We don’t need to explain to you how the adorable string of hearts, known to botanists as ceropegia woodii, got its name. Not only are its leaves shaped like tiny little hearts, and sometimes these shapes differ, its stems and veins even have a soft pinkish hue.
This trailing plant is native to South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In hotter countries it will happily live outside, but it’s much more suited to indoor life in the UK. The stems can grow very long, so put it up as high as you like and watch it try to reach the ground. It makes a fantastic hanging plant.
If it has conditions it loves – moderate light; moderate watering – it may reward you with curious flowers, which are long and pink with deep purple stamens. You can help it grow by giving it a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer.
Did you know?
The first string of hearts plant in the UK lived in the famous Kew Gardens in South-West London, just down the road from Patch.