String of hearts
Also called Rosary vine, Chain of hearts, Sweetheart vine.
| Light | bright indirect light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 14 days in the growing season, every 35 in winter |
| Humidity | low |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Height | Up to 15 cm (6 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats not known, dogs not known |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, no entry for Ceropegia woodii.
Thread thin purple stems hung with pairs of small heart shaped leaves marbled in silver over dark green, trailing two metres from a shelf or a hanging pot. It is a succulent from southern Africa, growing from a tuber, and it wants a succulent’s treatment: gritty compost, a small pot, bright light and long dry spells. Along the strands it produces small round tubers at the nodes, and any one of those laid on compost will root and start a new plant, which is why nobody ever buys a second one. It also flowers, in curious little pink and purple tubes shaped like a lantern, which are worth looking at closely.
Ailments observed
| Long bare stems and pale new leaves | Long bare stretches of stem between leaves, which means too little light. Move it brighter. Cut the bare strands back and lay them on compost, because every node will root and thicken the pot up. |
|---|---|
| A soft or mushy base to the stem | Compost kept wet, particularly in winter. Let it dry right down between waterings. The tubers along the stems will start new plants if the base is lost. |
Filed underPlants that forgive a beginner, Succulents and cacti, Plants for infrequent watering, Plants for a balcony or a small space
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