Houseplant of the Month - Hanging Plants

Not only is fashion from the 1970s a big trend at the moment, but the hanging planter is making a return, either as woven macrame or contemporary metal. Perfect for these containers are hanging plants, due to their trailing nature. And they’re September’s Houseplant of the Month. Think Rhipsalis (pictured above), Ceropegia woodii, Tradescantia, Aeschynanthus and Tillandsia.

But you don’t need a hanging planter to be able to display these wonderful plants in their full glory. Simply place them on a shelf, mantelpiece, side table, on top of or in a tall container.

Aeschynanthus (pictured on the left below) has the common name of Lipstick Vine. Just before blooming, it has red flower buds in dark purple calyxes that actually resemble a tube of lipstick emerging from its case. It’s an epiphytic plant, which means that it grows harmlessly upon another plant, such as a tree, and gets its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain.

Tillandsia usneoides, also known as Spanish Moss, is often used by florists and is readily available to buy in bags at New Covent Garden Flower Market. For example, you can see it used here in this beautiful wreath design by Zita Elze.

Wandering Jew is the common name of Tradescantia, pictured on the right below. It’s an easy-to-grow plant and loves to be placed in bright light, with its compost kept moist.

Ceropegia woodii (pictured below) has to be one of my favourite hanging plants. It has several lovely common names including Hearts-on-a-String, Chain of Hearts, String of Hearts and Sweetheart Vine, due to its dainty silvery-grey heart-shaped leaves. It’s actually a succulent and its wiry stems can grow to around 6ft long. It’s an easy plant to grow. Simply make sure that it has plenty of direct sunlight and water it moderately.