The String of Hearts is a wonderful plant that is becoming increasingly popular amongst house plant enthusiasts who want to fill their interior space with greenery.
You’ve likely seen numerous photos on social media of String of Hearts plants cascading down the walls of beautifully decorated houses.
If you’re looking for information on String of Hearts plants, you’ve come to the right place! This info-packed guide covers everything, from how to get the plant to grow quickly to how to clone it, and everything in between. Check it out!
Description
String of hearts or Ceropegia Woodii, also known as chain of hearts, hearts-on-a-string, and rosary vine, is a flowering plant in the Apocynaceae family.
It is a plant native to South Africa, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. In recent years, it has become a very popular house plant.
Cerpogia Woodii has a wonderful appearance. It is a trailing plant with luscious green leaves that cascade over pots. It makes for a really wonderful addition to any decor. If you’re lucky, Cerpogia Woodii can also produce beautifully delicate and tiny purple flowers.
How Fast Does String Of Hearts Grow?
Generally speaking, Ceropegia Woodii is a pretty fast-growing plant. In fact, this is one of the reasons that it is so popular among houseplant enthusiasts.
However, the growth rate of this plant really depends on the environment and level of care it receives. How fast the plant will grow depends on factors such as:
• The temperature at which they are growing.
• How much water they receive.
• What nutrients they have been fed.
• Whether they are grown indoors or outdoors.
• Their size when planted.
• How well they are cared for.
• And more!
General Care
If you’re looking to increase your plant’s growth rate, or you simply want to give your Ceropegia Woodii plant the best chance to thrive, take a look at the general care information below. We’ve covered everything!
Light
The amount of light that your plant gets is important because it affects how quickly the plant grows. Plants need sunlight to make food and energy. They use these resources to create new cells and tissues. Without enough light, plants cannot grow properly.
Plant your Ceropegia Woodii plant in a place that gets plenty of indirect light. This is important because plants need both warmth and light to grow properly.
Without a decent amount of light, Ceropegia Woodii will not grow very quickly and the color of the leaves may change.
However, it is important that your Ceropegia Woodii plant also isn’t sat in direct sunlight. This is because this plant is particularly prone to sunburn.
We recommend placing your Ceropegia Woodii plant close to a window that gets a lot of gentle morning light. If necessary, move your plant if the sun gets too strong.
Soil And Pot
Your Ceropegia Woodii plant needs very well-draining soil to grow. This type of plant will do well with a succulent and cactus mix, rather than traditional soil. We also recommend combining this mix with perlite and coco coir for the best results.
Using an appropriate pot is also particularly necessary for the Ceropegia Woodii plant. Soil drainage is of the utmost importance for this plant. As such, be sure that you use a pot that has draining holes so that it isn’t sat in an excess of water.
Watering
Although the Ceropegia Woodii plant is not a succulent, it is necessary to treat it as if it was one. Succulents need less water than most plants, and so does the Ceropegia Woodii. The general rule is that your soil mix should completely dry out in between waterings.
Your Ceropegia Woodii plant should never be sat in excess water. When it has dried out completely, water it thoroughly, and then remove any excess water left in the saucer below the pot.
If it is allowed to sit in water, it is likely to become vulnerable to a number of health conditions including root rot.
If you live in a particularly dry and hot area, you might need to water once every other day in the summer, and around once every 5 days in the winter. If you live in a less dry environment, the plant will require significantly less water, especially in the colder months.
Temperature
The Ceropegia Woodii plant likes warm temperatures. If you want to provide the perfect environment for your Ceropegia Woodii plant to thrive, put it in a greenhouse that is around 80-degrees Fahrenheit.
However, if you don’t have a greenhouse, don’t worry. The Ceropegia Woodii plant does well in temperatures that range between 64 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fertilizer
It is recommended that you feed your Ceropegia Woodii plant once every 2 weeks during the growing season. You can fertilize it by adding fertilizer directly into the pot or by using a foliar spray.
Foliar sprays are particularly useful for plants like Ceropegia Woodii that have large leaves. They allow you to apply nutrients directly to the leaf surface without having to add them to the soil.
Health Problems
Ceropegia woodii is generally considered to be relatively healthy, but there are some potential problems that may arise. These include conditions such as:
Root Rot
This problem occurs when the roots stop absorbing water properly. It is caused by overwatering the plant. Once you notice that the roots start to look unhealthy, take action immediately.
Remove the plant from its pot, cut away any dead roots and stems with a sterilized pair of scissors, and repot into well-draining soil.
Powdery Mildew
Another common problem that affects Ceropegia Woodii is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew appears on the leaves and looks like a fine white powder. It causes the leaves to turn yellow and stunts the growth of the plant. It is usually treated with fungicide.
It is worth noting that Powdery Mildew usually arises as a consequence of poor circulation, high humidity, and an excess of moisture sitting on the leaves. As such, as with the case above, it is very important to not overwater your Ceropegia Woodii plant.
Southern Blight
Also known as Collar Rot, Southern Blight is another disease that can affect Ceropegia Woodii. This disease starts at the base of the stem and spreads up towards the top. It begins with rapid loss of the lower leaves and can result in deadly rot.
Again, this condition is caused by poor air circulation, excess moisture between the leaves, and high humidity levels. As such, in addition to watering your Ceropegia Woodii plant appropriately, be sure to keep it in a well-vented area.
Propagation
Finally, we thought we’d finish this article with a little, not on propagation. If you’re in love with your String of Hearts plant, and cannot wait to grow another, why not try to propagate it? For this particular plant, propagation is actually very simple.
Follow the steps below to propagate your String of Hearts plant.
1. Snip a piece of the stem.
2. Place the cut end of the stem into water.
3. Keep an eye on the stem cutting. Roots should grow within 4 weeks.
4. When the roots are a few centimeters long, transplant them into a pot of soil.
5. There you have it – a baby Ceropegia Woodii plant! Take care of it as normal. You might need to prop up your new vine until it grows more.
Conclusion
String of Hearts plants are easy to grow, require minimal maintenance, and are gorgeous! The only thing you really need to do is to make sure that they receive the appropriate amount of sunlight and water.
In fact, if you follow these tips, you will be able to enjoy your own String of Hearts plant for years to come.
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