String of Hearts
Ceropegia woodii · Rosary Vine
A thread-thin trailing succulent from the rocky ledges of southern Africa, its silver-marbled hearts strung in pairs down purple stems. The dainty flowers are fly traps, and the little beads along its strands are tiny aerial potatoes.
Family
Apocynaceae
Origin
Southern Africa
In the wild
Hangs from rock ledges
Indoors
Trails 0.5–1 m
Growth
Moderate
With pets
Non-toxic
Where it's from
Southern Africa
Rock-ledge trailer
On outcrops in and around forest from Zimbabwe to eastern South Africa, 100 to 1,180 m up.
Outdoors: zones 10–12
Frost-tender. Year-round outside only in frost-free climates.
Least Concern
Widespread in the wild and ubiquitous on shelves. No tension here.
The flower is a fly trap
The 2 cm lantern flower lures small flies with scent, then downward-pointing hairs hold them captive until the hairs wither and release them dusted in pollen. The little beads dotting its strands are aerial tubers: pin one to soil and it grows a whole new plant.
A temporary prison
Hairs inside the flower trap flies until they wilt, then let the pollen-dusted insects go.
Potatoes on a string
The rosary beads along its stems are tiny tubers that root into new plants.
Breathes at night
A CAM succulent: it opens its pores after dark to save water in the day.
How to keep it
LightBright, indirect
A few hours of gentle direct sun keeps the markings strong. Too little light fades them and goes leggy.
WaterLet the top dry
Water sparingly when dry. It tolerates dry soil far better than soggy, which kills it.
HumidityDry air is fineThrives in normal room air. No misting needed.
TemperatureAbove 10°CNot frost-tolerant. Keep it warm.
SoilGritty cactus mixExcellent drainage is essential.
FeedingLightly, in summerA low-nitrogen feed a couple of times through spring and summer.
DifficultyEasyThe main risk is overwatering. Otherwise undemanding.
With petsNon-toxicListed safe for cats, dogs and horses by the ASPCA. A rare pet-safe trailer.
PropagationCuttings or tubersLay nodes on the mix, or pin a stem tuber to soil while still attached.
RepottingRarelyIt likes a snug pot. Refresh every few years.
What the data says
What it costs
Mass-produced and inexpensive. The variegated form is a mild upsell, no longer a true rarity.
$8–20
Cream-and-pink variegated forms and Silver Glory run roughly $10–30. Nowhere near the variegated-Monstera market.
The air-purifier myth
It rides the famous 1989 NASA study, which used small sealed chambers, not real rooms.
100–1,000
plants would be needed to match what a room's normal ventilation already does (Cummings and Waring, 2019). As a CAM plant it gives off some oxygen at night, but the cleaning effect is essentially zero.
IUCN · Least Concern
In the wild
A calm corner of the conservation map.
Assessed Least Concern by South Africa's SANBI: widespread across southern Africa and one of the most cultivated species in its genus. Abundant in the wild and on shelves alike, with no trade pressure.
When it sulks
Mushy, dying strandsOverwatering or poor drainage. The number one killer.
Sparse, leggy, faded silverToo little light. Move it brighter.
Shrivelling leavesUnderwatering, which is less common than the opposite.
PestsMealybugs, aphids and scale hide in the tangle of strands.
Varieties & company
The varieties
Plain greenVariegataSilver GloryString of Arrows
Pairs with · keep apart from
String of PearlsHoyaSucculentsCalatheaFernsPeace Lily
A new plant, every week.
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