Indoor Climbing and Trailing Plants That Are Easy To Care For
Indoor climbing and trailing plants have always fascinated me.
I’ve always been intrigued by the way you can “train” a plant to either climb on or trail from certain features of a home; whether it’s draping a wall with beautiful and lush climbing stems, or cascading foliage from a shelf.
Climbing and trailing plants become integral part of the home decor by complementing finishes, textures, colours and even furnishings. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating with indoor climbing and trailing plants.
It is however important to keep in mind practicality when planning climbing and trailing compositions. You still need to be able to easily access your plants for watering, fertilizing and general maintenance. Low maintenance plants are ideal to create any type of trailing and climbing display.
Pothos, Heartleaf Philodendrons, English Ivies and Hoyas are among the best and easiest indoor plants to train.
There are different ways to train your indoor plants to either climb or trail.
Some types of plants are more suitable for climbing walls, rather than trailing from a shelf. Others, on the other hand, are best at trailing their lush stems from a shelf.
Whether to climb or trail, it’s not a scientific based method. It’s a decision based on the plant you have or the effect you want to achieve. For example; if you want to create a unique pattern of climbing stems on a wall, you should consider a Pothos, rather than a Philodendron Brasil. This is because the beauty of a Philodendron Brasil stands in the colour variegation of its leaves. When you multiply this particular aspect of the plant by many leaves, cascading all together, you obtain a fantastic effect! However, if instead of letting this plant trail, you divide its stems to make them individually climb on a wall, you dilute the beautiful effect of its colour variegation.
Before we look at different examples of indoor climbing and trailing plants, let’s take a look at the type of plants you can use and how they grow, so you can better understand what is the best way to train them.
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
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the best Indoor climbing and trailing plants
1. english ivy, (hedera Helix)
These indoor climbing and trailing plants are good for almost everything; they are low maintenance, they are tolerant to low light conditions, and they purify their surrounding space by removing benzene and formaldehyde from the air! Definitely plants for a newbie or a person with a busy lifestyle!
English Ivies enjoy medium light conditions the best, but they can do well in moderately low light conditions.
Like all variegated species, they thrive, and continue to produce variegated leaves, with higher light levels.
These plants don’t like to be overwatered so it’s a good idea to check the top 1″ of soil with your finger to determine if it is dry enough to water. At the same time, do not let the soil dry thoroughly!
Indoor English Ivies don’t grow out of control. It is however aesthetically pleasing and fun to create interesting wall or wire designs with its long trailing branches!
This is how my English Ivy looked like when I first bought it. Fast forward a year, it’s now hanging from a macrame’ wall hanger with its long stems trailing in different directions. Ivies grow fast and are easy to maintain!
Photo Credit: V2osk on Unsplash
2. devil's ivy, (golden Pothos)
Pothos are low maintenance indoor climbing and trailing plants; they are extremely easy to care for and very adaptable plants.
They can grow in different environmental conditions and different medium, (they can be grown in pots of soil or in bowls filled with water! Mine grew for over a year in a Kokedama moss ball!).
They are gorgeous trailing plants that can be shaped to make beautiful compositions on your home walls or trail off from a shelf or book case.
These plants thrives in high humidity but do well in dry environments!
They do well in bright, indirect light as well as low light. Variegated types maintain their beautiful colours and variegation in bright, indirect light. Pothos do not like direct sun light.
Let the soil dry well in between waterings. Plants will tell you when they need water by drooping their leaves. It is better to under water than over water these plants.
I water mine once a week, but it could longer without water if I am away.
My Marble Queen Pothos has grown significantly, considering it has been kept inside a Kokedama Moss Ball for over a year. However, its growth rate has dramatically increased ever since I planted it in a pot. I am getting ready to train its stems along the fireplace mantle.
Photo Credit: Beazy
3. heartleaf philodendron, (philodendron hederaceum)
Philodendrons are easy indoor climbing and trailing plants.
They are fast growing plants that can adapt to different light conditions. From indirect sun, to medium light, and even low light environments.
Philodendrons are excellent air purifying plants, that help remove formaldehyde from the air.
There are different varieties of Philodendrons.
I have the classic Heartleaf Philodendron, which has solid dark green leaves, and a Philodendron Brasil, which has variegated leaves.
Both types, (Philodendrons in general), thrive in humid, indirect light environments.
Philodendrons needs to be watered when half the soil feels dry to the touch. I water mine every two weeks.
One note worthy of attention is that, if ingested, Philodendron leaves are toxic to pets.
This is my Philodendron Brasil. You can appreciate this plant needs to trail its stems in one massive wave of beautiful variegated leaves, rather than making individual stems climb on the wall.
The details of Philodendron Brasil leaves are stunning to me, as they seem like paintbrush strokes on a natural canvas.
This is my Heartleaf Philodendron. While it’s still a gorgeous plant, it doesn’t have the captivating details of the Brasil variety. For this reason, I will train this plant’s stems to climb the wall of our bedroom to reach the round mirror you see in the background and gently wrap all around it.
4. Swiss cheese plant, (monstera deliciosa)
Monsteras are excellent indoor climbing and trailing plants.
They can actually become very large scale plants! They are definitely a big statement plant for any space. They need a big space to be displayed.
They can either trail from a higher shelf or plant stand, or climb on a moss/coir pole, or other type of support.
These tropical plants grow relatively fast. You’ll notice they will grow trailing aerial roots as they mature, making them very easy plants to trim and propagate.
Swiss Cheese plants enjoy moderate, to indirect bright light. Too much light and direct sun will yellow their beautiful leaves.
Water these plants moderately and evenly. I water mine once a week, when the top soil tends to be dry. I also recommend misting these plant regularly to provide the humidity levels they needs to thrive.
My Monstera is still fairly young and has not been trained to climb a coir or moss pole (yet). I just bought one, so it’s on my plant’s list of to do’s.
Photo Credit: Brina Blum on Unsplash
5. arrowhead plant, (nephthytis)
Arrowhead Plants are definitely trailing plants, not climbers.
They are native to Latin America, which means, they enjoy high humidity, with moist soil but not too soggy. Don’t let the soil dry through. Water it once the surface soil starts to dry out.
If you have your plant in a hanging pot like me, most likely, there is no drainage at the bottom of that pot, which is actually not that bad for humidity, provided that you have a good layer of draining rocks and activated charcoal at the bottom of that pot! If you don’t have a draining layer of rocks and charcoal at the bottom of your pot, remove your plant from the pot immediately and make sure it’s not filled with stagnant water!
Add some draining rocks, and if you have it, some activated charcoal to prevent root rot. Only after that, you can re-pot your Arrowhead Plant in the pot and hang it on the wall.
Keep in mind this drainage layering procedure should be applied to all plants in pots without draining holes. Read my article on How to Plant in Pots Without Drainage Holes to learn more about this topic! It’s really important to prevent overwatering and roots rot!
Even though Arrowhead Plants do well in medium light, they thrive in bright, indirect light.
If you have a variegated species and enjoy the variegation, make sure you place it in bright, indirect light. Low light levels will grow solid colours leaves.
Here is the perfect example of how Nephthytis trail. They trail enough to cover their own pot, but they don’t have long hanging stems like Pothos and Philodendrons. Stems can grow longer than the ones shown in this pictures but it is rare to see a big cascade of Arrowhead leaves.
Nephthytis look beautiful hanging from macrame wall hangers. The plant in this picture is still young, but it will eventually grow to fill the space in between its current leaves and the pot.
6. Wax plant, (hoya carnosa)
Wax Plants are not only great indoor climbing and trailing plants, they are also excellent non-toxic plants, safe for children and pets, despite their succulent leaves.
Hoya Carnosas aren’t technically succulents. They are succulent-like plants.
They thrive in bright light conditions. The brighter the surrounding area, the more likely they will produce the sweet fragrant porcelain looking flower that doesn’t even seem real!
Hoyas only need to be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. I water mine once every two weeks in both winter and summer.
Wax Plants are extremely easy to propagate by simply cutting the stems and allowing them to grow roots into water.
Hoyas can be ceiling hung from a beautiful basket, trailed off from a shelf, or trained to climb indoor trellises.
Its trailing stems won’t grow terribly fast but the more bright light you provide, the faster they will grow.
This Hoya Plant is the result of two stems I snipped from my friend’s majestic Hoya!
I first rooted the stems in water, and once the plant established its roots in this terracotta pot, I created a lovely display using this beautiful and creative wood trellis by Treleaf.
The beautiful Hoya Carnosa flower from my friend’s plant. It has such a delicate fragrance!
7. strings of hearts, (ceropegia woodii)
The Strings of Hearts, (or Rosary Vine), is one of my favourite plants. It can be a very unique indoor trailing plant.
They are harder to find than other plants and you may need to do extra research, (and spend a bit more money), but it’s definitely worth the effort!
These plants grow its strings quite fast, producing more and more tiny silvery and green hearts!
Their care and maintenance is quite simple.
Strings of Hearts thrive in bright light without direct sun exposure. The soil needs to dry out in between waterings. Keep in mind that this plant goes dormant during the winter months, so it will need even less water!
I give mine very little water once a week during the growing season and I scale it back to once every two weeks in winter.
It’s very important to keep these plants in pots with drainage holes with well draining soil in order to prevent roots rot.
Little green hearts pouring from my Rosary Vine. I like to keep mine hanging from a shelf. However, I am considering folding the overly long stems up in a wave, over a long piece of driftwood.
Strings of Hearts look really nice all coiled up together.
8. strings of pearls, (senecio rowleyanus)
Strings of Pearls are definitely intriguing indoor trailing plants .
Their long and thin stems with juicy beads make them very fascinating plants, that appeal to all ages. In-fact, our two Strings of Pearls both belong to my daughter, (this explains the pots).
It is important you know this plant is a succulent and you should treat it as such; place it an a spot with lots of light, even direct sun light, and don’t overwater it!
Proper soil drainage is critical for the health of this plant’s roots! With proper care, the stems grow fast, forming new beads.
I water mine every two weeks, sometime three, depending on the season.
These plants look great trailing from a hanging pot or displayed on a shelf.
Strings of Pearls are mostly displayed as trailing or hanging plants. I let mine trail from shelves but I have seen many pictures of Strings of Pearls hanging from ceilings.
The Strings of Pearls is a very unique looking plant, and as such, can be planted and arranged in fun pots and planters.
A very similar pot for cat lovers is available online on Amazon.
9. strings of bananas, (Senecio radicans)
These peculiar indoor trailing succulents are native to Africa.
They are definitely fast growing trailing plants, that can be arranged and displayed in many ways.
Even if similar to Strings of Pearls, Strings of Bananas are less delicate, and easier to grow than their relatives.
Their stems are thicker, making them easier to propagate and move around without any disruption.
As succulents, these plants thrive in bright light conditions, even in direct morning sunlight.
Water your Strings of Bananas approximately every two weeks. It’s important to not over water these plants!
I bought one Strings of Bananas a few months ago and I had to give it a trim as its stems were growing way too long. I rooted the cuttings in water and I have a second plant now. Then, a new hair cut came along, with more rooting in water…I can say for experience that this succulent grows wonderfully in water as well!
It seems like I get a new plant every time I give my Strings of Bananas a haircut!
Like Strings of Pearls, Strings of Bananas are mostly trailing plants. They grow incredibly fast and are vey easy to propagate. This picture shows the original plant in the left side pot and its cuttings rooting in water on the right.
The Strings of Bananas grows so long, so fast, that is an ideal plant to wrap around objects on a shelf.
10. Trailing jade, (peperomia rotundifolia)
These low maintenance and non-toxic, indoor climbing and trailing plants are not succulents, as many are led to believe due to their thick and fleshy leaves.
In-fact, these plants enjoy medium natural light and more water than succulents.
However, it is important to not over-water these beautiful trailing plants. Only water them when the top soil feels dry to the touch. I water mine every 10 days to 2 weeks.
Their branches grow quite long, so this is more of a low maintenance hanging plant, if you have a moderately bright spot for it in your home.
If you enjoy propagating plants, Trailing Jades are relatively easy to propagate, by either leaf or branch cut.
I’ve always been attracted by the look of these fat, flat and round leaves that look like a bunch of buttons. The density of leaves becomes more sparse as the stems grow.
This plant is more of a trailer or a hanger than a climber.
training your plants
What does it mean to train your plants?
It means giving your plan’t stems the direction you want them to take, in order to achieve a specific design.
You can do that by simply letting the stems trail down from a pot or a wall hanger, or directing the stems in specific ways.
You can direct stems in specific ways by either hanging them over existing objects, such as mirrors and frames, or by using clear adhesive clips.
Let’s take a look at both methods.
1. trailing
Plants can pretty much trail from everywhere, as long as they are elevated from the floor.
They can hang from ceiling, walls, shelves and bookcases and plant stands. Some plants are better trailers than climbers.
Here are some examples.
trailing from plant stands
Plant stands require more research and even space than simply placing a plant over a shelf or bookcase.
Plant stands are decor objects on their own, almost like a piece of furniture, and as such, they need to properly complement the surrounding style and decor.
Plant stands are the medium that tie together the plant with its surrounding space. They need to be sturdy enough to support the weight of plant and pot; they need to be good enough to stand out, but discreet enough to let the plant visually shine; they need to be practical, allowing room for drainage and easy to move around.
This beautiful Lemon Lime Maranta is trailing from a plant stand that has minimalistic legs, allowing the foliage to stand out and giving the plant an airy look.
A juvenile Monstera on a plant stand. At this stage of a Monstera’s life, the plant does not require a support for its stems. The leaves can still float without being too heavy, and tipping the plant stand on one side.
trailing from shelves
Indoor climbing and trailing plants look great on shelves.
I find plants give shelves such a great look! Way fresher and airy than a bunch of books spines all clustered up together!
A combination of plants and books is really nice too. Plants can be book stops when the books are arranged vertically, and plant stands when arranged horizontally.
Read my article on Plant Wall Shelves for more ideas on plant shelfies!
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
My Marble Queen Pothos is hanging its one stem. I find the individual hanging stem quite visually appealing and interesting.
trailing from wall hangers
Wall hangers come in all sorts of shapes and materials; from wall hooks, to hanging ceramic and glass containers; from wood panels to intricate macramé.
I really like macrame’ because, not only I love the look of these beautiful artisanal products, they are easy to install, only requiring a nail.
For more ideas on Plants Wall Decor Ideas, check out this article! It has all the different types of wall hanging options for plants!
A Nephthytis can be very lush and fill a wall hanger quite beautifully, even without having long trailing stems.
Inglish Ivies, like Hoyas, Pothos and Philodendrons, can trail their stems from wall hangers freely, creating beautiful, natural patterns, or cascades of thick leaves.
2. climbing
Climbing is where your plants need training!
Indoor plants can climb on walls, poles, trellises, or other existing objects throughout the house you may envision as part of your design.
Most of the times, indoor plant climbing requires some helpful tools, such as moss or coir poles, trellises and wall clips.
Let’s take a look.
climbing on moss/coir poles
Many plants can climb on moss or coir poles installed in the centre of the pot.
Plants like Monsteras, Philodendrons and Scheffleras are often arranged around moss poles.
Moss and coir poles are mostly used to provide extra support to aroid plants, (plant with aerial roots). These plants, in their natural habitat, climb up trees with their aerial roots through the host tree’s moist bark to reach for more natural light.
In a home environment, you will have to help, (train), your plant climb the pole, by using soft wire ties.
Photo Credit: Brina Blum on Unsplash
Photo Credit: Brina Blum on Unsplash
climbing with clear plastic stick-on hooks
One of my favourite ways to train a plant to climb walls is by using clear wall clips.
Unless you already have a plant with very long stems, this is a long process, that not only requires creativity, it requires patience!
First of all, you have to have the right plant to do this.
In my opinion, the best plants to train with clear wall clips are English Ivies, Pothos and Heartleaf Philodendrons.
You can start from a shelf, from the floor or from a wall hanger; use your creativity.
From there, you can plot the design for your wall, adding clips where you need them for your stems to follow your design pattern.
Photo Credit: Joopsy.com
Photo Credit: Melinamall.com
I placed some 3M Command Clear Decorating Clips to train my English Ivy direction on the wall. I can’t really see the clips, unless I move really close.
When I want to remove the plant from the wall hanger, I simply take the stem off the clip. There is no damage to the plant whatsoever.
climbing on a trellis
Trellises have come a long way in the past few years…
Forget the folding expandable wooden trellis of the past!
These days there are so many creative ways to either DIY a beautiful modern or Boho looking trellis, or simply buying a stunning contemporary designer trellis online.
Social Media feeds like Pinterest and Instagram are filled with beautiful and creative images of modern trellises for your plants.
These are just two examples!
Photo Credit: Made in Design
I used this lovely wood trellis by Treleaf for my sweet Monstera Adansonii.
(I find it quite appropriate that my plant is climbing on a trellis shaped as its own leaf!)
I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I did writing it.
I really get excited by the many creative ideas I can come up with, by simply looking around our home and exploring options with my plants!
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These all look so beautiful! Thank you for the article, so many lovely ideas. I would like to train an English ivy around my bathroom window using clear clips but my partner is concerned that the aerial roots may attach to the walls or wooden window frame and cause damage- is this an issue you have ever had and if so how do you get around it?
Hello There!
Thank you for reaching out!
I am sorry to tell you your partner is right. English Ivies do stick their “feet” onto walls or whatever they climb on. I experienced this for myself! Like you intend to do, I used a few clear clips to train the stems up the wall. It works like a charm! However, with time, the English Ivy did anchor itself onto the wall! I had to remove these stems from the wall when I needed to repot the plant into a bigger pot, and those stems did leave their “feet” on the wall. They can be scraped off, but there is the risk of damaging your wall finish.
If you want to train a plant to climb in your bathroom by using clips, I recommend you select a different trailing plant, like a Heartleaf Philodendron or a Hoya Carnosa. Their stems are thin enough for those clips. Pothos are great climbers too, but their stems are too thick for those clips. You can also use other methods to fasten your plant’s stems into the window frame. Whatever you do, make sure you have the flexibility of removing the plant for maintenance purposes.