Houseplants

The Best Trailing & Hanging Houseplants

Few things soften a room like a plant that spills, drapes, and cascades from a high shelf or a hanging basket. Trailing houseplants turn empty vertical space into living curtains of foliage, drawing the eye upward and filling awkward corners where a tabletop plant would never fit. The picks below range from near-indestructible vines that forgive every missed watering to lush, humidity-loving stunners worth a little extra fuss. Most root readily from cuttings, so a single plant quickly becomes several, and many grow fast enough to reward you with long, full trails within a single season of good care.

1. Golden Pothos

   Low to bright indirectWhen top inch is dryVery easy

   The classic trailer, its marbled gold-and-green vines cascade for several feet and stay lush even in low light. It roots in plain water within days, making it endlessly easy to lengthen, fill out, and share.

2. Heartleaf Philodendron

   Low to bright indirectWhen top inch is dryVery easy

   Soft, glossy heart-shaped leaves trail quickly from a shelf and tolerate neglect and lower light with ease. One of the most forgiving vines you can grow, it stays full and graceful with almost no fuss.

3. Pothos Marble Queen

   Bright indirectWhen top inch is dryVery easy

   Heavily splashed white-and-green foliage gives this pothos a frosted, painterly look as it trails. The bold variegation needs brighter light than golden types to stay crisp, but it remains tough and fast-growing.

4. String of Pearls

   Bright indirect to some directEvery 2 weeks, let dryModerate

   Delicate strands of round, bead-like leaves spill like a beaded curtain from a sunny ledge. A succulent at heart, it stores water in each pearl and rots if overwatered, so let it dry fully between drinks.

5. English Ivy

   Bright indirectKeep lightly moistModerate

   Classic lobed leaves trail and climb vigorously, softening shelves and trellises alike. It likes cooler rooms, steady moisture, and good airflow to fend off spider mites, rewarding attentive care with dense, layered greenery.

6. String of Hearts

   Bright indirectEvery 1-2 weeks, let dryModerate

   Thin, wiry stems strung with tiny silver-marbled hearts can cascade several feet from a high perch. Semi-succulent and drought-tolerant, it loves bright light to keep its delicate purple-backed leaves close-spaced and well colored.

7. Spider Plant

   Low to bright indirectWhen top inch is dryVery easy

   Arching striped leaves and dangling baby plantlets make this a natural for hanging baskets, and it is ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs. Tough, fast, and endlessly propagated from its cascading offsets.

8. Philodendron Brasil

   Low to bright indirectWhen top inch is dryVery easy

   Lime-and-green variegated hearts trail readily and keep growing in lower light, though brighter spots deepen the color. Fast, forgiving, and easy to drape from a shelf or basket without any special care.

9. Boston Fern

   Medium indirectKeep consistently moistModerate

   Lush, arching fronds cascade into a full green skirt, and it is ASPCA non-toxic to pets. It craves humidity and steady moisture, so mist often or hang it somewhere bright and bathroom-humid to keep fronds from browning.

10. Burro's Tail

    Bright indirect to some directEvery 2-3 weeks, let dryModerate

    Plump, blue-green leaves overlap into thick braided ropes that hang heavy and sculptural. A true succulent, it stores ample water and prefers a sunny window, though its beads drop easily, so hang it where it won't get jostled.

11. Trailing Jade

    Bright indirect to some directEvery 2 weeks, let dryEasy

    Glossy, paddle-shaped leaves on cascading stems give a fuller, leafier look than most succulents and tolerate dry spells with ease. Bright light keeps growth compact, and it roots effortlessly from any dropped leaf or cutting.

12. Inch Plant

    Bright indirectWhen top inch is dryEasy

    Shimmering purple-and-silver striped leaves grow fast and trail in a colorful tumble. Bright light intensifies its zebra striping, and pinching the tips keeps it bushy rather than leggy as the eager stems lengthen.