Running out of space for your houseplant collection? There’s always room for more trailing houseplants plants – tumbling from a hanging planter, scrambling across a bookshelf or cascading from a windowsill or edge of a table or desk.

Ideal for creating that indoor jungle look with lush, cascading greenery, trailing houseplants add a touch of nature and softness to interiors, creating a more inviting and calming atmosphere. In addition, the extensive range of beautiful interior hanging planters and pots available – from terracotta to macrame – means there’s something for every taste and style.

Some trailing plants, including Devil’s Ivy and Spider Plants, are known to absorb harmful toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide, while releasing oxygen, so contributing to a healthier indoor environment. Houseplants are also linked to decreased stress levels and improved moods.

Many trailing houseplants grow relatively quickly so you don’t need to wait long to enjoy them for their beautiful visual effects!

Caring for Trailing Houseplants

Most trailing house plants need a spot in bright light, out of direct sun, but be sure to check the individual requirements of your chosen plant. With more and more trailing houseplants coming onto the market there are plants available for every location.

The majority of trailing houseplants thrive best when grown in pots with drainage holes which are then placed in outer decorative pots or hanging planters with no drainage holes. Not only does this avoid the risk of water dripping and overflowing, possibly staining any furniture or windowsills, but it also increases the humidity around the plant - especially if you add Hydroleca clay granules or pebbles/gravel to the outer pot.

It's important to be aware that some houseplants are toxic to pets – we do recommend always checking with some online research.

Tips for ensuring the health and longevity of your trailing houseplants include:

• Don’t overwater as this leads to root rot. Water only when the top few centimetres of soil feel dry to the touch.

• In addition to positioning houseplants in outer pots and planters as described above, you can further increase the humidity around them by misting the plants on a regular basis. Remember that many of these plants originate in habitat such as forests with much higher humidity than our modern-day homes.

• Feed trailing houseplants regularly with a balanced, water-soluble houseplant fertiliser, following the instructions on the packaging.

• If the stems of your trailing houseplant are growing long and heavy you may wish to attach them to a support of some sort or encourage them to grow across nearby shelves and other furniture. In addition, some trailing houseplants, such as String of Hearts, benefit from a light trim of some of their longest stems to encourage more stems and bushier growth.

• Regularly check for any pests and diseases and treat accordingly – our houseplant team are happy to advise.

Our Favourites

Being significant fans of trailing houseplants, it’s hard to narrow down our favourites, but there are some that every home should have!

Sedum morganianum (Burro’s Tail) – a beautiful succulent bearing thick trailing stems covered with overlapping, plump, blue-green leaves. Very low maintenance, hang in a sunny spot, don’t overfeed or overwater – just stand back and admire! To encourage the plant to bush out more, remove leaves from a small portion of the stem to stimulate side-branching.

Ceropegia woodii (String of Hearts) - despite looking slightly delicate, this stunning beautiful trailing houseplant is very tough. The numerous heart-shaped grey leaves have attractive mottling and pinkish undersides. Being a succulent, Ceropegia thrives in bright indirect sunlight – allow soil to dry out between watering. Benefits from a light trim of some of the longest stems to encourage more stems and bushier growth.

Philodendron scandens (Sweetheart Plant) - with its heart shape leaves, this houseplant grows in pretty much any direction – either upwards like a climber (with support) or trailing and hanging from or around furniture and other items. Fast growing and easy to maintain. Looking for a green curtain? Hang a row of these to make a living beautiful screen.

Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Ivy) - one of the easiest trailing houseplants to grow and enjoys sun or shade. Attractive heart-shaped leaves in cheerful green and yellow. Like the Philodendron, can be grown up a moss pole, hanging down, trailing across a trellis, or over the edge of a pot – the choice is yours.

Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant) – a popular, fast-growing, very easy-to-care-for trailing houseplant with arching variegated green leaves. Much loved for the way that lots of small spider plant babies grow, attached to the mother plant by long stems. To propagate a Spider Plant simply snip off the babies and place in water until they root before potting them on, or leave them attached to the mother plant until they develop their own baby roots and then remove and pot on. Always on trend and in fashion, everybody should have at least one Spider Plant … which will soon lead to more!