Growing String Of Hearts From Seed? The 230 Detailed Answer

Is there a more appropriate houseplant than a heart necklace to celebrate Valentine’s Day? A generous friend of mine who is a lifelong gardener and also a Master Gardener in our Inyo Mono Master Gardening Group gave me her plant when I expressed interest in the beautiful long stems and heart shaped leaves. They are a succulent leaf about an inch across with a wonderful gray pattern that adds quite a bit of visual interest. The backs of the leaves are purplish in hue. Along the stems, the plant also produces fun little flowers that are about half an inch long and vase-shaped, with purple stamens protruding from the end of the flower. These small flowers are initially white and turn purple with age.

The botanical name of String of Hearts is Ceropegia woodii, also classified as Ceropegia linearis subsp. woodii. Like many of our fascinating house and landscape plants, it is native to Africa, where it is found from Zimbabwe to South Africa. The plant was officially collected by John Medly Wood in 1881. JM Wood had many plants named after him, he was a self-taught botanist and for some 31 years curator of the Durban Botanic Gardens, which is still an active botanic garden outside of Durban, South Africa. JM Wood collected the plant hanging from rocks, and as houseplants they are wonderful in hanging baskets or slung over a frame, or stretched around a circular frame.

An intriguing property of this plant gives rise to an additional common name. Round structures form along the stems that look like white pearls, giving rise to the name rosary vine. These structures are air nodules, also called bulbils, that begin as a white spot at the leaf nodes and then swell to form white balls. They can then be placed back on the soil in the pot or on the soil in a pot next to the plant, putting a little sand under the bulb to prevent rot. It then begins to form roots from which another plant emerges; This can take around 8 weeks. Looking for resistance, a very gentle pull will show if there is enough rooting to separate the stem from the mother plant. So far I’ve had a bulb about half a centimeter in diameter which I’ve put back in the pot but it’s too early to see if roots have formed. Plants can also be grown from seed, if any are produced, or from stem cuttings that are about 4 to 6 inches long in early summer. To root cuttings, place them in any well-drained potting soil at temperatures of about 72 degrees to 77 degrees F and keep moist.

Ceropegia are classified in the family Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepidia, the spurge family. Ceropegia, scientific name of Keros, meaning wax, and Pege, meaning well, all have similar vase-shaped flowers, giving rise to common names such as Dutchman’s Pipe and Wineglass Flower. In their natural habitat, the flowers are often pollinated by small flies. Tiny hairs on the inside of the flower briefly trap the flies, which pollinate flies as they try to get out, emerging with pollen on their bodies. Being pollinated by flies, some of the buds have an aroma that only a fly would love, but I haven’t noticed a bad smell with String of Hearts. Other common names for C. woodii include Sweetheart Vine, Hearts Entangled & Tangle Vine due to its ability to tangle any stem very easily. That’s a quality I can attest to. I wanted to see how long each stem on my gift plant was and had quite a fight trying to custom straighten a stem. Some websites list the stems growing to 4 feet, but the stem I measured came in at just under 14 feet.

Ceropegia woodii needs a fast-draining potting soil, otherwise the tubers and roots can rot. Commercial cactus mix works well if you add more perlite or sand to the mix to aid in drainage. Water moderately and allow the pot to dry out between watering. Be careful not to water too much, especially during the winter months. They only thrive outdoors in subtropical and tropical areas. In the Owens Valley, where temperatures are high in summer, a potted String of Hearts can be moved outside to partial shade, but watch out for night time lows as they don’t thrive well in temperatures below 60 degrees. Indoors, provide bright light in full to partial sun for 3 to 4 hours a day and do well in normal room temperatures in the 60 to 75 degree Fahrenheit range. They seem to do well in a crowded pot, so shouldn’t need to be repotted often. When it’s time to repot, it’s best done in spring, before they start growing properly again. Fertilize sparingly during the growing season with a low-nitrogen houseplant fertilizer at half the strength of the usual dosage, this can be done up to once a month. Common pests include mealybugs, aphids and scale insects. Also watch out for these on the ground line where they can go undetected.

Ceropegia woodii has a reputation for being easy to care for, very accepting of neglect and has wonderful appeal with its cascade of heart-shaped leaves. With common names like Hearts Entangled, Sweetheart Vine, and String of Hearts, who could resist spoiling your Valentine’s Day with a plant this special?

Sources:

Royal Horticultural Society rhs.org.uk

SANBI South African National Biodiversity Institute www.sanbi.org

Plant Rescue www.plantsrescue.com/ceropegia-woodii/

Chain of Hearts is one of my favorite houseplants of all time, with those amazing thin strands that just keep growing and growing and those gorgeous heart shaped leaves. They are generally considered low-maintenance plants, although there are a few things you need to know to keep them happy. In this article, I will share my tips and advice on finding and caring for a lush Chain of Hearts plant.

Buy more than one

By far the easiest way to quickly get a lush looking plant is to buy several plants and plant them together. Chain of Hearts is a slow grower when small. So if you only work with a few strands at first, it will be a long game waiting for her to thicken up.

shopping spree

If they’re not uncommon or difficult to find where you live, you should shop around to get the largest plant(s) you can find. All of my major Chain of Hearts purchases have been online and second hand – through gumtree, FB marketplace, FB buy/swap/sell groups, or eBay. Buying second hand is a great way to acquire established plants at reasonable prices. You can save searches on most, if not all, of these platforms to be notified when your coveted item becomes available, although I’d say this is both a blessing and a curse!

Light is key for them to grow

You need light to grow them. light light light. Bright indirect light that hits both the surface of the earth and the leaves. Without decent light they will not grow well. While they thrive in bright, indirect light, avoid direct sunlight hitting the leaves as this can cause sunburn. I tend to place my COH plants as close to a window as possible and in a spot on a shelf or table unobstructed by other objects to ensure the top of the soil has adequate light.

Water them sparingly

They are not technically succulents, but should be treated as such in terms of their watering requirements. Use your finger or a moisture meter to check the soil before watering, and only give them water one-fifth the pot size when the soil is dry. One of the reasons these guys prefer to dry out between waterings is the bulbs they grow in their roots. They look like small potatoes but are actually their water reservoirs.

Be mindful of your pot size – keep it small for optimal drainage

Make sure the pot you put them in is only slightly larger than the roots. To my eternal frustration, nurseries often grow these in much too large pots. The bigger the pot, the more soil. The more soil, the longer it will take to dry out after watering. The roots are prone to rot if left in moist soil, so drainage is key. Repotting these plants is very easy despite their delicate appearance. Just dig up the roots and bulbs with your hands (they aren’t usually that long) and transplant them into an appropriately sized pot. They often fit well in a small vessel where they can live for a long time before needing a new pot.

Clone her!

Chain of Hearts is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Cut along the chain and place the cut end in water to form roots. You can expect roots to form in about 4 weeks. Once the roots are a few inches long they are ready for transplanting into soil where you can either add them back in with the mother plant or transplant them into a new pot to create a new plant. As an added benefit, cutting the warp encourages bushier growth as the cut warp sends out new growth onto the knots higher up.

Pin the vines to the top of the soil

Another trick to encouraging new vines is to take a vine and loop it around the top of the pot, making sure the nodes make contact with the soil. Bobby pins are super useful for holding them in place. The knots will eventually form roots and then form new chains.

Watch out for pests

As with any plant, watch out for pests. They tend to occasionally attract mealybugs, as well as aphids and scales. Prevention is the best form of pest control and they will benefit from a monthly spray of neem oil solution to keep pests at bay. If you notice any pests on your plant, first make sure you isolate the plant and quarantine it while you treat it. Then apply the required pest treatment a few times over the following month. Neem oil is a good product to have on hand as it is effective against a number of common plant pests. Be careful when using a soil soaking solution, as too much moisture in the soil for too long can cause root rot.

xxx Rachel

tags: •

Water a chain of hearts every 2 weeks. Allow the soil to dry out before watering again. String of hearts can be grown indoors in partial sun or bright indirect light and will thrive at room temperature. Plant chains of hearts in succulent and cactus soil to prevent root rot and keep the plant healthy.

String of hearts is a very low maintenance, low maintenance plant and grows very well as an indoor houseplant.

Read on for all the heart growing best practices to keep your plant healthy…

Chain of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii variegata) plant profile:

Care/Requirements Heart String (Ceropegia woodii variegata) Sun: Grows well in the morning with afternoon shade or in bright indirect light indoors. Water: Water with a generous water bath when the potting soil has dried out. As a rule, water every 2 weeks in spring, summer and fall and every 3 or 4 weeks in winter. Symptoms of overwatering: Leaves turn yellow or brown and feel mushy on the leaves and stems. Symptoms of not enough water: Leaves turn brown and shriveled. Soil: Requires gritty, well-drained soil to avoid root rot. Hardiness: Hardy to USDA zone 10. Cannot tolerate frost, so grow indoors in cold climates. Pots and Containers: Grows well in pots, containers and hanging baskets. Make sure the pots have drainage holes in the bottom. Active Growing Season: Grows in spring, summer, and fall. Dormant: Becomes dormant in winter due to less sunlight. Preferred Temperature Range: Grows well at room temperature. Ideally, keep the temperature above 15°C (59°F) for optimal growth. Fertilizer: Not a heavy feeder, but fertilizer can encourage more growth. Use a semi-strong succulent and cactus fertilizer once a month during spring and summer.

How much sun does String of Hearts need?

Whist String of Hearts is native to hot and dry climates, full sun all day is not necessary when grown outdoors due to its sensitive foliage.

String of Hearts plants grow best in bright, indirect light or some morning sun followed by afternoon shade.

With more light, the leaves take on a deeper purple tone, while with less light, the leaves can turn light green.

String of hearts can be sensitive to too much sun causing the leaves to scorch, so avoid intense full sun to keep the plant a healthy colour.

Watering Cord of Hearts

String of Hearts are native to southern African countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa.

In their natural habitat, they grow on rocky or sandy soils and live in climates with infrequent rainfall and low humidity.

As such, chain hearts are very drought tolerant and thrive in a dry indoor climate.

To grow a heartstring, it is important to replicate the watering and soil moisture conditions of its natural environment.

How often to water String of Hearts plants

Using a good water bath, water the hearts so that water trickles out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Allow the soil to dry out completely before watering your wreath plant again to meet water needs and prevent root rot.

Usually this means watering your coronary heart plant once every 14 days or so, although this can vary based on the climate and conditions of your home or garden.

How quickly your potting soil dries out will determine how often you should water your heart necklace in your home.

To determine exactly how often to water String of hearts in your climate, pour the soil generously and monitor soil moisture by feeling the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.

If the soil feels damp, delay watering a few days and wait until the soil feels dry.

When the earth feels dry, it’s the perfect time to water your affair of the heart with a good bath.

How to water String of Hearts in winter

In response to fewer light hours and light intensity compared to spring and summer, the chain of hearts often goes dormant in winter.

In the winter, the chain of hearts is not actively growing, which means you should reduce the frequency of watering as it can be even more susceptible to root rot during its hibernation.

During winter, water once every 3 or 4 weeks to meet the reduced water needs of the plants while preventing root rot.

How much to pour your heart necklace

Always water your heartbreaking plant with a really generous amount of water, as this will ensure that the water has penetrated the soil properly so the roots can absorb the moisture they need.

If you under-water, only the top inches of soil will be wet and the roots will not be able to access the water they need, leading to drought stress.

Symptoms of not enough water:

String of Hearts have adapted to survive drought as they thrive in dry climates, so when grown indoors they are more at risk of overwatering than underwatering problems.

The symptoms of an overwatered coronary heart plant are the leaves turning yellow, brown, or black and the leaves and stems feeling soft and mushy.

If this happens to your coronary heart plant, it’s important to reduce the frequency of watering and allow the soil to dry out completely.

Replace the soil with succulent and cactus soil that has good drainage and a porous structure to prevent overwatering and root rot.

It’s important to note that symptoms of overwatering can also be caused by soil that retains too much moisture, and pots without drainage holes in the bottom, or saucers and trays under pots that cause water to pool around the roots

Replace the soil with succulent and cactus soil to ensure good drainage and prevent root rot.

(Read my article on how to revive a heart necklace if your plant looks unhealthy).

Symptoms of not enough water:

If the chain of hearts is not watered often enough or too little, the leaves will begin to curl up.

Drought stress can be exacerbated by drafts, air conditioning, or circulating air indoors, which pulls more moisture from the leaves and the soil dries faster.

Your plant’s leaves will also look thinner when the moisture they store is depleted.

If this happens to your plant, increase the frequency you water the plant (always make sure the soil dries out between waterings to avoid root rot) and monitor how quickly the soil dries and adjust yours watering schedule accordingly.

Water plentifully and place the heart necklace in a more sheltered spot away from strong winds or excessive air currents, and the plant can recover in 2 or 3 watering cycles.

(For all the casting best practices, read my article on how to cast hearts).

Best soil for String of Hearts

String of Hearts plants grow in gritty or sandy, well-draining soil on rocky hillsides in their native South African range.

In contrast to most indoor plants, the heart cord does not like to be planted in potting soil that remains moist for a long time.

Plant Heart Necklace in a specially formulated succulent and cactus soil that effectively mimics the soil profile of Heart Necklace’s natural environment with a porous, well-draining structure.

Conventional potting soil retains too much moisture around the roots for this drought-resistant plant for too long, causing the same symptoms as overwatering and can cause root rot.

Pots and containers for String of Hearts

Plant strings of hearts in pots that are proportional to the size of the root ball and have drainage holes in the bottom to allow excess water to escape.

If chain of hearts is planted in a larger pot that has a larger capacity for soil, the potting soil can dry out much more slowly, increasing the risk of root rot.

Chains of hearts can grow in any type of pot or even hanging baskets, but clay or terracotta pots are considered best as they are somewhat porous, which allows the soil to dry more efficiently than plastic pots.

Necklaces of Hearts are hardy plants that can tolerate their roots being somewhat tied to the pot, but you should ideally repot your Necklace of Hearts to a larger pot to prevent the roots from blocking the drainage holes, which can result in this water drains too slowly.

Repotting is best done in spring, avoid winter repotting when the plant is dormant to reduce the risk of root rot.

Active growth and seasonal dormancy of String of Hearts

String of hearts is able to tolerate high temperatures in summer but enters a dormant state in winter due to reduced light levels.

During hibernation, growth slows down significantly, reducing the plants’ need for moisture.

It is important to emphasize that the dormant period can make the chain of hearts more susceptible to overwatering, so only water once every 3 or 4 weeks during the winter.

In spring, summer and autumn with warm temperatures and more light, the chain of hearts grows much faster.

If you want to encourage growth, place your chain heart plant in morning sun followed by afternoon shade or in a south-facing window so it gets more sunlight.

temperature range

String of Hearts are native to hot and dry climates in southern Africa, which allows them to grow very well in low humidity indoors at room temperature.

It should be noted that strings of pearls are not hardy and may die in frost. So if you live in a colder climate then always grow heart necklaces indoors (hardy to USDA zone 10).

If growth becomes limp, distorted, or blackened, it could be frost damage.

Heartstring grows best in spaces that are 15°C or warmer and can suffer from cooler temperatures.

Always place your hearts in warm, bright rooms and avoid contact of the leaves with windows, as a cold, frosty window can cause frost damage on a winter’s day.

Fertilizer for String of Hearts plants

Chains of hearts are adapted to gritty, sandy and often nutrient-poor soils, so they are not heavy consumers and do not necessarily need additional fertilizer compared to some houseplants

However, fertilizer can be used to increase growth, although you should only fertilize succulents during the spring and summer growing months, once a month/

I personally prefer to use a succulent and cacti specific fertilizer (available at garden centers and Amazon) as it contains all the nutrients heart attacks need at the right concentration to avoid problems with overfeeding your succulents.

Avoid using fertilizer in winter when the plant is dormant and not actively growing.

The central theses:

Water the chain heart plants liberally, then wait for the soil to dry completely before watering again. Typically, watering heart plants once every 2 weeks allows the soil to dry out after watering to meet the heart plant’s water needs without causing root rot.

Knowing how often and how much to water heart plants (Ceropegia woodii variegata) is important because they are drought-tolerant plants that are prone to root rot caused by overwatering and slow-draining soil.

Chains of hearts need to be watered less often in winter as they are in a dormant state.

The optimal watering regime should be in conjunction with the well-draining succulent soil and the right pot to avoid water stress and keep your heart plant healthy.

Read on to learn more about how to determine how often and how much to water your coronary heart plant in your climate and conditions, and the right potting soil to ensure your coronary heart plant…

How often to water the heart cord

String of Hearts plants are succulents specially adapted to growing in hot and dry climates with infrequent rainfall.

Because heartwort plants are drought adapted, they prefer drier conditions than most houseplants and are prone to problems associated with overwatering, such as overwatering. B. yellowing of leaves and stems and root rot.

To successfully grow chain of hearts in your home or garden, it is important to replicate the typical watering and soil moisture conditions of its natural environment.

Water chain heart plants with a generous water bath when the potting soil is completely dry. Typically, chain of hearts is watered every 14 days to meet moisture needs and allow the soil to dry properly before watering again to avoid root rot.

However, the potting soil for chain heart plants can dry out at different rates due to various factors related to climate and indoor conditions:

humidity and temperature of your climate.

The size of the pot (smaller pots dry out much faster).

Whether your heart is in an area with significant airflow, whether outdoors or due to airflow from air conditioning or circulating air indoors.

The soil’s ability to retain moisture.

To determine how often to water the necklace of hearts based on your climate, feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drain hole. If the soil feels damp, don’t water yet, but if the soil feels dry, this is the perfect time to water.

Once you know how long it typically takes for the potting soil from your heart necklace to dry out, you can create a watering schedule that closely mimics the drought, followed by rain, humidity cycle of the native South African environment.

How to tell if you’re watering String of Hearts too often

If you water your chain heart plant more than once a week, then you are probably over-watering your plant.

The symptoms of an overwatered chain of hearts are leaves that turn brownish-yellow, translucent, and eventually black, which is an indication of rot. The stems may also feel mushy.

If your heart attacks show symptoms of overwatering, reduce watering immediately and allow the soil to dry out completely to allow your plant to recover.

(If your coronary heart looks unhealthy, read my article on how to revive a dying coronary heart).

How to tell if you’re not watering String of Hearts often enough

The leaves of your chain heart plant will begin to shrivel and eventually turn brown if not watered enough or too little.

Leaves can also appear thinner when the moisture they store is depleted due to drought stress.

This is a much easier way to solve overwatering, as a good soak of the potting soil can save your coronary heart plant.

Wait for the soil to dry out again for the next 2 or 3 weeks and then soak again.

After 2 watering cycles, the heart chain should show signs of recovery and the leaves should feel firm and look swollen rather than shriveled.

It’s also worth noting that String of Hearts may need more or less water at different times of the year…

How often to water the heart cord in winter

Water the Herzens plants every 3 or 4 weeks during the winter as the Herzens plant is a winter dormant plant so it will need to be watered less often compared to spring and summer.

String of Hearts enters a dormant state in response to fewer light hours, lower light intensity, and cooler temperatures.

During the hibernation, the chain heart plant grows little or not at all, which reduces the need for water.

Heartstring is at greater risk of overwatering during dormancy, and it’s easier to revive an underwatered heartstring than an overwatered plant, so reduce watering.

However, it is important to consider if the heart plant is close to a heat source during the winter, which can cause daytime temperatures to fluctuate significantly and the soil to dry out more quickly.

When the leaves start to look shriveled (a sign of not enough water), soak the heart necklace liberally.

As long as the soil has a chance to dry out between waterings, the chain of hearts plant should stay healthy.

(Read my heart chain plant care article for all care best practices).

How much water to use to water String of Hearts

Always pour the chain of hearts generously so that excess water drips off the bottom of the pot.

While the variables of climate, humidity, and temperature can all affect how often coronary plants need to be watered, the amount of water should stay the same.

Watering generously at all times ensures that the water has properly penetrated the soil so that the plant’s roots can absorb the moisture they need.

A good bath promotes the proper development of the root and keeps the heart chain healthy.

Watering too lightly results in only the top inches of soil being moist and water not reaching the roots where it is needed, causing chain heart leaves to shrivel and eventually turn brown as a sign of drought stress.

(It should be noted that succulents will sometimes shrivel if overwatered as well as underwatered, so read my article to tell the difference).

Watering with a good soak and then allowing the soil to dry out replicates the watering conditions of chain heart plants’ natural environment in southern Africa, with a torrential rainstorm followed by a period of drought and high temperatures.

Well-draining soil to avoid overwatering

Good watering practices should be done in conjunction with planting chain heart plants in a well-draining soil mix to avoid root rot.

Ordinary potting soil retains too much moisture around the roots for hearts that tolerate drought rather than live in moist soil.

Soggy soil can cause leaves to turn yellow as a sign of stress.

Peaty potting soils also tend to shed water when they dry out, causing water to bead off the soil’s surface and preventing moisture from reaching the roots of your coronary heart plant, causing the leaves to shrivel due to drought stress.

String of Hearts plants grow naturally in sandy or gritty soil on mountain slopes in Southern Africa, in soil that drains well and doesn’t hold much moisture.

In order to keep the heart plant healthy and avoid root rot, it is important to grow the heart plant in a special succulent and cactus soil mix (available at garden centers and Amazon), as this has the specific well-draining soil characteristics and soil profile of a String of Hearts plants native environment.

With the right soil it is much easier to maintain the perfect moisture balance for String of Hearts plants and prevent effects of overwatering such as root rot, keeping your plant healthy.

Water heartstring in pots and containers with drainage holes in the bottom

Heartstrings cannot tolerate their roots in saturated soil, so it’s important that you ensure your pot has a drainage hole in the bottom to allow excess water to escape.

Watering so that excess water drips off the bottom of your pot is also the best way to ensure your plant has been watered adequately and is a good way to tell if the soil at the bottom of the pot is moist or dry so you can know when to do it The heart plant should be watered.

If you plant heartstrings in pots and containers without drainage holes in the bottom, water will pool around the roots, causing root rot with yellow leaves.

Water can still pool around the roots of your plant in its pot if:

The drain hole is clogged with roots or compacted soil. If you notice your soil draining slowly, you may want to consider unclogging the hole in the soil to allow excess water to properly drain.

. If you notice your soil draining slowly, you may want to consider unclogging the hole in the soil to allow excess water to properly drain. Saucers and trays under your pots. It is very common to use a saucer or tray under your flower pot to prevent water from spilling around your home. Empty the trivet or tray regularly to prevent water from building up and leaving the soil too boggy for your chain heart plant.

. It is very common to use a saucer or tray under your flower pot to prevent water from spilling around your home. Empty the trivet or tray regularly to prevent water from building up and leaving the soil too boggy for your chain heart plant. Decorative outdoor pots. Chain heart plants are often sold in a plastic pot with drainage holes, but placed in a decorative outdoor pot that looks great and prevents water from spilling around your home. However, the outer pot prevents excess water from escaping and keeps the soil too moist, leading to root rot, so empty the pot regularly or plant in a pot with drainage holes in the bottom.

The central theses:

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.

Would you like to learn how to spread String of Hearts? Here are 5 different ways you can propagate this hardy and versatile houseplant! In addition, I also mention some tips on how to make String of Hearts fuller.

The botanical name for this plant is Ceropegia woodii, but some common names include Chain of Hearts, Rosary Vine, and Hearts Entangled.

Regardless, here are 5 ways you can grow a fuller plant and root more for yourself or a friend! (If you want the free printable version of this post, scroll to the bottom of this post to download!)

5 ways to spread String of Hearts

1. WATER EXPANSION

Rooting a heart necklace in water is super easy. Simply take several cuttings that are a few inches long and place them in water.

Remove the leaves from the portion of each cutting that will be submerged in your jar or vase. This helps prevent these leaves from rotting and keeps the water fresher.

Make sure you have a few leaves for the portion of each cutting that isn’t submerged.

The roots grow from the nodes, which are the places where the leaf meets the stem. You should have at least one knot, if not two, submerged.

The more cuttings you can take, the better! This results in a fuller plant from the start.

I had gotten the clippings above in the mail from a friend, so I started with that.

Make sure you change the water at least once a week or so. If you notice the water getting cloudy, change it more often.

Place your cuttings in water in an area with bright, indirect light. Depending on your conditions, you should be rooting within a few weeks!

Note the roots growing from this cutting at the small bulb on top of the cutting. We’ll talk about tubers later.

After your water propagated cuttings have roots, plant them in soil. You don’t have to wait for them to take too long. 1/2″ long is enough.

I wrote a completely different post about Ceropegia woodii care, so be sure to check it out and find out what soil mix I use for these plants, among many other care tips!

2. DISSEMINATION IN SOIL

Propagation in soil would follow the same process as above, except you would stick the cuttings directly into the soil just like the photo above.

To increase the chances of your cuttings taking root, you can dip any node that goes below the soil line in rooting hormone, which you can easily buy on Amazon.

Use the soil mix I describe in the heart necklace care post and then just wait!

Water the pot well and from this point on try to keep the soil slightly moist to encourage rooting.

3. MOVE CUTTING STANDS TO FLOOR

You can also take cuttings and place them horizontally on the ground. Pay attention to direct contact with the earth.

You can even use curved paper clips to gently pin down the cuttings so they make contact with the soil.

With this method, it is helpful to increase the humidity to encourage root growth of the cuttings, otherwise the cuttings may dry out.

You can put the container or pot in a clear plastic bag and seal it. Be sure to open the bag every few days to air it out to keep mold from growing.

Roots begin to grow from each node.

4. CIRCLE THE BEACHES BACK IN THE SAME POT

One method I’m trying now is using the plant I grew from water propagated cuttings.

Look at the resulting plant after a few months. There were only a few cuttings, so the plant wasn’t very full.

Leaving the plant in its pot, I took the dangling vines, circled them on the surface of the ground and carefully secured them with paperclips.

Terracotta pots have advantages and disadvantages. The small ones like in the photo above dry out super fast, so be careful!

You can see how I did this in the short video that appears in this post.

The paper clips are so the vines are in contact with the ground.

Keep the soil slightly moist to encourage root development. For best results, keep the plant moist while rooting. You can put it in a closed, clear plastic bag.

Keep it out of direct sun while it’s in the bag so it doesn’t cook! Provide bright, indirect light and open the bag every few days to allow excess moisture to escape and prevent mold from developing.

Once the plant is rooted and begins to grow, you can move the pot to its final location. A window with a few hours of direct sun will do this plant very well.

5. TUBER SPREAD

Depending on how old your plant is, you will see tubers of different sizes along your heart tendrils.

Check out the different sizes of tubers in the photo above. Without cutting the vines, you can place the vines with the tubers in a pot of soil that you can place next to your plant. Partially bury the tuber.

Roots will form from the bulb and once rooted you can cut it from the original plant.

Finally, if you have an old plant that has lost a lot of leaves and is bare at the base, you can spruce it up.

Cut off any vines and you can use these to propagate using any of the methods outlined above.

Then you can take all the bulbs in the pot and repot them in fresh potting soil. At this point, you can separate the tubers for planting in multiple pots, or remove the root system from the pot, break up the root ball a little, and transplant into fresh soil.

Place the pot in a nice, bright window and you’ll soon have an abundance of new growth and a brand new String of Hearts plant!

If you want to buy a heart necklace or even a colorful heart necklace, check out the heart necklace listings on Etsy (link to Etsy). The site has an amazing variety of plants and is a great one stop shop!

If you’ve heard of the “butterfly method” of propagation, be sure to check out my blog post on butterfly propagation.

If you have an empty heart necklace and need some help filling it up again, read my post on how to fill a heart necklace.

Have you tried multiplying String of Hearts? Comment below with questions!

Download your free, ad-free PDF printable version of this post below! If you are not subscribed to Grow sign up for free and it will unlock this free content and much more on my site. You can also save your favorite posts.

Please do me a favor and share this post on social media as it will help me spread Ohio Tropics houseplant care tips to the masses! Also visit my shop on Amazon for all your houseplant care needs:

OHIO TROPICS PLANT CARE STORE FRONT

Hello new blog readers! I got some questions about chain heart care on my Instagram so thought I’d update a post I wrote two years ago – I’ve added some more tips that I’ve found helpful when growing my chain heart plants + them to thrive.

Ceropegia woodii is a beautiful hanging succulent also known as a rosary or necklace of hearts. She is often seen falling off Instagram’s bookshelves. The internet has also been intrigued by the more recent addition of the variegated version, which first appeared a few years ago + the Ceropegia family in general also seems to be gaining in popularity. If you are new to this plant I would suggest starting with the regular version + not the variegated one which needs lighter conditions to develop a pink hue + can be a bit fussier. With the hanging plant trend not waning any time soon, I want to share with you some tips and tricks that will help you bring happiness to your heart.

Above are some photos of my plant when it was younger… + please excuse the not so brilliant photo quality here, these photos are a few years old! I kept this plant in my bedroom – it hangs on the picture ledge next to my dressing table in one of my plant hangers. This has meant that I was able to closely monitor her growth habits in order to write this post. In addition to this affair of the heart, I’ve been experimenting with a few of my plants that I have multiples of (…maybe the number one sign of being a plant hoarder?!), monitoring growth habits in different environments, etc.

Did you know that the hearts grow closer together the more light this Ceropegia woodii receives? You can see the strands on the bottom left of this photo that were closer to the ground and received less light – therefore more distance to grow. On the right, the hearts are closer together as they receive brighter light!

Here you can see the growth changes in one of my smaller heart chains that I held about a meter from a west-facing window – the hearts here grew with an average heart-to-heart distance of 3 cm. After getting a new shelf in my kitchen I moved it and it currently sits about half a meter from my east facing french door – the distance between the hearts has expanded to 6cm. We can compare this to the more commonly observed etiolated growth patterns of succulents that receive insufficient light conditions, such as Echeveria – which cause the succulents to stretch for light. I have an extremely etiolated Echeveria pearl from Nuremberg — see photo below…

etiolate, etiolated; extravagant

to bleach and alter the natural development (of a green plant) by excluding it from sunlight

to make pale

deprive of natural strength: make weak

When we first started using “etiolate” (borrowed from the French verb étioler) in the late 1700s, it referred to intentionally depriving the growing celery of light. The word derives from an Old French word for “straw” and is related to the Latin word for “straw” or “stalk,” which is “stipula.” Today, the term for growing vegetables that are as pale as straw is more like “blanching,” which can mean, among other things, “bleaching (the leaves or stems of plants) by soiling, planks, or wrapping.” “Etiolate” refers more to depriving plants of light in general; When “etiated” they are sickly, pale and scrawny. The figurative meaning of etiolate (to make pale or weak) first appeared in the 19th century as a natural outgrowth of the original meaning.

SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etiolate

As a point of comparison, I wanted to show you my colorful hearts – you can notice the lighter leaves and white borders that fade to a blushing pink in sufficient light. Mine are new so not much pink yet but I will be sharing their growth progress here on my Instagram.

I’ve been growing my SOH plants for a few years now + in terms of positioning I really think I’ve found the perfect position for mine this year. So much so that next time I move I’ll try to emulate this place if I can! I am currently growing my 3 plants a meter away from a south east facing window behind netting. That means it gets a few intense hours of afternoon sun, but not so much that it scorches the leaves. I’ve since spoken to some of you online who also agree that this seems to be the “magic” position! If the light is too intense, the hearts can become crispy. A southwest location was where I grew it in my old apartment, which also worked similarly. Keep in mind that these are the conditions that are personal to my current environment + to serve as a guide so you can compare to your own home. It’s also important to remember that windows can vary quite a bit in size + if you live in a built-up area, there are other buildings nearby, or if there are obstacles outside like trees, it all affects light intensity.

So having addressed the key concerns of the light for the heart chain, now let’s look at watering, fertilizing, potting + propagation. Here are some tips I jotted down to help me grow well…

As a little “extra” note here – I received an Instagram DM earlier about these weird clay-like balls that appear on SOH plants. They are actually aerial bulbs (also called bulbils) that can form roots when placed on the potting soil + are actually what gives this plant the common name “rosary vine”. You’ll notice them especially on more mature plants + are just a normal growth habit so don’t be put off by their unusual appearance!

After the (almost) obligatory rotting of some succulents when I first started keeping plants by watering improperly a few years ago, I have decided to water many of my succulents from below. As tempting as it is to water this plant through the tip in place (since it looks tedious to get off that hanger…), this plant will thank you for giving it some TLC. The main reason these plants die is from overwatering. So until you are sure how much + how often, I would advise you to start watering from the bottom. I take mine off every two – three weeks (less in winter) and place them on a tray of lukewarm water – very cold water will shock the roots. Leave to rest for 30-45 minutes + top up the tray with water if necessary. The hearts begin to empty when they are very thirsty. Every few waterings, I put the plant in the sink and give it a rinse to make sure all of the potting soil gets wet. I’ll talk a little more about potting soil later…

I learned how to fertilize your plants properly from my grandfather – after years of helping him feed his tomatoes in the greenhouse. It seems like an essential aspect of plant care to me, but I know not everyone uses fertilizer, especially if you’re new to plant care – mostly out of fear of not knowing what to buy/how much to use. Too much fertilizer can actually burn or even kill your plants so always read the label + I would recommend using half strength according to the dilution instructions. In short, I generally use a 5-5-5 (NPK: Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) balanced fertilizer for my houseplants (sometimes I use a succulent fertilizer, but not always) + feed my chain of hearts every other week as well I water them. I follow a “FRIDAY FEED” routine (a routine also passed down from my grandpa) every 1-2 weeks during April and October. As a note here, if your climate is very different from mine + you find your plants growing all year round then more regular fertilization (in fall + winter) is in order. The easiest way to judge whether or not you should fertilize is if your plant is actively growing. Regular fertilizing helps keep your plants strong and more resilient to pests. In terms of pests, watch out for mealybugs if conditions were warm + the plant was allowed to dry out too much.

The most common size I see are small 9cm pots + I would generally advise repotting these once they are established in your home. These pots also usually come in tall plastic sleeves, which the plant doesn’t like as the moisture on the leaves isn’t good for them (side note – don’t spray them). I’ve found my hearts prefer a shallow pot to a deep one because they have a fine root structure + a light, free-draining potting mix to prevent root rot. For my hearts, I use a potting soil mix of houseplant soil, orchid bark, coconut fiber, perlite + horticultural semolina. If you have a mix of cacti and succulents, this would be a great alternative. I recently repotted my large heart necklace which was a minor task but I’ve noticed the plant is a lot happier since then so always check your roots!

If you follow these tips + your hearts blossom, you might find they grow a bit long for the space you give them… mine fell on the floor a few weeks ago. So you can either let them continue to grow or start a new plant/complement your current plant by chopping + propagating cuttings. I cut + remove the hearts from the bottom four inches of the strands – the knots where the hearts were removed will be where the roots grow. After leaving the end of the stem to the callus for a few days, I put it in water + leave it in indirect light to root for a few weeks, somewhere warm + bright is good. Change the water every 7-10 days + when it’s warm keep an eye on the water level in case it evaporates.

When your stems are rooted you can either create a new plant from them or put them back on top of the pot to get a fuller plant like this one:

The other propagation option is a horizontal method as opposed to a “vertical” method as mentioned above. If the top of your planter gets a lot of light, you can curl a stem (still attached to the main plant) around the top of the pot. I’ve found this to be a great method for smaller pots that can stand on a table top or shelf + if the stems aren’t too long! Alternatively, if you wish to take cuttings for this, you can do so by placing the cut stems on a layer of potting soil/peat moss (whichever you prefer).

You can use an unfolded paper clip or similar to hold the loose stems in place until rooted if things are feeling a little loose. This method is sometimes called the butterfly method because the pairs of “hearts” look like little butterflies perched on top of the potting soil… I learned this a few years ago from a dear elderly plant lover + thought the name was so cute. Either way, these plants are fun to keep and experiment with propagation!

I hope this post will help make your hearts happy.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Featuring simply gorgeous heart shaped patterned leaves, the Heart Necklace has stolen our hearts here at Lazy Flora for more than just Valentine’s Day every day of the year.

Originally from

South Africa

other names

Ceropegia woodii

rosary

irrigation

Chain of Hearts is a semi-succulent plant, meaning it is more tolerant of dry soil than wet soil and is susceptible to rot in wet soil. If in doubt, water sparingly. You can always add more water.

You can safely let the soil dry out completely between waterings. This plant is dormant in autumn and winter and therefore needs less watering. In spring and summer the soil should be slightly moist.

lighting conditions required

Keep your heart necklace in bright light, with some direct sun (but not all day) to get the best color and lots of foliage.

If you notice large gaps between the leaves, there’s a chance the plant isn’t getting enough light.

temperature and humidity

This is a plant that enjoys 40-50% humidity and thrives between 18-24ºC, making it well suited to most UK homes.

blossom

The main attraction of this plant is the beautifully shaped leaves and beautiful pattern on its trailing leaves, but it also produces small purple flowers in Spring/Summer.

size

Trails up to 90 cm or more.

propagation

As your chain of hearts grows, you may notice small pearl-like nodules on the vines. These appear after the plant has flowered. When these bulbs touch the ground, the bulb will send roots into the soil and another new plant will form. You can drape the tubers over the surface of the pot, or clip the vines at the tubers and place the vine with the tubers on the surface of the soil to encourage them to grow another plant in the same pot – or even share cuttings with them your friends.

In the UK, the Heart Necklace will not survive our outdoor winter temperatures. However, in its natural habitat, this plant reproduces and spreads so quickly and easily that it can be difficult to control. It’s a great first plant to start propagating.

If you like adding a string of hearts to your collection, you can grab one of these amazing plants by following this link.

Get £10 off your first order with Lazy Flora!

PRO TIP: “When in doubt, let it dry!” If the soil feels slightly damp and you’re unsure whether to water or not, the safest bet is to wait and check back in a few days.

Always make sure to assess your plant’s water needs upon receipt. Before giving your plant anything to drink, it’s best to check the soil’s moisture level first to make sure it’s not damp just below the surface. Also consider aerating your plant’s soil before the first watering. We compact the soil to avoid shifting during transportation, so aerating can help the soil breathe and release moisture.

The String of Hearts plant has a succulent-like nature, so they prefer periods of drought between waterings. When the soil at the bottom of the pot is 2/3 dry, the plant is ready to drink. During the winter months it is best to allow the soil to dry out completely through the pot as these plants will also go into a dormant phase indoors. They are sensitive to root rot and overwatering, so when in doubt, let them dry out.

Rotate your plant regularly to ensure even growth on all sides, and dust the leaves often to help the plant photosynthesize efficiently. When dusting the leaves, also take the opportunity to inspect the undersides and look out for pests.

Remember that each plant is a unique creature and may have different needs, especially in its particular location. Pay attention to the condition of your heart necklace and its water needs and you will have a long and happy relationship.

Botanical name Ceropegia woodii Common name Necklace of Hearts, Rosary Vine, Necklace of Hearts, Chinese Lantern Plant type Succulent, Grape Vine, Evergreen Adult size 2-5 cm. tall, 2 – 4 m. widespread Sun Exposure Partial sun Soil type Well drained, fertile soil pH Acidic, neutral Flowering period Summer, fall Flower color White to pale crimson Hardiness zones 9 – 12, USA Native range Southern Africa

The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

The Spruce / Krystal Slagle

plant care

With the right warm conditions, humidity levels, and filtered light, the heart plant will grow quickly and bloom profusely. Known for its hardiness, it is a good plant for novice houseplant growers, surviving periods of neglect relatively well.

light

Positioning your chain heart plant in a spot where it will receive bright but dappled, filtered sunlight will give you the best results in terms of growth and bud production.

floor

String of Heart plants thrive in well-drained cactus soil mixes. While they appreciate a decent fertility, if the mix is ​​too rich, the plants can look straggly.

If you’re using a regular potting mix, things like pumice or perlite will need to be added to ensure it drains properly.

water

Although the chain of hearts is drought tolerant, it likes more frequent watering than many other succulent species. Allow the soil to dry between waterings and then give a deep watering. Too much water can lead to swollen foliage, leaf drop and a messy growth habit.

It is important that your chain of hearts plant does not stand in standing water. This is a quick way to kill them, and excellent drainage is vital.

temperature and humidity

Although these plants can tolerate temperatures of up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit for short periods, they cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to cold, especially if they have not stored enough moisture.

Likewise, Chain of Hearts plants are not fans of intense heat. Warm temperatures and good air circulation lead to the best results. These plants do not like high humidity during the hibernation phase.

fertilizer

Your heart plant will appreciate being fed regularly with a fertilizer specially formulated for succulents. This will be one that isn’t high in nitrogen, as too much of it can cause plants to become overly soft.

Cardiac plant reproductive chain

Heart chain plants are generally propagated by cuttings rather than seed germination. Obtaining seeds is difficult.

The use of the stem cutting method is simple and generally gives good results. Cuttings with at least two internodes usually root within 14 days to two months. The tubers that form along the stem and even individual leaves can also be used for propagation.

Just make sure the potting soil is kept moist and in a warm spot with bright but filtered light. Cuttings can also be sown in water first. Once the roots have formed, they can be transplanted into the potting soil.

Potting and repotting heart plants

Given the right conditions, these plants are prolific and therefore benefit from being repotted every few years. However, caution is advised as the delicate tendrils can easily break. Make sure the new pot has generous drainage holes.

Senecio Rowleyanus, also known as Curio Rowleyanus, string of pearls, string of pearls and string of pearls, is a popular evergreen succulent with small, spherical leaves. It is native to southwestern parts of Africa. The strands can grow a few meters long, with each strand containing dozens, even hundreds of leaves if they are very long.

String of Pearls has become very popular in recent years as it makes an ideal hanging plant that looks fantastic in all types of novelty and hanging pots.

As many of you succulent lovers will know, a large number of succulents can be propagated from leaves and seeds. But is that the case with String of Pearls?

Senecio Rowleyanus can be propagated from seeds and leaves but it is very difficult and not recommended. Most of the leaves die off and only a few seeds tend to germinate.

The good news is that String of Pearls is easy to propagate from cuttings. If you’re only interested in propagation methods, scroll down to Propagation.

description

Senecio Rowleyanus forms pearly leaves with a slightly translucent tip. They are light green in color and grow on thin stalks that have a pendulous habit.

When planted at the edge of the pot or hanging basket, the strands will spill over creating a cascade of green beads. A full hanging basket with many strings is quite a spectacular sight.

Senecio Rowleyanus ‘String of Pearls’ leaves

The strands can reach a few meters, but the size of the plant largely depends on how much space the roots have. As with many other plants, the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant. When planted in the ground, the strings will just keep dragging on endlessly, sending roots into any available dirt along the way.

String of pearls grows most of the year, slowing somewhat in the cooler months. Flowers appear on small stalks and are white, sometimes developing a faint pink tinge. The petals curl backwards and each individual flower head contains many smaller flowers with pistils creating a tiny swirl.

Smaller insects, including beneficial bugs like ladybugs and howerfly (these prey on the dreaded aphids), happily feed on Senecio flowers.

Senecio Rowleyanus flower close up

String of pearls flower top view

propagation

Senecio Rowleyanus is very easy to propagate from cuttings and a single plant can provide many strands in a short period of time.

The method our small nursery uses is to grow the plant with multiple strands of 20cm or more to a nice large size and then cut off the longest strands.

They can be divided into 4 or more parts and left to dry for a day. The strings are then bundled together and planted in a pot of succulent potting soil. Roots usually appear around 3 weeks into the growing season and new shoots start to appear after about a month.

To propagate by cuttings, first select a nice long branch.

Divide the branch into 4 or more sections and strip off the last leaf or two at the end to be planted in potting soil. Leave to dry for a day.

Make a hole in the middle of the pot.

Insert the bundled strings and push the potting soil around to close the hole.

Place in a bright but shady spot and water when the potting soil dries up.

If you want to try to propagate strings of pearls from seeds or leaves, you can try, but it’s best not to expect success.

In our experience, leaves don’t reproduce very well, but it’s not impossible. They will first grow a root system and then sprout a new branch. The small branch needs to be planted in the potting soil and watered from time to time. Growing a whole new string of pearls from just one leaf also takes a long time. Be careful, most of the leaves will simply rot.

Unlike other succulents, the leaves of Senecio Rowleyanus must be planted, otherwise they will dry up. Only the small stalk that connects the leaf to the main vine needs to be in the potting soil.

In order to propagate from seed, the flower heads must be pollinated. We’ve found that pollinated flower heads open into a large, fluffy ball, ready to be carried by the wind. Those that are not viable still look fluffy, but do not open.

When we tried to plant the seeds from unopened heads, they never germinated. The fluffy ones had a much better germination rate. The seeds can be planted directly in succulent soil and should not dry out.

If you don’t have time to water every day, put a plastic bag over the pot/tray and tie a knot/ This will keep the potting soil moist longer. The germination time of Senecio Rowleyanus can be between a few weeks and 2-3 months. The seeds germinate faster in spring/summer.

Senecio Rowleyanus seeds

Germinated Senecio Rowleyanus seed

When purchasing Senecio Rowleyanus seeds, we recommend getting them from a reputable seed store. Also, I’ve seen ads on merchant sites promoting Blue String of Pearls. Please don’t waste your money – there is no blue Senecio Rowleyanus. The only bluish hanging succulents out there are String of Fishooks and Senecio Blue Falls. The images of the blue beads are heavily photoshopped.

attitude & care

Senecio Rowleyanus is a shade lover and doesn’t like full sun but does need plenty of light. A bright or filtered light is a must for this plant to grow well.

The pearls in our nursery are grown in greenhouses with 30% shade cloth over them. But a shady but bright porch/under a tree or a covered balcony is also a good spot.

These plants prefer a light shade outdoors and do not like too much sun, especially in the warmer months. Senecio Rowleyanus will tolerate some morning sun and even more during the cold months, but in summer the sun can scorch the delicate twigs and leaves. If the plants are in the shade, they can withstand heat of over 40 °C (104 °F).

Senecio Rowleyanus is not frost tolerant but can handle temperatures just above 0 °C (32 °F). Because they contain so much water, frost will literally freeze them inside.

It is possible to grow Senecio Rowleyanus indoors, but the area needs to be very light and close to a window. A bit of sun shining through the window does not harm the pearls. They also like breezy places, so opening the window often helps.

String of Pearls should be planted in a pot with a drainage hole, as it can rot if left in standing water. Outdoors, they shouldn’t mind the rain, even if it rains for a long time, but the potting soil must be well-draining and of good quality.

Water indoors when the potting soil feels dry or once a week on average. They are more sensitive to water indoors as the potting soil does not dry out as quickly as outdoors and there is no breeze.

pests

Unfortunately, there are many pests that feed on Senecio Rowleyanus. Both aphids and mealybugs have been known to visit this plant. Mealybugs can infest the leaves and roots.

Snails, snails, caterpillars and grasshoppers have also all been spotted feeding on our plants.

Although we have never seen but also heard reports of birds feeding on strings of pearls. In Australia, possums eat this plant to the ground when given the chance.

toxicity

Senecio Rowleyanus is listed as toxic to humans and pets when ingested, although only mild irritation has been reported.

Consuming it can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

where can i get this

String of Pearls is a fairly common plant and can be purchased at garden centers and online nurseries. Our nursery sells both the regular and variegated versions in Australia.

Sharing is caring!

284 shares share

tweet

Pen

The heart necklace has to be one of the more adorable plants out there. How not to love the little heart shaped leaves? If you love these, you’ll be happy to know that there are a few styles of heart strings to add to your collection.

Each of them offers something unique and you can either grow them individually or even plant them in the same pot for a wonderful colorful combination. The requirements are more or less the same for all, some are more forgiving when it comes to light.

Ready to find out what all the different Ceropegia Woodii strains are? Continue reading!

Varieties of Heart Necklaces

The baseline of heart care is the same for all types. You’ll have to pay more attention to bright colors if you want to keep the colors as they are, but as far as keeping them alive, they’re all relatively easy.

Read: How to Care for a Heart Necklace

They can all be propagated the same way too, so if you want to share a plant with your friend, it’s easy. The propagation also has a high success rate.

Read: How to Spread a Heart Necklace

Regular Heart Necklace

The most common type of heart necklace that you can find in most stores. This semi-succulent is easy to grow and grows extremely fast in the right conditions. This type doesn’t come at a hefty price tag, allowing you to buy a large plant without breaking the bank. As she is a fast grower, you can’t go wrong buying a baby plant (or asking a friend to give you a skein) as you will soon have a beautiful plant with long vines covered in tiny hearts.

The leaves are heart-shaped, which is a signature of these plants. The leaves are dark green with light green marbled patterns. The undersides of the leaves are pink to purple in hue. Depending on the incidence of light, the pattern can be more or less pronounced. With more light, the underside also becomes more purple.

Variegated String of Hearts Varieties (Pink or White)

These are the cutest little hearts you will ever see! The leaf shape of each Ceropegia woodii is gorgeous on its own, but add a splash of pink to the side and you can’t help but fall in love with this plant.

Available under the name “colorful heart chain” or “heart chain pink”, you can get them with different color strengths. Some have soft pink edges while others have insane amounts of pink. These are a little harder to come by than a regular Ceropegia woodii, but you shouldn’t have much trouble finding one.

When it comes to care, these are a bit trickier than a regular strain or other heart varieties that have mostly green leaves. To get the wonderful pink color and keep the chroma from returning, you need to provide more light (but not too much) than a regular SOH. These also grow slower than a regular variety. So if you want to have a full plant quickly, it is better to buy a larger specimen from the start.

Important! If it doesn’t get enough light, it compensates by losing its chroma. Once the chroma is lost on the sheet, that sheet doesn’t get it back – the loss of chroma is permanent (this applies to the white parts of the sheets).

If you only see white variegation but want your plant to get those lovely pink hues, you need to provide more light.

Silver Glory Heart Necklace

Silver Glory is another fun heart necklace to add to your collection. If you compare the Silver Glory heart necklace with the normal one, you will notice that the shape of the leaves is slightly different. The normal ones have a more pronounced heart shape, while the silver glory is more like a pumpkin or an apple. You’ll notice that the bottom of the heart is more rounded or even rounded (like the bottom of the apple), while the end of the regular heart necklace is slightly more pointed.

The shape of the leaf is the main indicator, because while Silver Glory is known for the almost entirely silver color of the leaves, the regular variety can also have almost entirely silvery leaves given proper light exposure.

In terms of care, these are as easy as the regular kind and don’t need any special treatment. The right light is key to keeping the leaves completely silver and the plant having a purple underside.

Durban – String of Spades

Another species of Ceropegia Woodii, the Durban, is also often referred to as the String of Spades because the shape of the leaves is slightly more pointed and the heart is less pronounced. The leaves can also be completely spade/diamond shaped.

These are lighter green in color and may grow a little slower than a regular variety.

orange flow

Another fun variety of Ceropegia woodii is the Orange River. You won’t necessarily see much orange color on the leaves, as the name might suggest, since the plant’s leaves are mostly green. But the green is wonderful. Other non-variegated cultivars have leaves that are green but have a silverier appearance, and the green is duller. The Orange River variety, on the other hand, has a lighter, more pronounced green color of the leaves. When stressed, however, a subtle shade of orange can be seen on the leaves and sub-leaves.

The leaves are heart-shaped, but more pointed and sharp than the regular variety.

These are happy growers that can grow really fast and are easy to care for.

mini star

Mini Star is a different variety, an unusual one in which the leaves are smaller than the regular varieties.

Sharing is caring!

Heart chain propagation can be done in so many different ways that it is easy for even the most inexperienced gardener. In this post, I’m going to explain all the methods you can try and give you exactly how to tackle each one.

If you want to learn how to make lots of new baby heart chain plants that you can enjoy and share with friends while having fun, then this article is for you.

It is easy to multiply a chain of hearts and there are several ways to do it. Experiment with all the different methods or choose the one that interests you the most.

My detailed instructions below will walk you through all the techniques and show you exactly how to spread your chain of hearts.

Methods of propagating hearts

The chain of hearts (Ceropegia woodii), also known as “rosary tendril” or “chain of hearts”, can be propagated in a number of ways.

Division, cuttings or seeds are viable methods to propagate them. These techniques are fairly easy, but some take a lot longer than others.

Whether traditional, variegated, silver or pink, each variety can be propagated using the methods described below.

Related Post: Plant Propagation: A Detailed Guide for Beginners

From cuttings

Taking rosary cuttings is very easy, and there is no specific place that is best. Any vine segment that is 3-4 inches long and has healthy leaves will work.

Roots form from the leaf nodes along the stem either in water or in the soil. So if yours is getting too long and needs a trim, it’s a good time to give it a try.

It is also possible to use leaf cuttings, but it takes the longest time to get a full-size plant this way. Nevertheless, have fun experimenting!

Cut rosary vines ready for propagation

After division

Division is a good method to spread Serpents of Heart quickly, and it has a very high success rate. There are two ways to approach him.

The root ball can be divided into large pieces and potted in separate containers. Or you can divide each bulb (bulb) and repot them for many new plants.

The tubers are located below or along the soil line, or sometimes appear as small yellow bulbous growths along the stems. These are called air bulbs and take the longest to produce a good sized plant.

From seeds

When pollinated, Ceropegia woodii can produce viable seeds that form on feathery white pods after the flowers have faded.

They can be harvested and germinated, but this is a very lengthy and laborious method of obtaining mature plants.

When to propagate String Of Hearts

The best time to propagate heart necklaces using any of these methods is in early spring or summer.

This is because their active growth period is during the warmer months, so they take root and put out new shoots much more quickly.

Healthy rosary vines ready for propagation

Accessories for rosary vine propagation

Here you will find the tools and equipment you need for Ceropegia woodii propagation. The exact elements depend on the technique you choose. Check out my full list of materials for more ideas.

Propagation of hearts from cuttings

The first thing you need to do to propagate heartstring is to learn how to take and prepare the cuttings properly. It’s not difficult, but it has to be done right.

How to cut a chain of hearts for propagation

Choose a 3-4 inch section of the vine that has healthy leaves attached. Alternatively, you can take a longer segment and cut it into several sections.

Use clean precision scissors or scissors to make a straight cut just above the next section of blade joints.

If you want to try rooting individual leaves, make sure the stem is still attached or it won’t work.

Otherwise, take a 1-2 inch section of the stem with two leaves attached. These are often called butterfly cuttings.

I take cuttings to propagate my heart necklace

Preparing the cuttings for propagation

Remove any leaves on the bottom two inches of the cutting. There must be at least one exposed node for it to work.

You should also cut off the extra empty piece of stem below the bottom knot as it will only rot.

If there are any flowers or buds, pinch those off as well. Flower development drains energy from the cuttings and we want them to direct that towards rooting instead.

How to grow a heart necklace from cuttings

You can start with your prepared vine segments. Below are detailed instructions for rooting heart cuttings in soil or water.

Steps for rooting rosary vine cuttings in the ground

Propagating rosaries in soil produces stronger starts fairly quickly, but requires moisture. I recommend purchasing or making a propagation box to help.

Rooting cuttings is the easiest, but you can also use vines still attached to the mother plant. Below I explain how to do both.

Step 1: Prepare the soil – For best results, I recommend using a well-drained medium, such as sandy cactus mix.

You can also make your own by combining equal parts potting soil, perlite or pumice stone, and coarse sand.

Step 2: Prepare the Container – Fill a container or propagation chamber with 3-4 inches of slightly moist, but not soggy, medium.

For cuttings, first make holes 2 inches into the medium. You can put several in the same container.

If you are working with vines that are still attached to the mother plant, place a new pot of fresh soil next to it.

Step 3: Apply Rooting Hormone – Coat the exposed leaf nodes with rooting hormone. You could also dust off the vines attached to the nut before laying them across the ground, which will help speed things up.

Step 4: Place Them In The Container – Place the pollinated end in the holes you made and gently pack the soil around them making sure the nodes are below the surface.

Wrap or drape over any vines that are still hanging on top of the new pot. Pin them gently so they are in constant contact with the surface.

Step 5: Moisturize – Put the lid on your grow box or stretch a plastic bag over the pot. Check for excessive condensation every few days to avoid mold growth.

If you’ve decided to skip the box, mist every day to keep the top layer of soil and the cuttings only slightly moist.

Step 6: Place in indirect light – Heart chains need lots of bright light during propagation, but direct sun could burn them out. So place them near a sunny window where they will get filtered light.

Warm medium helps speed things up, so try placing the container on a heat mat if you want them to root faster.

Dip rosary cuttings in rooting hormone

Steps to root a heart necklace in water

You can also propagate heart cuttings in water. However, the roots are not as robust as when they started out in soil and take much longer to form.

Also, it can be difficult for your rosaries to turn into soil after being in water for a long time. So you have to be patient.

Step 1: Fill a Jar or Vase – Using a clear vase is great so you can easily observe root development. Fill it with lukewarm or lukewarm water.

Step 2: Add Cuttings – Make sure at least one leaf node per stem is submerged. You can put several in the same vase, but make sure there are no submerged leaves or they will rot.

Step 3: Keep the water clean – Refresh the water when it becomes cloudy or evaporates. It should never be brown or smelly, so make sure to remove any rotten bits when that happens.

Step 4: Wait for 1/2 inch roots – Once the roots are at least 1/2 inch long, it’s time to pot them. Don’t leave them in the water much longer or they will have a harder time transitioning back into soil.

Rooting chain of heart cuttings in water

How to increase a chain of hearts by division

Propagating hearts by division is easy and usually the quickest and most successful way to get new plants. It can be approached in a number of ways.

You can divide the root ball, separate individual bulbs in the ground, or use the aerial bulbs that form along the vines.

Steps for dividing the root ball

The quickest way to grow taller, fuller plants is to divide the root ball into sections that contain multiple tubers. Here’s how…

Step 1: Prepare New Pots and Soil – Choose a clean pot that is the size of the planned division and also has good drainage holes.

Add a layer of well-drained or general potting soil to the bottom of the new container and pack gently.

Step 2: Gently pull apart the root ball – Pull your rosary out of its pot and break it up into a few large pieces. It can take time to unravel the vines and roots, so be gentle and patient with it.

Step 3: Pot Them – Place each new division in a pot at the same depth as the original container and fill in with soil.

Gently pack the soil around the roots as you work to fill them in to avoid creating large air pockets. Put them back in a bright place that gets indirect light.

Steps to separate the tubers (bulbs)

To create many new heart plant chains, you can divide the individual bulbs. They can appear in several places: below or above the ground, or as aerial bulbs along the vines.

The process is almost the same for all, but aerial bulbs need to be rooted before you’ll see new stem growth.

Rosary bulbs in the ground

Step 1: Separate the Bulbs – Gently divide bulbs into or on top of the soil. They will likely have roots, but that’s not required.

For air bulbs, cut on the tendril just above them. Don’t remove the stems or leaves from the onions, but if they break off, it still works.

Step 2: Bury them halfway – nest the bottom half of each bulb in the soil. Be sure to bury the side with roots.

In air bulbs, new roots form from the buried section. If there are still vines or leaves hanging from them, position them so they are above the ground line.

Step 3: Mist the soil – Keep the top layer where the bulb is buried just barely moist with occasional misting. Don’t let it dry out completely, but don’t get it too wet either or they may rot.

Step 4: Place in a bright, warm spot – They need bright light and lots of heat to root, but avoid direct sun or it could burn them. You can try adding bottom heat to get it going quicker.

Heart onions ready for propagation

How long does it take for String Of Hearts to root?

String of Hearts can begin to take root very quickly, sometimes in as little as five days. New growth should develop within two to four weeks.

However, it can take a few months before the roots are mature enough to pot, especially in water.

Why isn’t my rosary vine multiplying?

If your chain of hearts isn’t rooting, there are a few common reasons. Usually it is due to lack of moisture, moisture, heat or light, or they are too wet.

Keep the soil consistently moist, but never saturated or waterlogged. Too much water will cause them to rot.

They don’t like direct sun but do need plenty of bright light and warmth. Also, keep an eye on budding and pinch off if they encourage rooting.

New roots form when cutting hearts

How to take care of a newly propagated chain of hearts

It is not uncommon for newly propagated heart plant plants to go into shock after potting.

This is especially true for cuttings that have been left in the water for too long. Symptoms of transplant shock include curling, wilting, or yellowing of the leaves.

Give your brand new rosary a few days to recover, do not overwater and remove any dried or dead leaves.

Pot rosary cuttings and tubers

Once they have developed healthy roots, you can pot them safely. Use individual containers for each new start, or put several in one to create a fuller plant.

Bury cuttings and tubers so that the roots are completely covered and gently pack the soil around them.

Give them a healthy glass of water and drain excess water. Then place them back in bright, indirect light.

Potted propagated baby heart plant

frequently asked Questions

Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the propagation of Ceropegia woodii. If yours isn’t here, please add it to the comments below.

Can you propagate heartstrings in peat moss?

Yes, you can grow heart necklaces in peat moss. Take stem or leaf cuttings and nest them in pre-moistened peat moss. Cover them with plastic or place them in a grow room until roots develop.

Can you propagate chains of hearts without leaves?

You can propagate a chain of hearts without leaves by dividing the bulbs. However, stem cuttings need leaves to root.

Can you multiply heart leaves?

You can propagate strings of heart leaves, but this is a very slow method that can take several months to produce a new corm. It’s also the slowest way to get a decent-sized plant.

Can heartchain tubers be rooted in water?

While it is possible to root heart bulbs in water, this method can be difficult. You must keep the onion above the waterline and never let it submerge completely or it could rot.

Propagating heart chains is easy and can be done very successfully using any of these methods. Try it and you’ll see how easy it is to expand your collection and have lots of new baby plants to share with friends.

Next: Learn exactly how to grow and care for your heart plants.

If you want to learn all about propagating your favorite plants, then you need my Plant Propagation eBook. It shows you everything you need to know. Download your copy today!

More about plant propagation

Share your heart chain propagation tips in the comments below.