12 Best Trailing Houseplants
The 12 best trailing houseplants for hanging baskets, high shelves, and cascading greenery - from easy pothos to dramatic string of pearls.
The best trailing and hanging houseplants are pothos, heartleaf philodendron, and spider plant for easy cascades, string of hearts and string of pearls for delicate chains, and hoya or Boston fern for something fuller. They do something no upright plant can: they draw the eye upward and add greenery without using a single inch of floor space.
A cascading pothos on a bookshelf, a string of hearts spilling from a macramé hanger, ivy framing a window - these are the plants that turn a room into a space.
They’re also practical. Trailing plants are perfect for small homes, for keeping greenery out of reach of pets and toddlers, and for high shelves where most plants would never get noticed. Here are the 12 best, from beginner-proof to gorgeously demanding.
At a Glance: 12 Best Trailing Plants
| Plant | Difficulty | Light | Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pothos | Very easy | Low-bright | Lush, fast |
| Heartleaf Philodendron | Very easy | Low-bright | Soft hearts |
| Spider Plant | Very easy | Medium | Airy, arching |
| String of Hearts | Easy | Bright | Delicate chains |
| Tradescantia | Easy | Bright | Purple/silver |
| English Ivy | Easy | Medium | Classic vine |
| Hoya | Easy | Bright indirect | Waxy + flowers |
| Boston Fern | Moderate | Medium, humid | Feathery |
| String of Pearls | Moderate | Bright | Bead-like |
| Burro’s Tail | Moderate | Bright | Plump succulent |
| Maidenhair Fern | Hard | Low, humid | Lacy, fine |
| Fishbone Cactus | Easy | Bright indirect | Zig-zag |
The Easy Beginners
Pothos
The undisputed king of trailing plants. Pothos grows fast, tolerates low light, roots in water effortlessly, and tells you when it’s thirsty. Varieties like Golden, Marble Queen, and Neon give you choice of colour. If you want one trailing plant that will succeed, buy a pothos.
Heartleaf Philodendron
Pothos’s gentler-looking cousin, with softer, deep-green heart-shaped leaves. Just as forgiving, just as happy in low light, and arguably more elegant draping from a shelf.
Spider Plant
The spider plant arches rather than strictly trails, sending out wiry stems tipped with baby plantlets. It’s pet-safe, nearly unkillable, and looks fantastic in a hanging basket where the babies dangle freely.
Tradescantia (Inch Plant)
For colour, tradescantia is unbeatable - purple, silver, green, and pink stripes on fast-growing trailing stems. It’s easy, though it needs decent light to keep its colours vivid and benefits from regular trimming to stay full.
English Ivy
The classic trailing vine. English ivy will cascade or climb, frame a window, and tolerate cool rooms. Keep it away from pets, as it’s toxic if chewed.
The Statement Pieces
String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
The string of hearts has delicate, heart-shaped leaves on thread-thin stems that can trail a metre or more. It looks impossibly dainty but is actually fairly easy - it’s a semi-succulent, so it stores water and forgives missed waterings. It just needs bright light.
Hoya (Wax Plant)
Hoyas trail with thick, waxy leaves and, once established and happy, reward you with clusters of intricate, sweetly scented star-shaped flowers. They’re easy-going and long-lived - a hoya can become a decades-long companion.
Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
An easy, dramatic jungle cactus with zig-zag “fishbone” stems that trail boldly from a basket. No spines to worry about, and it can produce large, fragrant night-blooming flowers.
The Trailing Succulents
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
The string of pearls forms strings of round, pea-like beads that cascade like a beaded curtain. Stunning - but it’s a succulent that demands a very bright spot and a careful hand with watering. Overwatering is the usual cause of failure.
Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
A trailing succulent with plump, overlapping blue-green leaves that form thick, heavy “tails.” Gorgeous and easy on water - but the leaves drop at the slightest knock, so hang it somewhere it won’t be brushed past.
The Soft Ferns
Boston Fern
Not a vine, but its lush, feathery fronds arch and cascade beautifully from a hanging basket. It needs humidity and consistently moist soil - ideal for a bright bathroom.
Maidenhair Fern
The most delicate, lacy trailing plant here - and the most demanding. It needs constant moisture, high humidity, and low light, and it will crisp up fast if it dries out. A connoisseur’s plant for a humid, shaded spot.
How to Make Trailing Plants Look Their Best
- Trim regularly. Trailing plants get “leggy” - long bare stems with leaves only at the ends. Cut them back; the plant branches and grows fuller, and you can root the trimmings.
- Rotate the pot. Stems grow toward light. Turn the pot weekly so the plant trails evenly on all sides.
- Mind the light at height. A high shelf or hanging hook is often dimmer than it looks. Choose low-light plants (pothos, philodendron, ivy) for shady spots and save bright windows for the succulents.
- Watch the watering at height. Hanging plants are easy to forget and awkward to reach - and dripping water is a hazard. Take the plant down to water it properly, let it drain, then re-hang.
- Layer heights. A mix of plants trailing from shelves at different levels creates a “green wall” effect far more striking than one lonely pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest trailing plant for beginners?
Pothos. It tolerates low light, grows fast, signals thirst clearly, and roots from cuttings with no effort.
What trailing plants are safe for cats and dogs?
The spider plant and hoya are non-toxic. Pothos, philodendron, English ivy, and string of pearls are toxic if chewed - hang those well out of reach.
Why is my trailing plant bare at the top with leaves only at the ends?
That’s “legginess,” usually from too little light. Move it brighter and trim the long stems back hard - the plant will branch and refill from the top.
How do I water a hanging plant?
The easiest method is to take it down, water thoroughly over a sink until it drains, let it finish dripping, then re-hang. Watering in place risks drips and under-soaking.
Can trailing plants also climb?
Yes - most trailing vines (pothos, philodendron, ivy, hoya) will happily climb a moss pole or trellis instead of trailing, and tend to grow larger leaves when they do.
🛒 Recommended Gear on Amazon
- Best Trailing and Hanging Houseplants for Shelves and Baskets - top picks - current bestsellers & verified reviews on Amazon.
- Best Trailing and essentials & accessories - popular bundles to round out your setup.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases - at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep producing free, in-depth guides.
