How to care for string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Ceropegia woodii · Rosary vine, Chain of hearts, Sweetheart vine

String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) — a trailing succulent from southern Africa whose thin purplish stems hang down about a metre, set with pairs of small heart-shaped leaves, dark green marbled with silver above and purple beneath, and bead-like tubers; small tubular, pale pink to purple flowers appear mainly in summer and autumn. String of hearts needs partial shade. Water it about every 14 days while it grows and about every 30 days in the winter rest.

Updated: October 28, 2026

Watering and repotting string of hearts through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 36 months.

When to plant string of hearts?

Plant or repot string of hearts in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every three years, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting string of hearts through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Ceropegia woodii
Family	Apocynaceae
Also called	Rosary vine, Chain of hearts, Sweetheart vine, Hearts-on-a-string
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 36 months
Grown in	At home

Where does string of hearts grow?

370 records of the plant in gardens, fields and the wild worldwide; most photos come from United States, South Africa, and India.

World map: where string of hearts has been recorded — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: katuchka (CC BY / CC0).

String of hearts, South Africa — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: katuchka (CC BY / CC0).

String of hearts care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 14 days	—	phosphorus and potassium, 44 days into the stage; phosphorus and potassium, 104 days into the stage; phosphorus and potassium, 164 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 30 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

A well-lit spot such as a west- or south-facing window, but out of scorching sun. In too little light the leaves turn plain green and the gaps between them grow long.

Soil

Cactus compost, or potting mix with extra perlite; it must drain freely, since the plant copes far better with dry soil than with soggy soil.

Care

Water deeply only when the compost has dried out completely; overwatering easily kills it, with yellowing leaves and root rot, while wilting leaves mean it is too dry. Feed two or three times while it is growing with a low-nitrogen liquid fertiliser at half strength. In winter it rests; water even less, do not feed, and keep it warm, ideally above 16 °C. It likes a crowded pot, so repot only when necessary, in spring. To make a new plant, press one of the bead-like tubers, still on its stem, into a neighbouring pot and cut it free once it has rooted; 10–15 cm stem cuttings also root in early summer. Watch for mealybugs, aphids and scale insects; compost kept too wet in winter leads to basal rot.

Pests and diseases of String of hearts

1 problem is recorded for string of hearts; it has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Pests

Scale insects

Other plants of the Apocynaceae family

String of hearts belongs to Apocynaceae; 2 other plants of this family have a guide here.

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Houseplants · Houseplants that need little water · Houseplants you rarely repot

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.