Best Trailing Houseplants For Your Indoor Garden – Top 10 Vine Plants For Inside

The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Perfect Trailing Plant for Your Home

Whether you’re looking to add some greenery to brighten up a space or want low-maintenance plants that don’t take up much room, trailing plants are a great option for indoor gardens. With their vines and cascading growth habit, these beauties can soften hard edges and bring visual interest no matter where you put them.

As an avid plant parent myself, I’ve tried my fair share of trailing varieties over the years. From my experience, some thrive better than others depending on your home’s lighting and care routine. In this article, I’ll break down the top trailing plant picks for indoors and share some pro tips to help you choose the right type according to your needs.

Pothos

You can’t go wrong with a classic pothos for beginners. Known by many names like golden pothos, marble queen, and neon pothos, these beauties are tough as nails and grow like weeds. Sort of like the red-headed stepchild of houseplants – they’ll survive just about anything you throw at them. With their heart-shaped leaves ranging from solid green to variegated, pothos look stunning draped over a bookshelf or hanging from the ceiling. They’re low maintenance too. Pothos can go a long time between waterings. Basically dump their soil and give ’em a drink when it fully dries out – no green thumb required!

Philodendron

Philodendrons come in tons of varieties beyond the common heartleaf philodendron. Consider neon, brazil, or micans for stunning foliage colors! Their vines grow fast but remain more compact than pothos. From my experience, philodendrons prefer brighter light than pothos. Give them a spot near an east or west window, and their leaves will really pop. Speaking of leaves, their waxy texture means philodendrons stay fresher looking longer than other trailing plants. Water these beauties when the top inch of soil starts to dry out for happy, healthy growth.

Polka Dot Plant

If you want something a little more eye-catching, go for a polka dot plant. You can’t miss their circular white or pink spots covering dark green oval leaves. IMO their pattern makes polka dots a real stunner that lends a totally cool jungle vibe. They have a neat trick too – when their soil is too dry, the spots fade away until you quench their thirst. Then boom, they pop right back! Just don’t let these guys completely dry out, or they’ll shed leaves. Keep soil lightly moist for best results. Polka dots prefer medium to low light and make a nice accent in bright, airy rooms.

Purple Waffle Plant

No, it has nothing to do with breakfast! Purple waffle plants have leaves imprinted with a waffle-like texture that comes in shades from light green to plum purple depending on light exposure. I think they look totally gnarly hanging down in curtains. These beauties appreciate humidity, so mist them occasionally or group with other plants. Actually, they do best in bathrooms where the air naturally holds more moisture! Their patterned leaves add so much visual interest. Water when the top inch of soil dries for waffle plants to flourish indoors.

String of Pearls

Also calledstring of beads, this unique succulent forms tiny pea-shapedbulbs along runner vines. I swear it’s like getting a plant necklace when you hang string of pearls! The pearls come in green or white variegated forms and look particularly dope draped around mirrors or hanging pots. Care wise they’re pretty simple like most succulents. Give string of pearls well-draining soil, bright light and water sparingly – like once every 2-3 weeks. Their pebbles store moisture so they can go a while between drinks.

English Ivy

A classic houseplant you’ve likely seen all over, English ivy comes through with reliable trailing beauty. Their triangularleaves form dense mats of greenery perfect for covering bookshelves, filling out planters, or spilling gracefully down walls. English ivy thrives in low to medium light and tolerates lower light well. It’s super hardy too – these suckers will grow just about anywhere! Water when top soil dries for low-fuss trailing loveliness indoors or out. English ivy’s dense foliage creates privacy and softens hard surfaces throughout living spaces.

Wandering Jew

Also known asinchplant or purple heart, wandering jew trails stunningly with color patterns ranging from green, white, pink, and deep purple. Their oval leaves spread along succulent-like vines forming a dense carpet. Unlike many other trailing plants, wandering jew prefers medium to high light to maintain rich jewel tones. I’ve had the best results watering mine when the top inch of soil becomes dry. These beauties add seriously cool patterns when draped along shelves, winding in planters above a fireplace mantle or TV, or even used as a table centerpiece.

Additional Tips for Plant Placement and Care

Now that you’ve got the basics on some top trailing plant pics, here are a few additional pointers I’ve learned to help you display and maintain them properly:

1. Assess lighting: Trailing plants like pothos and philodendrons thrive best in medium to bright indirect light. String of pearls and wandering jew enjoy more direct sun. Analyze different areas of your home to pick the perfect spot.
2. Choose the right container: While trailing plants are versatile, consider their mature size. Use wide, shallow pots that allow room to cascade over edges naturally. Macrame hangers or wall planters are ideal for hanging displays.
3. Keep moisture in check: Different trailing plants have unique watering needs based on their structural makeup. Follow individual care instructions to prevent over or under-watering issues. Check soil regularly and water when mostly dry 1-2 inches down.
4. Prune strategically: Occasional trimming keeps trailing plants shapely and full. Remove leggy growth or trim vines back to desired length/fullness. Fresh cuts encourage bushier new growth.
5. Fertilize sparingly: During active growth periods, use a diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer every few weeks. Too much can cause burn or toxicity in some trailing varieties.

Grouping trailing plants together creates continuity while also highlighting each variety’s unique textures, patterns, and colors. Playing with heights and draping techniques gives visual layers that delight the eye. For us plant parents, enjoying how they flourish and spread is part of what makes indoor gardening so totally rewarding!

Common Pests and Problems

No matter how well we care for our plants, irritation from pests and problems can still pop up now and then. Here are a few issues I’ve encountered myself with trailing varieties and tips for troubleshooting:

Spider Mites

These tiny spider-like critters love to feast on trailing plant leaves, leaving yellow or white stippling and webbing in their path of destruction. Carefully check undersides of leaves for mites and webbing. Isolate affected plants and spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Repeat as needed to get rid of the pests for good.

Mealybugs

Eww, who invited these fluffy white bugs? Mealybugs cling to leaves and stems, sucking plant juices. I’ve sworn at the sight of telltale fuzz and staining. Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe individual bugs away. Spraying the whole plant with alcohol or neem oil eliminates any hitchhiking pests hiding out.

Brown Tips and Edges

Rarely have I not dealt with some brown spots on my trailing beauties at some point or another. It’s typically from water or mineral build-up caused by hard tap water. Flush soil thoroughly with distilled water and Check moisture levels/light exposure – cut back if needed. Brown spots may naturally grow out over time with healthy care routines.

Root Rot

The deadly dark side of overwatering rears its ugly head as mushy brown roots and leaves fall off at the slightest touch. Prevention through proper drainage and monitoring soil moisture is key here. To revive an afflicted plant, cut away rotted portions and replant in fresh, well-draining soil. Withhold water for a while until new growth shows the plant is rebounding.

With diligent observation and timely intervention, most common trailing plant problems can be avoided or corrected. Digital plant tracking apps even helps me note

Best Trailing Plants for Indoor Decor

FAQ

1. What types of plants grow well trailing indoors?

   Basically, there are several plant varieties that do nicely hanging or trailing, such as pothos, philodendron, Swedish ivy, and English ivy. These plants can thrive with minimal sunlight.

   

2. How do I care for trailing houseplants?

   You mainly gotta water them whenever the soil becomes dry to the touch. Mist the leaves once per week too. Occasionally, move them to a spot with more or less light as needed. Above all, be patient – it may take time for them to get long and lanky!

3. Is it hard to get trailing plants to trail?

   Kinda depends. Some plants like pothos or spider plant will trail pretty easily. Others might need guidance. You could tie, twist or weigh the vines to encourage them to grow downward. Mixing hanging pots with soil and perlite also helps, maybe. But don’t stress – they’ll likely figure it out eventually, one would assume.

4. How do I pick the best indoor plant for trailing?

   Experts suggest looking at light and water needs. Pothos and philodendrons do well in low light. Swedish ivy and English ivy prefer medium light. Consider where you’ll put it too. Avoid super dry indoor spots for plants that like humidity. Always check plant tags or do your research to find one matching your space.

5. Is it OK to let trailing plants get long?

   Most folks say yes, go ahead and let ’em grow long! The more vines a plant produces, the fuller it will become. Still, very long vines can become a tangled mess. So you might snip and propagate some cuttings to keep things under control. On the other hand, short trailing plants may not look as pleasing. So there are positives to both short and long, heh.

How can I maximize the visual impact of indoor trailing plants?

To really up the “wow factor” so to speak, try grouping several trailing varieties together in a hanging basket or tall pot. You could also train vines to spill over the edges of elevated plant stands and shelves. Hanging pots from above eye level makes the trails seem never-ending! It’s stunning how draping vines can transform a space. But I digress – the point is, get creative with heights and groupings for maximum impact.