Plant library / Succulents & cacti
String of Hearts
Ceropegia woodii
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Delicate trailing hearts on thin stems. Store water in the leaves, so let it dry out well; bright light deepens the marbling.
Toxicity
Safe
Not known to be toxic to cats.
Safe
Not known to be toxic to dogs.
Caution
Based on general horticultural consensus, not a pet-poison database.
Pet-safety information is a general guide from the ASPCA's toxic-plant database and covers cats and dogs only. "If eaten" summarises the symptoms ASPCA lists for that plant; how an animal actually reacts depends on how much it ate and on the animal. It isn't exhaustive, isn't veterinary advice, and individual animals vary — never rely on it as the sole basis for a decision about your pet. If you think your pet has eaten a harmful plant, contact a vet immediately.
Care
- WaterEvery 14–21 days
- LightBright, indirect
- HumidityLow humidity
- Temperature15–26 °C
The same interval the Sabz app schedules reminders from. In autumn and winter the app stretches it; see houseplants in autumn.
Common problems
String of hearts pale with gaps between leaves
Pale leaves widely spaced along the strands mean not enough light — a string of hearts wants a bright window, some direct sun included, and colours up and fills in when it gets it. Move it, and cut the sparse strands back to encourage new growth from the tubers.
String of hearts mushy stems
Mushy, dark stems at the top of the pot are overwatering: the tubers have rotted in wet compost. It stores water and wants a drink every two to three weeks, less in winter, in gritty, free-draining compost. Cut away anything soft, let it dry, and start again from healthy strands laid on fresh compost — they root where the nodes touch.
String of hearts shrivelled leaves
Shrivelled, thin leaves are the plant using its stored water — it has been dry for a long while. One thorough soak, drained fully, and the leaves plump up within a week or two. Then back to occasional watering; it would rather be dry than wet.
Similar plants
- Burro's Tail safeSedum morganianum
- Haworthia safeHaworthia fasciata
- Kalanchoe toxicKalanchoe blossfeldiana
- String of Pearls toxicSenecio rowleyanus
In the app
Add a string of hearts to Sabz and the watering interval above becomes a reminder, the toxicity verdict sits on the plant's own page, and when a leaf turns, the Check-up reads what you have actually logged to say why.
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