Hanging indoor plants are a decorative eye-catcher with their hanging shoots. They can be cultivated as traffic light plants or in simple flower pots with an elevated location. Many of the plants presented here also form wonderful flowers. Others fascinate with their colored leaves. In addition, most plants are very easy to care for and easy to cultivate even for beginners. A tip in advance: When choosing a location, make sure that you can still water the plant well!
hanging plants
Plants from B to E
Tree friend (Philodendron scandens)
Philodendron scandens, also called climbing philodendron in German, comes from the tropical forests of Central and South America. The shoots of the easy-care plant are up to five meters long. The light to dark green leaves are heart-shaped and can grow up to 30 centimeters in old plants. Cultivated as a pot plant, the climbing philodendron rarely develops flowers. They have the shape of a flask and form a white bract.
- bright to semi-shady location without direct sunlight
- water moderately
- If the air is dry, spray regularly with lime-free water
- fertilize every two weeks from spring to fall
Tree friend, philodendron
Tip: Dust dust off leaves with a damp cloth.
Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
Tradescantia's appeal lies in its lightly colored leaves. The color spectrum of the lanceolate leaves ranges from light pink to violet. In some varieties, however, the leaves also have a touch of silver or gold. The flowers of the spiderwort are pink, white or blue-violet. The hanging shoots can reach a length of up to 40 centimeters. Their homeland is South and Central America.
- bright location with a few hours of sunshine
- water regularly but little
- Avoid waterlogging
- fertilize every two weeks from spring to fall
Spiderwort, Tradescantia
Tip: If the colorful species of Tradescantia are too dark, the leaves will lose their color.
Ivy (Hedera helix)
The ivy is an uncomplicated plant. Its leaves are yellow-green in color or variegated with white-green. The tendrils can grow several meters long. Its homeland is Central Europe. Older plants develop small, green-yellow flowers.
- bright, semi-shady or shady location
- brightly colored varieties two to three hours of morning or evening sun daily
- water moderately
- fertilize every two weeks from spring to fall
ivy
Tip: If the ivy is too dark, it can wilt.
Ivy (Epipremnum pinnatum)
The easy-care ivy is native to various tropical regions of the world. Depending on the variety, their leaves are patterned or striped in golden yellow, creamy white or light green. The twining shoots are up to three meters long. In young plants, the leaves have a length of 10, in older ones a length of up to 50 centimeters. The most popular varieties include Epipremnum pinnatum and Epipremnum aureum with their creamy white and yellow variegated leaves, respectively.
- ideal: bright to semi-shady location
- water moderately
- Avoid waterlogging
- Spray regularly with lime-free water
- Fertilize every two to three weeks from March to the end of October
ivy
Tip: If the ivy is too dark, the leaves lose their color. As soon as the plant gets more light again, variegated leaves will grow back.
Pea Plant (Senecio Rowleyanus)
The pea plant has small, round leaves resembling peas. The plant, which originates from South Africa, is very robust and developed. It is also sold commercially under the names ragwort, groundsel, pearl cord or cape ivy. Their shoots grow up to a meter long. Its flowers are small and white and give off a pleasant, cinnamon-like scent.
- bright to semi-shady location
- water moderately
- lime intolerant
- Fertilize every eight weeks from March to the end of September
Pea plant, Senecio rowleyanus
Tip: The pea plant can also cope with low humidity.
Plants from F to G
Rock thickleaf (Crassula rupestris subsp. marnierana)
The evergreen rock thickleaf, also called Crassula Hottentot, comes from South Africa and has small rounded leaves that look like they are threaded on a string or chain. The many small flowers are white and grow in dense umbels.
- bright to semi-shady location
- water moderately
- fertilize occasionally between April and September
Rock thickleaf, Crassula rupestris
Tip: Crassula Hottentot tolerates longer periods of drought.
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)
The triangular maidenhair fern is also called Brazilian maidenhair or Venus hair. The fern reaches an average height of 70 and a width of 50 centimeters. However, some species also reach growth heights of more than one meter. The fronds with the triangular and light to dark green leaves, depending on the variety, are up to 20 centimeters long. They grow upright at first and tend towards the ground as they age.
- bright location with morning and/or evening sun
- no cold drafts
- Spray daily from 20 degrees Celsius
- Keep substrate constantly moist
- no waterlogging
- lime intolerant
- Fertilize about every 6 weeks from March to August
Maidenhair fern, Venus hair
Tip: Every now and then the maidenhair fern is happy about a cup of cold, thin black tea. It has a revitalizing effect on the fern.
Spotted Ivy (Scindapsus pictus)
The spotted ivy is often confused with the ivy. Its heart-shaped leaves are silvery variegated, unlike ivy, whose leaves are uncolored. The shoots of the evergreen, climbing plant are up to 3 meters long. The homeland of Scindapsus pictus is South Asia.
- sunny to semi-shady location
- water moderately
- Plant balls must not dry out
- Spray regularly with lime-free water
- fertilize every two weeks between April and September
Tip: The spotted ivy also tolerates darker locations, but can lose its variegation if there is too little light.
Antler fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
Like the maidenhair fern, the staghorn fern is a very beautiful traffic light plant. The leaves of the easy-care plant are hairy silvery, have an antler-like shape and are up to 90 centimeters tall. Its homeland is tropical Australia.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- pour well
- Avoid waterlogging
- lime intolerant
- fertilize every six weeks
Antler Fern, Platycerium
Tip: Brown leaves inside older plants should not be removed. They serve as a source of nutrients for the plant.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The green lily, also known as official grass or saxon lily, originally comes from South Africa. The plants reach a height of up to 60 centimeters. Their leaves are up to 45 centimeters long. Depending on the variety, the leaves are green or have green-white to green-yellow stripes. Spider plants develop hanging flower stems that can grow up to 75 centimeters long. After the small, white flowers have faded, offshoots develop on the flower stems. Particularly beautiful: spider plants grow and bloom all year round.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- water moderately
- Avoid waterlogging
- Fertilize once a week from March to August
spider plant
Tip: If spider plants get brown leaf tips, this can also be a sign of too much watering.
Plants from K to L
Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)
All of the approximately 100 pitcher plant species are carnivorous plants. They are mainly found in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. The evergreen plants have elongated leaves from which a tendril grows. At its end, the typical pitcher trap develops, the appearance of which also gives the plant its name. Nepenthes do not need to be fed, they feed on the substrate. Also, the cans do not have to be filled with water.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- high humidity (spray several times a day)
- frequent watering (always keep the substrate moist)
- no waterlogging
- lime intolerant
- Fertilize with orchid fertilizer from spring to autumn (every two to four weeks)
Pitcher Plants, Nepenthes
Tip: Since pitcher plants are not very easy to care for, it is advisable to start with a hybrid form, as this is easier to care for.
Candlestick (Ceropegia woodii)
Ceropegia woodii is the best-known plant of the genus Ceropegia. The homeland of the plant is southern Africa. Its name comes from the bizarre-looking flower, which is reminiscent of an openwork lantern. The flowers are up to 2.5 centimeters long and have a green-white to white-purple color. The individual shoots with the heart-shaped leaves can grow several meters long. The leaves are dark green on top with white spots. Its underside is light green, sometimes a little reddish.
- bright location with little sun
- water moderately
- Avoid waterlogging
- Fertilize two to four times a month from April to September
candlestick flower
Tip: If the tendrils of the easy-care candlestick flower have become too long, they can be tied to a wire frame.
Plants from R to S
Throat Vine (Columnea)
Depending on the species, the shoots of the throat vine can reach a length of up to 2 meters as a hanging plant. It flowers from April to June, but some varieties also bloom all year round. The leaves are dark green. Columnea flower color ranges from yellow to deep pink to scarlet.
- bright to semi-shady location without direct sunlight
- Keep substrate slightly moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- lime intolerant
- Spray daily with lukewarm, lime-free water
- Fertilize every two weeks from spring through fall
Tip: If the throat vine gets too much direct sun or water, the leaves turn brown. Likewise if it is sprayed with water that is too cold.
Rhipsalis
Actually, the various species of the genus Rhipsalis, which come from the Brazilian rainforests, belong to the cactus family. Since they usually have no thorns and only small areoles, they are often referred to as leaf cacti. Well-known representatives are the rod cactus or the coral cactus. They grow shrubby with hanging shoots that, depending on the variety, can be over a meter long. Their flowers are usually white and can be up to four centimeters in diameter.
- bright to semi-shady location
- no direct midday sun
- high humidity (regular spraying)
- water once a week (in summer also twice)
- no waterlogging
- lime intolerant
- fertilize in spring and summer
rush cactus
Tip: The various Rhipsalis species are easy-care plants that are also suitable for beginners.
shamflower (Aeschynanthus)
There are well over a hundred species within the genus Aeschynanthus. The homeland of the shamflower is Asia and Oceania. The stems of the hanging plants can grow up to 150 centimeters long. The shape of the leaves varies from cultivar to cultivar from linear to rounded. At the ends of the stems are the flowers, which bloom between June and October. The flower color ranges from a strong orange to purple calyxes, which is why it is also called the lipstick plant.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- Keep plant bales slightly moist at all times
- do not use cold water for watering
- Spray the plant more often
- lime intolerant
- fertilize every two weeks (April to October)
shamflower
Tip: During the flowering period, the shamflower should not change its location, otherwise it will drop flowers and buds.
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
The plant genus Tillandsia, also known as tillandsia, belongs to the bromeliad family. In Spain, the plant is also called fairy hair. The name refers to the long, mostly very thin shoots that act like a curtain. Tillandsia usneoides forms a rather inconspicuous, greenish flower at the end of each shoot. The Spanish moss, which actually comes from the south of the USA, does not develop its own roots, but hangs as a so-called epiphyte on branches, cacti or even on power lines. The plant draws nutrients from the air and rain.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- Morning or evening sun is tolerated
- Spray or mist with lime-free water several times a week
- do not spray during sun exposure
- add a liquid fertilizer to the water weekly
- only fertilize every four to six weeks in winter
Spanish moss
Tip: If the Spanish moss has not dried within four hours after spraying, you should reduce the amount of water a little next time.
Sword Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The sword fern, also called kidney scale fern, grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Its leaves are filigree and feathery. The so-called feathers can be wavy or curly. They reach a length of up to one meter. The growth height is 80 centimeters. Since it recovers quickly even after minor care mistakes, it is ideally suited as a starter plant.
- bright to semi-shady location without direct sunlight
- regular spraying with lime-free water
- Keep substrate moderately moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- fertilize every four weeks (April to September)
sword fern
Tip: The sword fern does not tolerate drafts.
Plants from W to Z
Wax Flowers (Hoya)
Wax flowers are a genus of the milkweed family. The best-known species is Hoya carnosa, which is also called porcelain flower because of its white to flesh-colored flowers. The shoots of the plants can grow several meters long. About twelve flowers sit on the large, stalked umbels, which have a pleasant scent and look like wax. The leaves of the porcelain flower are dark green and grow up to eight centimeters long. Evergreen climbing plants are native to China, Japan and Australia.
- bright location, no blazing sun
- Avoid drafts
- water sparingly
- Spray leaves regularly (lime-free water)
- Avoid waterlogging
- Fertilize every four weeks after flowering, not in winter
wax flower
Tip: Do not cut off the flower stalks after they have faded.
Room wine (Cissus)
The Zimmerwein or Klimme, botanically Cissus, is a climbing plant. The genus has 350 species. The tendrils of the royal wine can grow up to two meters long. They grow upwards first, and as they grow longer, they bend towards the ground. The easy-care and very fast-growing Klime is widespread in the various tropical areas of the world. The flowers are small and stand alone or grow in umbels. Depending on the variety, the leaves are light to dark green or coloured. There are evergreen and deciduous species.
- bright location without prolonged, direct sunlight
- water moderately
- fertilize every two weeks from spring to fall
Tip: Cissus also tolerates dry air.
Ornamental asparagus (Asparagus densiflorus)
The easy-care ornamental asparagus originally comes from South Africa. The evergreen, climbing subshrub reaches a height of between 30 and 150 centimeters. Its (illusory) leaves are filigree and feathery. The flowers are small but strongly scented. After flowering, red, orange, or purple berries develop as fruits. The ornamental asparagus resembles the ferns in appearance.
- bright location without direct sunlight
- pour copiously
- Don't let the root ball dry out
- Avoid waterlogging
- Fertilize every two weeks from April to September
ornamental asparagus
Tip: Spray the ornamental asparagus with lime-free water once a month.
Dwarf pepper (Peperomia prostata)
There are around 1,600 types of dwarf or ornamental pepper with leaves of all shapes and colors. Peperomia prostata has fleshy, round leaves with white veins. The flowers of the easy-care plant are creamy white. Their growth height is between 20 and 40 centimeters.
- bright to semi-shady location
- water moderately
- fertilize once a month from April to the end of August
Dwarf Pepper, Peperomia
Tip: Peperomia prostata also tolerates longer periods of drought.
Dwarf Pepper (Peperomia rotundifolia)
This dwarf pepper forms many small, round leaves with a bright green color. The flowers of the evergreen plant are light yellow. Their homeland is Central and South America.
- bright location without blazing midday sun
- Always keep the substrate slightly moist
- spray regularly
- Fertilize once a month from March to September
Dwarf pepper, Peperomia rotundifolia
Tip: Since Peperomia rotundifolia needs high humidity, the plant can also be kept in a daylight bathroom, for example.