Ceropegia: care, varieties & flower

Ceropegia have striking flowers that often look like little candlesticks or parachutes. We will introduce you to the most beautiful Ceropegia varieties and our top tips for Ceropegia care.

As well as the popular string of hearts, there are many Ceropegia varieties that can be kept as houseplants. Most of them are easy to care for and, thanks to their unique flowers, will create a real feature in any room. Here you will find all you need to know about Ceropegia care, the ideal location, and the most beautiful species of Ceropegia plant.

Ceropegia: flower, origin, and characteristics

The genus Ceropegia belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. The plant has many common names such as lantern flower, parasol flower, and parachute flower due to their unique flower shapes. Depending on the species, the flower has different shapes and colours. The plant is also known as the Ceropegia trap flower as it attracts and traps insects for a short time to ensure pollination. Given the right location and light, Ceropegia can bear flowers throughout the whole growing season. The plant forms long runners that either creep along the ground or climb up other plants. Some species are evergreen, while others shed their leaves. Many of the species are succulents and store water in their leaves, roots, or shoots.

The most beautiful Ceropegia species and varieties

Ceropegia comes in all sorts of shapes, colours, and sizes. This applies to both flowers and foliage. We have put together a short list of the most beautiful Ceropegia species:

Ceropegia ampliata: The flowers of this ceropegia are white to light green and have a tube-like shape. The evergreen leaves grow lanceolate shaped on long shoots up to 2 m long. They are quickly shed after budding. Ceropegia ampliata comes originally from South Africa and Madagascar.

Ceropegia armandii: This species has particularly unusual flowers that consist of five yellow-green tubes, forming a kind of cage around the flower centre. The stem is usually woody at the base and long shoots emerge from it during the growing season. Here, too, the leaves are quickly shed after sprouting new shoots. Ceropegia armandii needs a large pot for its roots. It thrives best in slightly acidic cactus soil.

Ceropegia sandersonii: Due to its flower shape, this climbing species is also known as the Ceropegia sandersonii parachute plant, fountain flower, or umbrella plant. The greenish-pink flowers look as if they are covered by a parachute or an umbrella. It originates from southern Africa and (like many Ceropegia species) is also kept as a climbing houseplant.

Ceropegia stapeliiformis: Also known as the serpent ceropegia or snake creeper, the petals of this species are very narrow and pointed. When the flower is open, they look like funnels. The small leaves are shed after a short time. This Ceropegia plant is considered a fussier species, especially when it comes to the right amount of water. It also prefers a slightly alkaline cactus soil.

Ceropegia woodii: The evergreen string of hearts is one of the most popular Ceropegia houseplants. The heart-shaped leaves on long shoots look stunning trailing over the edge of a hanging basket. The flower is rather subtle compared to many other Ceropegia species but has an intriguingly beautiful pink hue.

Ceropegia haygarthii: This semi-evergreen species belongs to the stem succulents, which means that the plant stores water in its shoot. This makes this plant stand out from other varieties, as the shoots are thick and bright green. But the flowers are also quite striking, with their creamy white-red spotted colouring.

Planting Ceropegia flowers: location and soil

Ceropegia plants prefer a bright spot indoors. With too much shade, leaves may fade and shoots may become long and brittle. However, permanent direct sunlight can also lead to leaf damage. A few hours of sun in the morning or evening are ideal. Normal room temperature is fine.

Tip: You can keep Ceropegia at room temperature all year round. However, it is also possible to overwinter the plant at a cooler temperature. In this way, you give the plant a rest and stimulate flower formation. Keep the plant at a temperature of around 10°C, and water even less.

Give your Ceropegia plant a permeable and well-drained soil. Waterlogging is not good for succulents and can lead to root rot. A high-quality potting soil, such as our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost, is ideal for Ceropegia. The clay minerals in the soil allow water to be stored and released to the plant when needed. This means that you do not need to water as often, and the soil does not get waterlogged. To increase permeability, you can make a mixture of two parts soil and one part expanded clay, sand, lava split, or pumice.

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Make sure the plant pot has a drainage hole to allow excess water to run off. For better drainage, add a layer of pebbles or a similar coarse material to the bottom of the pot.

Ceropegia plant care: top tips

As is often the case with succulents, Ceropegia care is simple because the plants of this species are generally low maintenance.

Watering and fertilising Ceropegia

Ceropegia species, like any plant, need water and nutrients from time to time. However, this should be done sparingly, to prevent waterlogging and over fertilisation. In summer, give the Ceropegia flower a little water once or twice a week so that the root ball does not dry out. Allow the surface of the soil to dry out in between. If water runs out of the pot into the planter or saucer, remove it after watering. Fertilise every four weeks during the growing season between April and September. High-quality liquid fertilisers work best for this, like our Plantura Liquid Houseplant Food. Add this with the water to provide the plant with nutrients directly. The fertiliser ensures healthy growth and strengthens roots as well as leaves. It also contains helpful microorganisms that can protect the roots from fungal diseases. Since succulents have a relatively low nutrient requirement, apply half the normal concentration.

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Pruning Ceropegia

Since Ceropegia usually forms long runners, you may want to cut the plant back. Pruning is not necessary, but it does prevent the Ceropegia from producing new shoots. Do this in spring by cutting off the shoot at the desired spot with a sharp knife. The cut off shoot can also be used for propagation.

Repotting Ceropegia

As with most plants, when the pot is fully rooted, transplant the Ceropegia into a larger pot in spring. On average, repotting every two to three years is frequent enough. Be careful not to break off the long, stiff shoots.

What to do if Ceropegia is shedding leaves?

First of all, it is quite normal for some Ceropegia species to shed their leaves shortly after sprouting new shoots, so there is no need to worry. In some cases, the leaves will grow back after dropping. Find out whether your Ceropegia is a species that regularly sheds its leaves or not.

However, it is possible that the Ceropegia loses its leaves due to a lack of water. Make sure that the soil is sufficiently moist. Excessive watering and waterlogging can also lead to root rot and leaf drop. If the soil is wet, you should repot the plant in fresh soil and water less.

Propagating Ceropegia: offshoots, seed tubers, or cuttings?

It is very easy to propagate Ceropegia. You can use either cuttings or seed tubers, which are found in the leaf axils (the point where the leaf shoot branches out of the main shoot of the plant) of mature plants.

Cuttings are obtained by removing the shoots. Do this in spring when the growth phase is just beginning. Cut off a shoot at least 10 cm long with a sharp knife, remove the lowest leaves, and allow the cut surface to dry for a few days to prevent rot. Then place the shoot with the cut surface facing downwards in a soil similar to that of the mother plant. Keep the new plant at a temperature between 16 and 18°C.

To propagate Ceropegia from seed tubers, pick off the tubers from the leaf axils and place them into fresh soil with a thin layer of sand on the surface to prevent rotting. Press the tubers down lightly and keep the room temperature between 16 and 18°C until germination begins.

Is Ceropegia poisonous?

Whether Ceropegia is poisonous or not is uncertain. Since there are no known cases of poisoning, it can be assumed that Ceropegia is non-toxic. To be on the safe side, however, do not allow animals or children to consume parts of the plant – or of ornamental plants in general.

Ceropegia looks particularly stunning in hanging baskets because of their long, trailing shoots. Read our article on other hanging plants for your house.