String of Hearts

Has there ever been a more romantic name for a plant than the ‘string of hearts’? Scientifically speaking, it’s called the ceropegia woodii – distinctive for its vines that feature evenly spaced heart-shaped leaves that don’t look similar to rosary beads. Which brings us to the plant’s other name – rosary vine.

Native to Africa, the string of hearts was discovered by John Medley Wood in 1881, the curator of South Africa’s Durban Botanic Gardens. But it wasn’t until 1984 that it was sent to Kew Gardens – now it’s a popular houseplant in the UK.

How to care for it:

This trailing succulent requires little maintenance, but it does like a lot of light in order to flower its unique purple petals. We suggest positioning yours near a sunny window sill in a spot where it will receive an hour or two of direct sunlight each day, no more, no less. If you start to notice the marbling on its leaves spread, it’s a good indication that it’s receiving too much light.

The string of hearts hates being over watered. It’s also best fed from the roots. Pop yours on a tray of water – or in the bath – once a week for best results and be sure to let its soil dry out between waterings.

Top Floom Tip:

The string of hearts’ romantic leaves look best tumbling from a hanging planter, or down the side of a shelf stacked with books – so be sure to hang yours up high. This plant is something of a space saving solution – if you’ve run out of surfaces, simply hang yours from the ceiling instead to turn a small space into an urban oasis.