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Trailing houseplants for hanging baskets

18 of 100 species in this database qualify

18 of our 100 species qualify. Pothos ranks first on trailing habit. Typical prices run $6 to $60.

What this list actually means

All of these trail by habit. Two things people underestimate: hanging pots dry out far faster than the same pot on a shelf, and a basket hung near the ceiling is in considerably lower light than the window it hangs beside.

Ranked by habit, difficulty, water interval days — trailing habit, least demanding first. Ordering is derived from database fields and we do not accept payment for placement. Our pre-publish check rejects commission, payout, EPC and CPC as sort fields, so that promise is enforced rather than merely stated.

#PlantLight floorWaterPet safeDifficultyTypical price
1 Pothos Epipremnum aureum Low 7–14d No Easy $10–25
2 Heartleaf philodendron Philodendron hederaceum Low 7–12d No Easy $10–30
3 Arrowhead vine Syngonium podophyllum Low 6–11d No Easy $10–30
4 Inch plant Tradescantia zebrina Medium 5–9d No Easy $8–20
5 Satin pothos Scindapsus pictus Low 7–12d No Easy $15–45
6 Mistletoe cactus Rhipsalis baccifera Medium 7–14d Yes Easy $15–45
7 Turtle vine Callisia repens Medium 4–9d No Easy $6–20
8 Christmas cactus Schlumbergera truncata Medium 7–14d Yes Easy $12–35
9 Wax plant Hoya carnosa Medium 10–18d Yes Easy $15–60
10 Burro’s tail Sedum morganianum Bright indirect 14–28d Yes Easy $12–35
11 String of hearts Ceropegia woodii Medium 10–18d Yes Easy $12–35
12 Fishbone cactus Selenicereus anthonyanus Medium 7–14d Yes Easy $18–50
13 String of bananas Curio radicans Bright indirect 12–21d No Easy $12–35
14 Goldfish plant Nematanthus gregarius Medium 6–11d Yes Easy $12–35
15 English ivy Hedera helix Low 6–11d No Moderate $8–25
16 Lipstick plant Aeschynanthus radicans Medium 6–11d Yes Moderate $15–40
17 String of turtles Peperomia prostrata Medium 9–16d Yes Moderate $12–40
18 String of pearls Curio rowleyanus Bright indirect 12–21d No Demanding $12–35

Prices are hand-verified ranges, not live figures, and move with pot size more than anything else. No affiliate links appear on this page because we have no merchant relationships yet; when that changes, disclosure appears before the first one.

Why pothos tops the list

Droops visibly when thirsty and recovers within hours. Tells you what it needs. It takes low light as a floor and water every 7–14 days, and it is stocked almost everywhere at $10–25.

Full entry for pothos — care fields with sources, toxicity with every authority we consulted, and propagation.

Commonly recommended for this, and shouldn't be

Every one of these is sold everywhere and appears on other lists for this purpose. Each fails on a field in our own database, stated below.

None of these are bad plants. They are bad plants for this, and the difference is the whole point of the list. Buying one for the wrong spot is the commonest way people conclude they cannot keep houseplants.

Other lists

Every list →

Sources

  1. This database's own care records for the 18 species listed — light floor, watering interval, humidity, difficulty and mature size are the fields the ranking uses. Each species entry cites its own authorities.
  2. ASPCA Animal Poison Control — toxicity classification, cited per species on each entry
  3. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — poison severity where published
  4. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — accepted names and families
  5. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — cultivation and pest records

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-12
Ranking is derived from database fields. We do not accept payment for placement, and the pre-publish check rejects payout as a sort field. How this is sourced.