Ceropegia Woodii - String of Hearts
I hope your Variegated String of Hearts brings you as much joy as she brought me! I wanted to share how I have cared for her in case it might be helpful J
Ceropegia woodii is also known as String of Hearts – and it’s easy to see why! They come in three different “flavours”: Green, Variegated and Silver Glory, but they all have similar care. They make wonderful hanging or trailing plants but they also enjoy being trellised.
In my care, the Variegated String of Hearts enjoys direct sun from my south-facing window, but she will do really well in any sunny spot. She is in regular household humidity and temperature, however, try to prevent her from touching the glass in a window during winter.
String of Hearts do much better when under watered as opposed to over watered. I let her soil get to about 50-75% dry before watering, and if in doubt, I wait a few more days. I just push a chopstick halfway into the soil – if it comes out clean, it’s time to water. She’s also pretty good at telling you when it’s time (I LOVE plants like this) as her hearts will start to wrinkle – like when our fingers have been in water for too long J If in doubt, always wait a few days.
You won’t need to fertilize her until the spring (there’s some slow release in her chunky soil). When you’re ready to fertilize, I recommend a balanced 10/10/10 for synthetic, and 1/1/1 or 1/2/1 for natural. I use Dirt n Grow Organic Ultra Indoor Plant – 1/2/1. I’m not affiliated with Dirt n Grow – I just like that they are Canadian and the owner is a professor of Botany so I figure he knows his stuff!
Last thing! Your String of Hearts will root herself if you curl a string around the top of the soil. This helps her make more plants and to have a fuller basket.
Oh, really last thing! String of Hearts have the CUTEST blooms!
I’ve never had bugs (bar a few fungus gnats) – touch wood! but I always recommend keeping new plants away from your others for a few weeks.