propagation guide where I describe exactly how to do this.
How do I make my string of hearts fuller?
Over time, String of Hearts strands can get quite bare at the base, especially if you are inconsistent with watering. Unfortunately once a plant has lost its lower leaves, it will stay that way for the most part. You can always propagate your string of hearts and start over from scratch. You can also check out my post on how to make string of hearts fuller.
How can I get string of hearts to flower?
Light is the most important factor in getting any plant to bloom. String of Hearts normally flowers in summer and fall, but flowers can appear during other times of the year. If you've had your plant for at least a year and it hasn't flowered, give it more light.
Can string of hearts take full sun?
Indoors, this plant will definitely benefit from some direct sun. This is NOT a low light plant, so be sure to give your plant at least half a day of direct sun if you can for strong growth. It can even take full sun indoors as long as you're attentive to watering
How often should I water string of hearts?
You should never water by frequency. Water your string of hearts when the potting mix is approaching complete dryness. At that point, water thoroughly and let the water escape the drainage hole.
Why are my heart strings turning yellow?
There are numerous reasons for yellow leaves. Potting mix that has stayed wet for too long, as well as cold temperatures, are two of the many causes.
Why are my string of hearts shriveling?
When you notice brown, crispy leaves on your plant, immediately feel your potting mix. If your potting mix has gone completely dry for too long, your plant will quickly form many brown, crispy leaves. Water your plant immediately and try to be more consistent with your watering practices.
Is string of hearts toxic to cats and dogs?
This plant is non-toxic for cats and dogs.
Do string of hearts like humidity?
No extra measures to increase humidity is necessary for this plant.
Why are my string of hearts leaves curling?
Leaves will tend to curl when the potting mix is kept too dry, or if you are not watering thoroughly.
Why is my plant not growing?
Not enough light. Plain and simple. If your plant is not growing, increase your light. This is NOT a low light plant and will need to be right in front of a window for best growth.
That's all folks! I hope you have enjoyed reading about how to care for String of Hearts, or Ceropegia woodii. It is a unique plant that should be part of any collection!
Do you have any String of Hearts? Comment below with any questions! If you've enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy my post on variegated string of hearts.
Thanks very much - your instructions are so clear and easy to follow, while being quite detailed - that's the mark of a really good teacher! My poor string of hearts looks so unwell, the poor little thing. I might do before and after shots and try to send them back to you (i.e., if I can work out how to do that), after following your steps. (I'm in Australia so the products are different, but hopefully the nursery people can recommend sub's).
Thanks again.
Thank you for the great information! I have a very sad plant with only one strand, with new growth at the end. Would it be best to cut the end off and propagate it?
You're very welcome Leah! You can leave it attached and just coil the strand on top of the soil (make sure it's in good contact with the soil, and then put it in a plastic bag for humidity until you start to see new growth. That might be the easiest way for you!
Hi Hazel. I would recommend spraying with insecticidal soap. Do it weekly and continue spraying even after you think they're gone...just in case. Often times, they are still lurking but are too difficult to see.
What’s the best type of pot to use? Terracotta? I have two strong of hearts but one of them is slowly dying. I don’t think it was getting enough light so I moved it to my south window since it gets the most light. It’s only been a few days and some leaves are still dying but I really want to see if it will help. I don’t think I’m overwatering but the leaves falling off are yellow. That’s why I also want to try a terracotta. Thank you 🙂
Hi Jamie! That's a great question and it really depends. Terra cotta will dry out very quickly so you'll need to water more frequently with these pots. It can be a good or bad thing depending on your routine and lifestyle. Are your plants in terra cotta? When you noticed the yellow leaves falling off, go ahead and feel the soil. How does it feel? Is it completely dry or is it still wet at the point when you noticed the yellow leaves? This will give you some clues in terms of what to change. Since you moved it to a southern window, that's great! They will thrive in that light, but I would just allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out, and then water. They do need to dry out a bit but not completely. They will mope and lose leaves too if the soil goes completely dry and stays that way for too long. Hope this helps!
You could also place you long stems on the soil surface and they will root making it fuller. Or so I’ve been told. Hold them down with pins/floral wire.
Yes that will work as well! Thanks for mentioning that, and I should add it to the post. It works especially well if you have tubers growing on the vines.
I had transplanted my string of hearts and it died with only one string left in pot do you think I should leave it in the pot or put in smaller pot or put in glass water let is reroot?
I would cut it off and propagate it and start a new plant. When you pot it up, place it in a small pot. Don't overpot it. Do you know why it died? Did it dry out? Or stay too wet? Did you repot it into a pot that is much too big?
I just bought every string of ......plant I could find in my area, hearts,pearls,turtle,fish hook, dolphin, bean....do they are care for the same. Also I have a cannabis grow tent. Could I put these under 18 hour light 6 hour darkness at 22°C? They would be okay. Until they are a lot bigger. There are currently in 3.5” pots. Just babies. Also wondering if I could use liquid nutrients I also use In my grow tent. Like micro, grow, calmag, velokelp. These are all veg nutrients. I’m just look to give all the babies a jump start to thier new home. Obviously I will not nutrient burn them but would a very small amount be okay. I got 2 of each will thought of gifting 1 of each to my mom. Can I speed up grow any how before I gift them. Right now thier environment is 18 hour light 6 dark. Humidity is 70% temperature 22°C I’ll probably try to get them on a 4 day watering schedule with the rest the tent.
Hi Jason. Those conditions all sound great, but you can probably cut down the number of hours of light. 12-14 hours would be more than enough. Most of those plants that you listed have similar care. The string of turtles probably shouldn't dry out nearly as much as the others you listed though. As far as fertilizing, regular and dilute applications is a good idea. Be careful of the watering schedule. It's great to have a check point, but I'd always recommend feeling the soil with your finger to determine when to water. Your temperature and humidity that you have will definitely help them. You could even go a little warmer if you can control it, otherwise leave it the way it is. But that's a great selection of plants! Good luck!
Hi. I recently purchased 2 pots of SoH. Each string has a rooted tuber so I divided them into 5 different pots. I used a well draining moist soil. After 2 days, the mature leaves so I watered them lightly. The next day, I saw yellow spots on the leaves nearest to the tubers. I checked the roots and some were rotting. I removed these roots and repotted using fresh soil. I plan to water lightly again after 7 days when the soil is already dry. However, the leaves are still soft even if I overwatered. Do you think they'll survive until my next watering? Thank you.
Hi! I am currently on the hunt for my own SOH but I was curious as to what type of pot you would recommend. Is it better to grow them in a deeper narrow pot or a wider mouthed pot that isn't as deep? Thank you!!
I would avoid anything unusually deep. Standard sized pots should be just fine, and steering to the shallower end wouldn't be a bad idea though! Maybe avoid any pots that are deeper than they are wide.
i have a very flourishing String! I love this plant...cuttings root easily and it it just a joy to watch it grow. the flowers are small but amazing and intricate.
I have a string of hearts in a bathroom and I think I either over watered it or it wasn't getting enough light. All the leaves for about 80cms have dropped off 🙁 there are plenty at the bottom and it's still growing but will any more leaves ever grow back higher up do you think please? Thanks.
Hi Charis! They won't grow back unfortunately. You can always propagate the stems that do have leaves and make a new plant. Check out the link to the blog post within this article that shows how to propagate and rejuvenate your plant. But you should try and understand why the plant went bare. Are you SURE you overwatered it? Many people mistakenly think they are overwatering everything. Did you actually feel the soil? If you let the soil get too dry, you can lose a lot of leaves as well. If you're letting just the top inch or so go dry, and then water it, this is not overwatering. Hope this helps, and let me know if you have more questions. Try and do your best to follow all my cultural advice in the blog post pertaining to light, water, soil, etc and you should not have any problems.
I bought cuttings of SOH and put them in water to root (no leaves touching the water, water change every 2-3 days, south window behind a sheer curtain). It’s been nearly eight weeks and I see no roots yet, but still getting new leaves and this week some of the cuttings have started to flower! Should I pot them up without roots, or keep waiting?
It's really up to you! Some people prefer putting them directly into soil to root. They should root either in water or in soil. Just make sure you use an appropriate soil.
Thank you for the information on SOH . I own a couple of the variegated and non variegated SOH but I don’t see any tubers or flowers on mine . I do see the tubers under the soil but not on the strings . What do I do to make my plants produce tubers or blooms ?
Hi Marilou! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. What kind of light are your plants growing in? In general, plants will bloom when they have sufficient light. Your plant either is not getting sufficient light, or it just needs more time.
Thank you for the info! I have a variegated SOH that has grown a lot and seems to be happy but all of the new leaves are very small. It keeps lots of variegation, nice deep pink on the vine and backs of leaves, and even a string that came out with fully white leaves.... so I thought light must be ok. Any thoughts?
Hi Brooke! Where do you have the plant located? How far from a window is it? Did you just obtain the plant or have you had it for a while? I need to more details to help, but the smaller leaves indicate less light to me and poorer conditions than before.
Thanks! I’ve had it for about a year now and bought it from a greenhouse. For the first few months it was getting morning and early afternoon sun from about 5 ft away from an east-facing window. Now it’s getting a lot more about 2 ft away from a south-facing window. It’s in cactus-mix soil in a terra cotta pot with good drainage holes, and the humidity in my house is usually about 50-60% (I’m in Oregon).
@Brooke, I just got my vareigated one and have it in a windsill of a south facing window. They love lots of indirect bright light. Also I feel the varigated to me is a lot more like a succulent than the non varigated version. I'm thinking having it in more light may help.
Thanks very much - your instructions are so clear and easy to follow, while being quite detailed - that's the mark of a really good teacher! My poor string of hearts looks so unwell, the poor little thing. I might do before and after shots and try to send them back to you (i.e., if I can work out how to do that), after following your steps. (I'm in Australia so the products are different, but hopefully the nursery people can recommend sub's).
Thanks again.
You're very welcome Lindy! I'll send you an email and you can reply with photos and any additional detail.
Thank you for the great information! I have a very sad plant with only one strand, with new growth at the end. Would it be best to cut the end off and propagate it?
You're very welcome Leah! You can leave it attached and just coil the strand on top of the soil (make sure it's in good contact with the soil, and then put it in a plastic bag for humidity until you start to see new growth. That might be the easiest way for you!
How do you treat mealy bugs on string of hearts?
Hi Hazel. I would recommend spraying with insecticidal soap. Do it weekly and continue spraying even after you think they're gone...just in case. Often times, they are still lurking but are too difficult to see.
What’s the best type of pot to use? Terracotta? I have two strong of hearts but one of them is slowly dying. I don’t think it was getting enough light so I moved it to my south window since it gets the most light. It’s only been a few days and some leaves are still dying but I really want to see if it will help. I don’t think I’m overwatering but the leaves falling off are yellow. That’s why I also want to try a terracotta. Thank you 🙂
Hi Jamie! That's a great question and it really depends. Terra cotta will dry out very quickly so you'll need to water more frequently with these pots. It can be a good or bad thing depending on your routine and lifestyle. Are your plants in terra cotta? When you noticed the yellow leaves falling off, go ahead and feel the soil. How does it feel? Is it completely dry or is it still wet at the point when you noticed the yellow leaves? This will give you some clues in terms of what to change. Since you moved it to a southern window, that's great! They will thrive in that light, but I would just allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out, and then water. They do need to dry out a bit but not completely. They will mope and lose leaves too if the soil goes completely dry and stays that way for too long. Hope this helps!
You could also place you long stems on the soil surface and they will root making it fuller. Or so I’ve been told. Hold them down with pins/floral wire.
Yes that will work as well! Thanks for mentioning that, and I should add it to the post. It works especially well if you have tubers growing on the vines.
I had transplanted my string of hearts and it died with only one string left in pot do you think I should leave it in the pot or put in smaller pot or put in glass water let is reroot?
I would cut it off and propagate it and start a new plant. When you pot it up, place it in a small pot. Don't overpot it. Do you know why it died? Did it dry out? Or stay too wet? Did you repot it into a pot that is much too big?
I just bought every string of ......plant I could find in my area, hearts,pearls,turtle,fish hook, dolphin, bean....do they are care for the same. Also I have a cannabis grow tent. Could I put these under 18 hour light 6 hour darkness at 22°C? They would be okay. Until they are a lot bigger. There are currently in 3.5” pots. Just babies. Also wondering if I could use liquid nutrients I also use In my grow tent. Like micro, grow, calmag, velokelp. These are all veg nutrients. I’m just look to give all the babies a jump start to thier new home. Obviously I will not nutrient burn them but would a very small amount be okay. I got 2 of each will thought of gifting 1 of each to my mom. Can I speed up grow any how before I gift them. Right now thier environment is 18 hour light 6 dark. Humidity is 70% temperature 22°C I’ll probably try to get them on a 4 day watering schedule with the rest the tent.
Hi Jason. Those conditions all sound great, but you can probably cut down the number of hours of light. 12-14 hours would be more than enough. Most of those plants that you listed have similar care. The string of turtles probably shouldn't dry out nearly as much as the others you listed though. As far as fertilizing, regular and dilute applications is a good idea. Be careful of the watering schedule. It's great to have a check point, but I'd always recommend feeling the soil with your finger to determine when to water. Your temperature and humidity that you have will definitely help them. You could even go a little warmer if you can control it, otherwise leave it the way it is. But that's a great selection of plants! Good luck!
Hi. I recently purchased 2 pots of SoH. Each string has a rooted tuber so I divided them into 5 different pots. I used a well draining moist soil. After 2 days, the mature leaves so I watered them lightly. The next day, I saw yellow spots on the leaves nearest to the tubers. I checked the roots and some were rotting. I removed these roots and repotted using fresh soil. I plan to water lightly again after 7 days when the soil is already dry. However, the leaves are still soft even if I overwatered. Do you think they'll survive until my next watering? Thank you.
Hi! I am currently on the hunt for my own SOH but I was curious as to what type of pot you would recommend. Is it better to grow them in a deeper narrow pot or a wider mouthed pot that isn't as deep? Thank you!!
I would avoid anything unusually deep. Standard sized pots should be just fine, and steering to the shallower end wouldn't be a bad idea though! Maybe avoid any pots that are deeper than they are wide.
I live in Florida. Where do you purchase this string of hearts?
You can do a search online for it. A friend sent me mine so I'm not sure where she purchased it.
i have a very flourishing String! I love this plant...cuttings root easily and it it just a joy to watch it grow. the flowers are small but amazing and intricate.
Hi Freda, yes they are one of my favorites as well! Enjoy!
Hi,
I have a string of hearts in a bathroom and I think I either over watered it or it wasn't getting enough light. All the leaves for about 80cms have dropped off 🙁 there are plenty at the bottom and it's still growing but will any more leaves ever grow back higher up do you think please? Thanks.
Hi Charis! They won't grow back unfortunately. You can always propagate the stems that do have leaves and make a new plant. Check out the link to the blog post within this article that shows how to propagate and rejuvenate your plant. But you should try and understand why the plant went bare. Are you SURE you overwatered it? Many people mistakenly think they are overwatering everything. Did you actually feel the soil? If you let the soil get too dry, you can lose a lot of leaves as well. If you're letting just the top inch or so go dry, and then water it, this is not overwatering. Hope this helps, and let me know if you have more questions. Try and do your best to follow all my cultural advice in the blog post pertaining to light, water, soil, etc and you should not have any problems.
I bought cuttings of SOH and put them in water to root (no leaves touching the water, water change every 2-3 days, south window behind a sheer curtain). It’s been nearly eight weeks and I see no roots yet, but still getting new leaves and this week some of the cuttings have started to flower! Should I pot them up without roots, or keep waiting?
It's really up to you! Some people prefer putting them directly into soil to root. They should root either in water or in soil. Just make sure you use an appropriate soil.
Thank you for the information on SOH . I own a couple of the variegated and non variegated SOH but I don’t see any tubers or flowers on mine . I do see the tubers under the soil but not on the strings . What do I do to make my plants produce tubers or blooms ?
Hi Marilou! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. What kind of light are your plants growing in? In general, plants will bloom when they have sufficient light. Your plant either is not getting sufficient light, or it just needs more time.
Thank you for the info! I have a variegated SOH that has grown a lot and seems to be happy but all of the new leaves are very small. It keeps lots of variegation, nice deep pink on the vine and backs of leaves, and even a string that came out with fully white leaves.... so I thought light must be ok. Any thoughts?
Hi Brooke! Where do you have the plant located? How far from a window is it? Did you just obtain the plant or have you had it for a while? I need to more details to help, but the smaller leaves indicate less light to me and poorer conditions than before.
Thanks! I’ve had it for about a year now and bought it from a greenhouse. For the first few months it was getting morning and early afternoon sun from about 5 ft away from an east-facing window. Now it’s getting a lot more about 2 ft away from a south-facing window. It’s in cactus-mix soil in a terra cotta pot with good drainage holes, and the humidity in my house is usually about 50-60% (I’m in Oregon).
@Brooke, I just got my vareigated one and have it in a windsill of a south facing window. They love lots of indirect bright light. Also I feel the varigated to me is a lot more like a succulent than the non varigated version. I'm thinking having it in more light may help.
Thank you for sharing this information
You're very welcome!