Everything to Know About Trailing Plants
Long, cascading vines of trailing houseplants are the hottest trend in interior decorating. Here’s a look at the varieties lighting up social media.
You may have noticed that long, cascading vines of trailing plants have become an integral part of interior design trends. Whether hanging from baskets or spilling over the edges of shelves and bookcases, these playful additions can soften modern edges and add life and depth to indoor spaces.
But what species will add just the right touch of style? Read on to discover the trailing varieties getting the most attention on social media during the current houseplant craze.
Some of the most unique looks in the hanging-plant trend come from the wide variety of Senecio plants that grow in a trailing habit. Their succulent leaves are three-dimensional, plump little objects that look like treasures that have been strung along a cord. The most ubiquitous is Senecio rowleyanus, known as the String of Pearls or String of Beads for its ball-shaped leaves.
Rarer finds are even more delightful: The String of Bananas has crescent-shaped adornments, and the String of Tears features elegant, pointed succulent leaves. The most eye-catching may be the String of Dolphins, whose unique, instantly recognizable shape might make these the most desirable variety of all.
Each of these varieties spills over the edges of its pot with hardly any vertical growth, making them a natural choice for a high shelf or hanging in a basket above eye level. Planters painted to look like faces may be the perfect match for these plants: The mind instantly interprets their flowing stems as delightfully adorned locks of hair.
Succulents aren’t the only plants that grow in the trendy leaves-on-a-string style: Ceropegia woodii, the String of Hearts or Sweetheart Vine, displays cute heart-shaped leaves with plenty of visual interest. Its patterned leaves will deepen in better light, although it will scorch in more than a few hours of direct sun, so choose your placement appropriately. When happy, it grows quickly, forming a hanging curtain with its many long strands.
The variegated form of this plant is even more popular to photograph, although it may be harder to actually find one for your own home. The pink edges of its fancy leaves match so well with its heart-shaped form that the Ceropegia woodii variegata is on many a plant lover’s wishlist and sells out fast.
When it comes to social media trends, the more unique the look, the better. And the Burro’s Tail is unlike any other plant you’ve seen. Its thick, succulent leaves grow too densely for the stalk to hold up against gravity for very long, leading to thick “tails” that hang over the edges of any container it’s put into. The striking, alien look of this plant makes it endlessly photographable. Although its leaves are usually a pale, minty green, the right amount of direct sunlight can cause “stress colors” to appear, potentially creating a rainbow of shades across your plant!
For those in search of the “indoor jungle” vibe, look no further than the gorgeous, rich-colored leaves of the Heartleaf Philodendron. Not only is this plant considered quite easy to care for in standard indoor conditions, it grows voluminous vines rather quickly, creating a lush look that is completely on-trend, whether spilling from a shelf or climbing up a trellis.
Fenestrated (hole-filled) leaves are all the rage right now, and so the Monstera Adansonaii is in high demand for multiple reasons. Not only is its leaf shape endlessly admirable, but it grows in a vining, trailing habit that adds a wild, tropical look to any space. It can be used in the background or as a focal point of a room’s décor. It even comes in a variegated, white-and-green version that is so popular that a single two-leaf cutting for propagation can fetch more than $1,000 USD.
There are many varieties of Tradescantia on the market, and each one can bring a pop of unusual color to an otherwise monochromatic plantscape. Perfect for ambitious visions that require dense growth and lots of leaves, these plants grow fast and thick, and will fill any available space with an avalanche of foliage in no time. The undersides of its leaves range from maroon (t. zebrina) to deep purple (t. pallida) to pale pink (t. fluminensis and t. nanouk), and variegated versions of several of these species display a beautiful green-and-white striping. If all these colors sound enticing, you’ll be glad to know it’s easy to trade cuttings with friends, as stems from this plant root very quickly and propagate new plants in no time.
Although the most popular varieties of these well-known plants are certainly not rare, people just can’t seem to get enough of the Pothos. Its versatility under poor lighting conditions, fast growth, and elegant leaf shape make it an ideal addition anywhere in your home. Many people find themselves collecting every variety of this plant that they can find. It’s easy to train its fast-growing vines across shelves or even along walls, filling any space that gets a little light and could use a bit more green.
There are many popular varieties of the Devil’s Ivy, so-named because of how hard this plant is to kill. The leaves of the Golden Pothos show occasional yellow variegation, while the Pothos N’Joy and Marble Queen each have unique patterns of white. The Neon Pothos features bright lime-green foliage, while the Satin Pothos has a deeper hue and a silvery sheen. The most coveted variety is currently the Cebu Blue, whose leaves carry an attractive turquoise hue. Although the Pothos is ubiquitous, it can still surprise and enrapture.