How to Grow a String of Hearts Plant—and Keep It Flourishing Year-Round

The string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a beautiful and easy-to-care-for trailing houseplant that adds a touch of elegance to any space. Known for its fast growth and delicate heart-shaped leaves, it showcases stunning purple marbling that enhances its character. String of hearts is ideal for hanging baskets or for potting and displaying on shelves, making it a versatile choice for your home.

The charming plant is easy to propagate and non-toxic to both people and pets. It can thrive even with minimal water, making it perfect for beginners or anyone with a busy lifestyle. Ahead, experts offer their insights on how to properly care for this heart-shaped beauty so it can enhance your living space year-round.

Care Requirements

When nurtured in the right environment, this lovely heart-shaped plant can grow to an impressive 6 to 12 feet. Here are the optimal conditions that allow it to truly thrive and showcase its beauty.

Sunlight

The string of hearts plant thrives in medium to bright indirect light, says Amanda Rodriguez, plant expert and the marketing and graphic design lead at the Plant Stand. South-facing windows are ideal as they provide maximum light, but east or west-facing windows also work well.

Soil

Rodriguez suggests using a general-purpose potting soil or cactus mix for the string of hearts plant. The soil should be well-draining. Adding perlite or pumice to regular potting soil will help ensure adequate drainage.

Water

This heart-shaped beauty is drought-tolerant, but it generally prefers more frequent watering compared to other succulent plants. Rodrigues recommends watering your plant every 14 to 21 days, depending on the pot size, as smaller pots tend to dry out more quickly. Allow the plant to dry out between waterings. A reliable way to determine whether your plant needs water is to examine its leaves: if they're plump, it doesn't need water; if they're flat, it's time for a good soak.

Fertilizer

String of hearts needs regular feeding that is suitable for succulents. For the correct dosage, follow the instructions provided on the product labeling. For an organic option, worm castings offer instant nutrients without the risk of root burn.

How to Prune String of Hearts

String of hearts tends to grow long and sparse, with most of the fullness gradually drifting away from the pot, says Rachael Kemery, founder of Rising Iris Farm. While pruning won’t make the plant bushy in the traditional sense, it does encourage new vines near the soil line, creating the fuller, cascading look many growers prefer. The best time to prune is during spring and summer for optimal recovery; however, a light trim is acceptable any time if the plant is healthy. Here, she provides straightforward tips for successful pruning.

1. Using clean, sharp scissors, trim back a few of the longest vines to a length that feels right for your space. "If the plant looks thin near the pot, focus on cutting a handful of those longest vines back by a few more inches rather than trimming everything evenly," Kemery says. This encourages new growth closer to the pot.
2. Make each cut just above a leaf or node where leaves attach to the stem; this is where new growth can branch.
3. Save the healthy trimmings, which root easily and can be used right away for propagation.

How to Propagate String of Hearts

Propagating this plant is straightforward and provides a great opportunity to expand your collection. If your goal is a fuller plant, Kemery advises that cuttings can be replanted back into the original pot, or the vines can be rooted right in place using the bead-like tubers. Here, she provides two simple methods for successful propagation.

Propagating From Stem Cuttings

Stem cuttings can be propagated in water or soil. Both methods are straightforward and easy for any beginner to master.

1. Using clean scissors, snip a section of vine about 4 to 6 inches long with several sets of leaves. Remove the leaves from the bottom inch or two to expose the nodes.
2. Place the exposed nodes in a jar of water, keeping leaves above the surface. Or fill a container with fast-draining cactus or succulent-style houseplant potting mix and place the cutting in the soil.
3. Keep the cutting in bright, indirect light and warm indoor temperatures around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Change the water every few days or keep the soil lightly moist but never wet.
4. Once roots have formed and the cutting feels anchored, plant it in a larger container.

Rooting Vines Back Into the Pot

Rooting vines while they’re still attached to the parent plant is especially reliable, says Kemery, since the vine continues receiving energy as new roots form.

1. Gently bend a long vine back into the original pot and rest one of the small bead-like tubers directly on the soil surface. Don’t bury it; light contact is enough. A hairpin or bent paperclip can help hold it in place.
2. Keep the soil lightly moist while it roots. After a few weeks, once the vine feels anchored, it can be left attached for a fuller-looking plant or cut free and potted in its own container.

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How to Repot String of Hearts

Although this plant can live pot-bound, it's best to increase the pot size when the roots start to stick out from the bottom. However, this may only be every two to three years.

1. Select a pot that is 1 to 2 inches larger than its current pot, and ensure it has adequate drainage holes.
2. Carefully remove the plant from its current pot, taking care not to break the delicate stems, which can snap easily. If the plant is root-bound, gently loosen the roots.
3. Position the plant in the new pot so that the root ball is just below the rim. Add potting mix around the sides of the plant, leaving the tubers slightly exposed or barely covered to prevent rot.
4. Water the plant deeply and slowly, allowing it to dry out before watering again.