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Plant care

String of hearts (rosary vine) care

Ceropegia woodii

Also called rosary vine, sweetheart vine, chain of hearts.

RHS H1cUSDA 10-11Pet-safeIndoor 1-3 m trailing

Watering rhythm

10-14days

When soil is dry, every 10-14 days

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Light

Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)

Soil

Free-draining succulent mix

Humidity

40-60%

Temp

18-27°C

Pet safety

Pet-safe

Mature size

1-3 m trailing

Care at a glance

Light

String of hearts is what florists mean by "bright spot, no direct sun" — close enough to a south or east window to feel the brightness, with a sheer curtain or a few feet of distance keeping the sun off the leaves. Bright indirect light with some direct morning sun; pale-leaf etiolation in low light. A phone lux-meter at the leaf surface should read 1,500-3,000 lux at noon.

Watering

Water string of hearts when soil is dry, every 10-14 days. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Succulent leaves and tubers store water; rot is fatal.

Soil and pot

String of hearts grows best in free-draining succulent mix. Cactus mix with extra perlite; shallow pots suit the surface-rooting tubers. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

String of hearts sits happiest at around 40-60% humidity and 18-27°C (65-80°F). Tolerates dry household air. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed string of hearts sparingly. Quarter-strength succulent feed monthly in spring and summer. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on string of hearts in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Sparse leggy strands — Insufficient light; move to brighter indirect light.
  • Mushy leaves at the crown — Overwatering; cut affected strands and reduce frequency.
  • Faded markings — Too little light reduces silver mottling.
  • Spider mites — Stippling in dry rooms; rinse and raise humidity.

Propagation

Lay strands on moist mix and pin at nodes; roots form in 2-4 weeks. Tubers can be detached and planted. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

String of hearts is pet-safe. Ceropegia woodii is not listed by the ASPCA. Considered non-toxic to cats and dogs. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

String of hearts care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Ceropegia woodii?

Ceropegia woodii is most commonly called String of hearts, but it is also known as rosary vine, sweetheart vine, chain of hearts. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for String of hearts apply identically to anything sold as rosary vine.

How much light does string of hearts need?

String of hearts grows best in bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window). Bright indirect light with some direct morning sun; pale-leaf etiolation in low light.

How often should I water string of hearts?

Water string of hearts when soil is dry, every 10-14 days. Succulent leaves and tubers store water; rot is fatal. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is string of hearts toxic to cats and dogs?

String of hearts is pet-safe. Ceropegia woodii is not listed by the ASPCA. Considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

What USDA hardiness zone does string of hearts grow in?

String of hearts is rated for USDA zone 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) and RHS hardiness H1c. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

String of hearts deep-dive guides

Every aspect of string of hearts care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

String of hearts qualifies for 12 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

String of hearts is also known as rosary vine, sweetheart vine, and chain of hearts.