17 Trailing Houseplants Ranked: Pothos Vines to 10 Feet, String of Pearls to 3 — With Difficulty and Pet Safety Scores
17 trailing houseplants ranked by max vine length, difficulty (1–5), and ASPCA-verified pet safety — the data most listicles skip.
Pick a trailing plant based on looks alone and you can end up with two very different outcomes: a pothos that buries your bookshelf in ten feet of vines by spring, or a string of pearls that sits at the same three-foot length for two years and then rots overnight when you water it once too often. Both are sold as “trailing houseplants.” Both look roughly similar in a four-inch pot at the garden center.
The difference is in the data. Vine length at maturity, light requirement, difficulty, and whether a plant is safe around cats and dogs are four facts most trailing plant guides never give you in one place. This article does.
Below, 17 trailing houseplants are ranked by maximum vine length indoors, scored for difficulty on a 1–5 scale, and assessed for pet safety using ASPCA listings and Tier 1 extension sources. Read the comparison table first, then dive into the profiles of whichever plants suit your space.
The Full Comparison Table: 17 Trailing Houseplants at a Glance
Difficulty key: 1 = nearly unkillable on neglect; 2 = easy with occasional watering; 3 = needs consistent care; 4 = demanding (humidity, light, or moisture precision required). Pet safety uses ASPCA T1 sourcing where available; see individual profiles for full toxicity details.
| Plant | Max vine (indoors) | Light need | Difficulty | Pet safe? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heartleaf Philodendron | up to 13 ft | Low–medium indirect | 1/5 | NO |
| Golden Pothos | 8–10 ft | Low–bright indirect | 1/5 | NO |
| English Ivy | 6–8 ft | Medium indirect | 2/5 | NO |
| String of Hearts | 3–9 ft | Bright indirect | 2/5 | YES* |
| Hoya carnosa | 3–6 ft | Bright indirect | 2/5 | YES |
| Fishbone Cactus | 3–4 ft | Bright indirect | 2/5 | YES |
| String of Bananas | 3–5 ft | Bright / some direct | 3/5 | NO |
| Boston Fern | fronds to 4 ft | Medium-bright indirect | 4/5 | YES |
| Tradescantia zebrina | 2–4 ft | Bright indirect | 1/5 | NO† |
| Spider Plant | runners to 3 ft | Medium indirect | 1/5 | YES |
| Swedish Ivy | 2–3 ft | Bright indirect | 1/5 | YES |
| Lipstick Plant | 2–3 ft | Bright indirect | 3/5 | YES |
| String of Pearls | up to 3 ft | Bright / some direct | 4/5 | NO‡ |
| Burro’s Tail | up to 2 ft | Bright / partial sun | 3/5 | YES |
| String of Turtles | 1–2 ft | Medium indirect | 3/5 | YES |
| Purple Heart | 1–2 ft | Bright / direct sun | 1/5 | NO† |
| Peperomia rotundifolia | 1–2 ft | Medium indirect | 2/5 | YES |
*String of Hearts — not listed as toxic by ASPCA; widely considered pet-safe across major horticultural sources. †Tradescantia and Purple Heart — ASPCA records dermatitis (skin irritation), not systemic poisoning. ‡String of Pearls contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids; causes vomiting, diarrhea, and dermatitis.
Why Do Some Trailing Plants Vine So Much Further Than Others?
Pothos and heartleaf philodendron evolved on the floor of tropical rainforests in the Solomon Islands and Central America respectively — environments where the only way to reach light is to grow along the ground and then climb up whatever trunk or branch presents itself. Both species produce nodes spaced 2–4 inches apart and maintain strong apical dominance: the growing tip suppresses lateral branching and directs energy into extending the main vine. Indoors, with nothing to climb, that energy goes into length. Given a year or two and reasonable indirect light, these vines will trail 8–13 feet from a shelf.
String of pearls and burro’s tail evolved in a completely different ecological niche: cliff faces and rocky outcrops in semi-arid southwestern Africa and Mexico. Their trailing growth evolved not to seek light upward but to spill over rock edges — a strategy that works at 2–3 feet without needing to extend further. Their succulent stems are dense and heavy, not the lightweight flexible growth of a liana. Add overwatering — the single most common killer of both plants — and the stems rot from the base before they ever reach their potential length.
This ecological origin is the single clearest predictor of vine length. Tropical lianas (pothos, philodendron, hoya, English ivy) trail long. Cliff-edge succulents (pearls, burro’s tail, string of bananas) stay compact. Plants in the middle — spider plant, tradescantia, ferns — evolved in forest margins or groundcover roles and trail at intermediate lengths based on their growth rate rather than any vining adaptation.
The Long Trailers: Plants That Vine 6–13 Feet Indoors
1. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) — up to 13 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | NOT pet-safe
The heartleaf philodendron is the longest-trailing houseplant you can buy at a mainstream garden center, with NC State Extension recording vines up to 13 feet under good indoor conditions [7]. Its tolerance for low light is exceptional — this is one of the few plants documented to survive long periods in extremely dim conditions [7], which makes it the right pick for shelves positioned several feet from a window.
Grow it in medium indirect light for fastest growth. Keep soil slightly moist and reduce watering in winter. The main risk, besides its toxicity to pets, is overwatering in cold months — root rot in a waterlogged pot is the only way most growers kill this plant.
Toxicity: ASPCA lists heartleaf philodendron as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Insoluble calcium oxalates cause oral pain, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing [8]. Keep well out of reach or skip entirely in pet households.
2. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — 8–10 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | NOT pet-safe
Golden pothos is the most forgiving long trailer on this list. Penn State Extension describes it as “very easy-to-grow” and notes its vines reach 8 to 10 feet or longer indoors [1]. It handles low light, tolerates drought better than most houseplants, and propagates from a single node dropped in water. Variegated forms (Marble Queen, N’Joy, Neon) grow slightly slower than the standard golden form but reach similar lengths given time.
The one non-negotiable: keep the soil on the drier side. Pothos stored wet in a cold corner rots just as readily as any other tropical plant. Between these two long trailers, pothos forgives low light marginally better than heartleaf philodendron; philodendron trails slightly longer and has a softer, more velvety leaf.
For detailed care including repotting schedules and cultivar comparisons, see our complete pothos growing guide.
Toxicity: Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses per ASPCA. Same calcium oxalate mechanism as philodendron — oral irritation, drooling, vomiting [3]. The vines are long and dangle invitingly; this is not a safe plant for pets who investigate hanging objects.
3. English Ivy (Hedera helix) — 6–8 ft | Difficulty: 2/5 | NOT pet-safe
English ivy grows 6–8 feet as a trailing houseplant with less care than most people expect, provided you give it two things: cool temperatures and medium indirect light. It actively dislikes the warm, dry conditions typical of most heated homes — which is why it performs beautifully on a cool sunroom shelf in autumn and sulks through January near a heating vent. A cool bedroom window is a better location than a warm living room.
The trailing stems are dense and heavily leaved, producing a fuller-looking cascade than pothos at comparable lengths. Variegated forms (Glacier, Goldheart) are slightly slower growing but equally striking.
Toxicity: ASPCA classifies English ivy as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. The active compound is hederagenin, a triterpenoid saponin concentrated more heavily in foliage than berries — symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, and diarrhea [13]. Not suitable for pet households.
4. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii) — 3–9 ft | Difficulty: 2/5 | Pet-safe
String of hearts surprises most growers with its eventual length. Wisconsin Horticulture Extension notes the trailing branches growing “several feet long” [16], and mature specimens in bright windows regularly extend 6 feet or more. The stems are thin and purplish-pink; the small heart-shaped leaves are marbled silver-green on top and flushed purple underneath.
The care rule that determines success: treat it like a succulent, not a tropical. Water only when the soil is completely dry. A south or west-facing window is ideal [16]. Overwatering is the single most reliable way to kill this plant — it will rot at the base before showing any visible distress. The good news is that cuttings root readily in a few weeks, making it easy to restart after mistakes.
String of hearts is widely considered non-toxic to cats and dogs by major horticultural sources and is not listed on the ASPCA toxic plants database. For full care detail and varieties, see our string of hearts growing guide.
The Medium Trailers: 2–6 Feet
5. Hoya carnosa (Wax Plant) — 3–6 ft | Difficulty: 2/5 | Pet-safe
Hoya carnosa grows at a moderate-to-slow rate, but it reaches 3–6 feet with patience — and NC State Extension confirms it is non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses [12]. The waxy, paddle-shaped leaves are its signature feature; in bright indirect light the plant occasionally produces clusters of fragrant, star-shaped flowers. Growth rate is directly tied to light: bright indirect light produces steady extension; lower light slows everything down significantly.
One critical care rule specific to hoyas: never cut off the flower spur (peduncle) after blooming. The same short stub will produce new flower clusters for years [12]; removing it sets you back considerably. Allow the soil to dry between waterings and avoid cold water — room-temperature water only.
For full hoya care including variety comparisons and propagation, see our hoya growing guide.
Stop killing plants with wrong watering.
Select your plant, pot size, and climate zone — get a precise watering schedule with amounts and timing.
→ Build Watering Schedule6. Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger) — 3–4 ft | Difficulty: 2/5 | Pet-safe
The fishbone cactus is an epiphytic cactus from Mexican cloud forests — not a desert plant, and crucially not drought-tolerant in the way most cacti are. Its flat, zigzag-edged stems trail 3–4 feet and produce one of the most architecturally interesting silhouettes of any trailing plant. It is non-toxic to pets.
Care requirement that catches most buyers off guard: this plant needs more humidity and more frequent watering than its “cactus” label implies. Let the top inch of soil dry, then water. Give it bright indirect light. It blooms in autumn — the nocturnal white flowers are fragrant but last only a single night.
7. String of Bananas (Curio radicans) — 3–5 ft | Difficulty: 3/5 | NOT pet-safe
String of bananas grows faster and slightly longer than its more famous cousin, string of pearls, with strands that extend 3–5 feet under good light. The crescent-shaped, succulent leaves look like tiny green bananas and have a more robust structure than pearls — they survive minor underwatering and stay intact if you accidentally knock the pot. They share the same care needs: bright light with some direct sun, very infrequent watering, gritty well-draining soil.
Toxicity follows the Senecio/Curio genus pattern: toxic to cats and dogs, with pyrrolizidine alkaloids causing vomiting, diarrhea, and dermatitis. Not safe for pet households.
8. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) — fronds to 4 ft | Difficulty: 4/5 | Pet-safe
Boston fern earns its reputation as one of the most beautiful trailing plants and one of the most demanding to keep indoors. Wisconsin Horticulture Extension records fronds reaching up to 4 feet long [15] — the arching, cascading growth that makes this plant so spectacular in a hanging basket. ASPCA confirms it is non-toxic to dogs and cats [14].
The difficulty rating of 4/5 comes from a single requirement: consistent humidity. Boston ferns evolved in tropical and subtropical forests where air moisture rarely drops below 50%. Central heating in winter pushes indoor humidity to 15–25%, and the fern responds by developing brown, crispy tips and dropping leaflets. A pebble tray raises humidity by roughly 3% — not enough. A whole-room humidifier or a bathroom with a skylight is the practical solution. Meet the humidity requirement and Boston fern is otherwise straightforward: medium-bright indirect light, consistently moist (not soggy) soil, and temperatures above 55°F.
9. Tradescantia zebrina (Inch Plant) — 2–4 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | NOT pet-safe†
Tradescantia zebrina is the fastest-growing plant on this list in proportion to its eventual length. Wisconsin Extension describes it as “very tough, easy-to-grow, and thriving in almost any conditions indoors” [9] — it roots from cuttings placed in a glass of water, tolerates irregular watering, and produces new growth almost continuously in any reasonable light. The silver-and-purple striped leaves are genuinely striking. In a hanging basket, stems trail 2–4 feet and fill in quickly.
The toxicity note is an important nuance: ASPCA classifies Tradescantia as causing dermatitis — a skin irritation response when pets contact the watery sap — rather than the systemic calcium oxalate poisoning seen in pothos or philodendron [10]. It is still listed as toxic, so keep it away from pets that chew foliage. The sap can also irritate human skin in sensitive individuals [9].
10. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) — runners to 3 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | Pet-safe
Spider plants trail differently from everything else on this list. The parent plant produces arching leaves 12–18 inches long, but the real cascading effect comes from the stolons — long, wiry runners with small plantlets (“spiderettes”) hanging at the tips. These runners extend 2–3 feet, creating a layered, fountain-like display in a hanging basket. ASPCA confirms spider plants are non-toxic to dogs and cats [5].
They grow in almost any indirect light, tolerate irregular watering, and are nearly impossible to kill by neglect. The one thing they dislike: fluoride in tap water, which causes brown tip dieback. Switching to filtered or rainwater — or simply allowing tap water to sit overnight before watering — prevents this entirely.
11. Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis) — 2–3 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | Pet-safe
Swedish ivy is not an ivy at all — it is a member of the mint family, which explains its rounded, scallop-edged leaves and faintly aromatic stems. ASPCA classifies it as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses [17]. The 2–3 foot trailing stems fill a hanging basket quickly, and the plant flowers with small lavender-white blooms in good light. It is one of the easiest pet-safe trailers available: tolerates irregular watering and thrives in the same bright indirect light conditions as most other houseplants.
12. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) — 2–3 ft | Difficulty: 3/5 | Pet-safe
The lipstick plant earns its name: tubular red flowers emerge from dark maroon calyxes, looking precisely like lipstick. The trailing stems reach 2–3 feet and bloom most reliably in late summer and autumn when given bright indirect light and a drier winter rest period. NC State Extension considers Aeschynanthus non-toxic to pets.
The difficulty rating of 3/5 comes from the blooming requirement rather than day-to-day care: the plant needs a 6–8 week cooler, drier rest in autumn (around 60°F nights) to trigger bud set. Without this, it will grow happily and trail well but produce few or no flowers. If you want the flowers, replicate the cool-season dry spell; if you want an easy trailer and don’t care about blooms, treat it like a 2/5.
The Compact Trailers: Under 3 Feet
13. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) — up to 3 ft | Difficulty: 4/5 | NOT pet-safe
String of pearls is the most visually distinctive trailer on this list and the most frequently killed. Wisconsin Extension notes its trailing stems reaching up to 3 feet [2] — a length that takes significantly longer to achieve than the image on the shop label suggests. The spherical bead-like leaves are the attraction; the problem is that they contain water reserves that make overwatering catastrophic. The soil must be completely dry before watering. Any moisture retained in a heavy potting mix causes the roots to rot from below before the stems show any wilting — by the time you notice something is wrong, the plant is already dying.
The difficulty rating of 4/5 is specifically about moisture management. In terms of toxicity, multiple sources citing ASPCA confirm string of pearls toxic to cats and dogs via pyrrolizidine alkaloids — symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and dermatitis [2, 18].
Grow in a gritty cactus mix in a terra cotta pot (faster evaporation than plastic or ceramic), in the brightest window you have with some direct sun.
14. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) — up to 2 ft | Difficulty: 3/5 | Pet-safe
Burro’s tail produces the densest, most lush compact cascade of any plant on this list — each trailing stem is thickly packed with overlapping blue-green succulent leaves. NC State Extension records trailing stems up to 24 inches (2 feet) and confirms non-toxicity to cats, dogs, and horses [11]. It needs the same gritty soil and infrequent watering as string of pearls, with even brighter light — partial to full sun suits it best.
The 3/5 difficulty comes from leaf fragility: the individual leaves detach at the slightest touch and are extremely easy to knock off when repotting or moving the plant. Each fallen leaf can propagate, but the parent stem takes months to fill back in. Once it’s established in a hanging position and you’ve stopped touching it, it’s actually quite low maintenance.
15. String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata) — 1–2 ft | Difficulty: 3/5 | Pet-safe
String of turtles is a miniature trailer with slow growth and exceptional detail: the tiny, coin-sized leaves are marked with a white-veined pattern that genuinely resembles a turtle shell. The trailing stems stay at 1–2 feet, making this the right choice for small shelves, window ledges, or a glass terrarium. All peperomia species are non-toxic to pets.
The 3/5 difficulty reflects its moisture sensitivity — the semi-succulent leaves store water but the fine root system is easily overwatered. Medium indirect light is ideal; it tolerates fluorescent light better than most trailers, making it one of the few options that works in an office without windows.
16. Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida) — 1–2 ft | Difficulty: 1/5 | NOT pet-safe†
Purple heart is one of the most strikingly colored plants in this category — the lance-shaped leaves are a deep, saturated purple-violet, and the color intensifies with more light. Under direct sun it reaches the deepest purple; in shade it fades to green-purple. The trailing stems stay at 1–2 feet indoors, growing faster in high-light positions. As a Tradescantia, it shares the genus’s skin-irritation toxicity: ASPCA records dermatitis for this genus, not systemic poisoning — but still classify it as toxic and keep away from pets [10].
17. Peperomia rotundifolia (Trailing Peperomia) — 1–2 ft | Difficulty: 2/5 | Pet-safe
Trailing peperomia, sometimes sold as “coin-leaf peperomia” or simply “trailing peperomia,” produces slender stems with small, round, bright-green leaves. The 1–2 foot trailing growth is well-suited to small hanging pots or shelf edges where longer plants would be overwhelming. Like all peperomias, it is non-toxic to pets and tolerates lower light than most trailers.
It prefers to dry out somewhat between waterings — the semi-succulent leaves hold moisture and root rot from overwatering is the primary risk. Medium indirect light keeps the stems compact and the leaf color strong.
How to Display Trailing Plants: Shelves, Hangers, and Vertical Ledges
Trailing plants display best when their stems can hang freely without touching a surface. Three approaches work well indoors:
High shelf or bookcase top. This works for any plant on this list and keeps toxic plants naturally out of pet reach. The longer a plant’s vines grow, the higher the shelf needs to be — a 10-foot pothos vine needs a shelf positioned at least 5–6 feet up the wall to trail properly without pooling on the floor.
Hanging planters. Macrame hangers are the most common choice and work well because they position the pot at any height and allow airflow around the soil. If you are choosing a hanger, look for one with adjustable length — ceiling height and shelf position vary. A set of macrame plant hangers covers most display needs, from single pots to tiered arrangements.
Wall-mounted pot holders or clip-on brackets. The best option for plants that need specific light — position the bracket at the exact window proximity the plant requires, rather than being constrained by ceiling hook placement.
One display rule that matters for care: trailing plants mounted where their vines drape against a wall or behind furniture tend to grow unevenly, with the shaded side producing etiolated (stretched, pale) growth. Rotate the pot 180 degrees every two weeks to keep growth balanced.
Choosing Trailing Plants for Pet Households
If you have cats or dogs that investigate hanging objects — and many do, since trailing vines dangle at the exact height that triggers play behavior — the safest approach is to build your trailing plant collection from the non-toxic entries on this list. The six easiest pet-safe options are:
- Spider Plant — fastest, easiest, tolerates any indirect light (diff 1/5)
- Swedish Ivy — vigorous, fills a basket quickly (diff 1/5)
- Hoya carnosa — slower but long-lived; eventual 3–6 ft length (diff 2/5)
- String of Hearts — brightest window option; up to 9 ft mature (diff 2/5)
- Boston Fern — fronds cascade beautifully; needs humidity (diff 4/5)
- Burro’s Tail — compact; needs bright light and infrequent water (diff 3/5)
If you want to keep toxic trailers — pothos and heartleaf philodendron are genuinely the most effective at filling a space with dramatic length — place them on shelves above 6 feet and secure the pots so they cannot be knocked down. The ASPCA animal poison control hotline is (888) 426-4435 if accidental ingestion occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trailing houseplant is best for low light?
Heartleaf philodendron and golden pothos are the two most reliably low-light tolerant trailing plants. NC State Extension records heartleaf philodendron surviving “extremely low light” for long periods [7]; Penn State Extension confirms pothos thrives in “moderate to bright light” but survives significantly dimmer conditions [1]. Both are toxic to pets. For a pet-safe low-light option, spider plants tolerate medium indirect light well, though they grow more slowly without brighter conditions.
What is the easiest trailing houseplant for beginners?
Golden pothos and heartleaf philodendron share the 1/5 difficulty rating with tradescantia zebrina and spider plant. For a beginner who wants dramatic vine length, pothos or heartleaf philodendron is the answer. For a beginner with pets who needs a safe option, spider plant or Swedish ivy is the most forgiving. Tradescantia zebrina is arguably the fastest-growing and easiest of all four, but produces only 2–4 feet of trail.
Are trailing plants safe for cats?
It depends entirely on the plant. Of the 17 on this list, 9 are considered non-toxic to cats: spider plant, Swedish ivy, hoya carnosa, string of hearts (not on ASPCA toxic list), Boston fern, burro’s tail, fishbone cactus, string of turtles, and peperomia rotundifolia. The remaining 8 are toxic to varying degrees — from the calcium oxalate irritants in pothos and philodendron to the dermatitis-causing sap of tradescantia species. Always verify with the ASPCA animal poison control database before purchasing a new plant for a pet household.
Do trailing plants need a support to grow long?
No — trailing growth is the natural form for most plants on this list. The distinction is between trailing (hanging down) and climbing (growing upward with support). Pothos and heartleaf philodendron do both: allowed to trail, they will hang; given a moss pole or trellis, they climb and produce progressively larger leaves. Trailing produces the dramatic cascading effect most indoor growers want; climbing produces larger foliage. Both are correct; the choice is yours.
Sources
[1] “Pothos as a Houseplant” — Penn State Extension
[2] “String of Pearls, Senecio rowleyanus” — Wisconsin Horticulture Extension
[3] “Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)” — ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants
[4] “Epipremnum” — Royal Horticultural Society
[5] “Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)” — ASPCA Non-Toxic Plants
[6] “Poisonous Houseplants and Pets” — UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County
[7] “Philodendron hederaceum (Heartleaf Philodendron)” — NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
[8] “Heartleaf Philodendron” — ASPCA Toxic Plants
[9] “Tradescantia zebrina (Inch Plant)” — Wisconsin Horticulture Extension
[10] “Inch Plant (Tradescantia)” — ASPCA Toxic Plants
[11] “Sedum morganianum (Burro’s Tail)” — NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
[12] “Hoya carnosa” — NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
[13] “English Ivy (Hedera helix)” — ASPCA Toxic Plants
[14] “Boston Fern” — ASPCA Non-Toxic Plants
[15] “Boston Fern, Nephrolepis exaltata” — Wisconsin Horticulture Extension
[16] “String of Hearts, Ceropegia woodii” — Wisconsin Horticulture Extension
[17] “Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis)” — ASPCA Non-Toxic Plants
