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Are you searching for the ultimate houseplant to elevate your indoor space? Look no further than trailing succulents!
These stunning plants are the perfect addition to any hanging basket, container, or garden, and they tick all the boxes for what you need in an ideal succulent houseplant.
With their low-maintenance care requirements and beautiful trailing foliage, trailing succulents are an excellent choice for beginner gardeners and experienced plant enthusiasts alike.
In this article, we’ll explore the most popular types of trailing succulents and their growing tips, so you can create a lush and vibrant indoor oasis. So, if you’re ready to take your houseplant game to the next level, read on and discover the wonders of trailing succulents!
Most Popular Types Of Trailing Succulents
It would help if you considered specific care tips about trailing succulents when growing them. For instance, when hanging these succulents, position them where the light gets to every part of the plant, including the upper side.
Avoid hanging the plant above a window where only the hanging stems get light. It will only form new growth if the upper side gets plenty of light.
Below are the most common types of trailing succulents:
See Also: Succulents With Pink Flowers
1. Burro’s Tail (Sedum spp.)
The burro’s tail is the first trailing succulent on our list, which is why it is so. It is one of the most popular trailing houseplants, as it can beautify any indoor space with its thick tails of densely packed blue-green succulent foliage.
It is called a burro’s tail because its tail looks like that of a donkey.
Given its impressive green-color leaves, and the favorite of plant enthusiasts, the burro’s tail plant is increasingly high in demand and ideal for hanging baskets. Meanwhile, this plant can reach up to 2 feet long and break easily; hence needs to be far away from traffic.
They are not popular blooming plants but will form red or light pink flowers towards the ends of the strands during the summer. Even though it is significantly native to the hot Mexican climate, the donkey’s tail will also thrive in colder regions.
They require plenty of light and well-draining soil, need watering when the soil is dry, and fertilize once a year in the growing season.
2. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi)
Christmas Cactus is one of the floral staples of the winter holiday period, thanks to its gorgeous and glittering winter flowers.
It features broad, leafless, succulent, segmented stems, which bloom during the winter, with several stunning flower colors ranging from red, pink, purple, yellow, orange, or white.
Christmas cacti often grow up to 2 feet wide, but several more mature specimens can grow wider. Given that the long stems of this plant trail down, it will be suitable for hanging baskets.
This plant is also easy to care for and does best in bright indirect light when you plant it indoors, but it prefers full shade outdoors.
3. Calico Kitten (Crassula pellucida ‘Variegata’)
Photo by Grigoris Deoudis via Flickr
Calico kitten is a variegated succulent that can beautify any indoor garden with its stunning heart-shaped leaves with cream and pink-colored tips. It grows upright stems that gradually trail over the pot once they are too heavy.
Calico Kitten does best in a window with morning sun and day-light bright indirect light close to an east-facing window. You must water this plant as required, but ensure the soil is arid between watering and propagating it using the stem-cutting method.
4. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
String of Pearls is an incredibly gorgeous succulent with pea-shaped leaves on long, tiny stems. These features are why it is called string of pearls or beads. Its leaves can preserve the water that will sustain the plant during dry spells and give it a succulent nature.
The leaves of the string of pearls also possess small slits in the middle, serving as windows to receive light during photosynthesis.
This succulent moves from weak surface roots to forming tiny stems that can reach about 3 feet long. The plant can survive any growing condition and looks gorgeous wherever you place it.
Flower enthusiasts will surely enjoy this plant, as the string of pearls tends to form little, white, fuzzy blooms with a unique fragrance identical to that of spiced cinnamon vanilla to lighten your mood.
However, the plant will require certain conditions like temperatures between 50-55°F, moderate sunlight, and fertilizer to give it extra nutrients.
5. Climbing Aloe (Aloiampelos ciliaris)
Scientifically known as Aloiampelos ciliaris, the climbing aloe is a succulent from the aloe genus that will add stunning color to your environment, whether outdoors or as a houseplant.
It is a perfect choice for beginner gardeners because it is easy to grow and care for and forms a wide range of beautiful flowers.
6. Trailing Jade (Senecio jacobsenii)
Its super sprawling nature is why it is commonly called trailing jade. Apart from its trailing features, the trailing jade can add stunning beauty to any space.
It has ovate leaves that grow on thick succulent stems, giving it a unique appearance. During the winter season, the leaves produce incredible purple shades.
7. Kenya Hyacinth (Sansevieria parva)
Photo by cultivar413 via Flickr
Kenya Hyacinth is a succulent from the rare snake plant genus that will do well as houseplants and outdoors.
It features narrow, reflexing leaves that reach about 16 inches long and 1 inch wide but have a slow-growth rate. The leaves of this plant are formed from a small dense rosette.
The Kenya Hyacinth plant also releases long stolons, ending in little plantlets, which makes the plant a perfect hanging basket indoor plant. The plant can produce little pinkish blooms in spikes and lovely fragrances to lighten your mood, thus making the plant people’s favorite.
8. Mexican Stonecrop
Mexican stonecrop is one of the most popular trailing succulents that are easy to grow outdoors and as houseplants. In USDA zone 7, the plant will not overwinter in zone 5 gardens, enjoying summer pots and planters. You can take it inside to brighten your winter windowsill.
Meanwhile, the Mexican stonecrop features narrow, needle-like green leaves growing on mounding, drooping stems. Although it doesn’t trail as much as other succulents on our list, it has a rapid growth rate, and you can quickly propagate it.
The stems can reach up to 12 to 14 inches, and its incredible cultivar is Lemon Coral, with lime-green leaves, excellent for pots and hanging baskets.
9. Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra)
If you are looking for the best-trailing succulents to add to your indoor collections, the elephant bush is undoubtedly among the best. It features curling red stems covered with stunning rounded green leaves. However, it is most famous as a carbon buster, with its red stems cascading over hanging baskets and pots.
Native to South Africa, the elephant bush can grow in various conditions, whether dry, wet, or humid. It is called an elephant bush because it serves as a favorite meal for elephants and is also edible for humans. Some people use it as an ingredient for salads, thanks to its sour taste and crunchy texture.
The elephant bush can also serve several garden purposes, such as making a hedge, bonsai, and hanging baskets. The plant will do well in full sun or partial shade and in well-draining soil. It produces stunning pink to mauve flowers in the wild during the early summer, often after rain.
10. Coral Cactus (Rhipsalis cereuscula)
This succulent is called coral cactus because it resembles several coral species. It is an epiphytic plant that comes with tiny, branching stems. It produces whitish fruits that grow on the plants, looking like mistletoe berries.
This plant, also called rice cactus, produces creamy white flowers at the end of cylindrical, pale green jointed stems arching as they grow longer. The coral cactus exhibits a shrubby growth nature that can grow to about 2 feet tall and spread alongside little, bristle-looking spines.
This coral species tends to trail incredibly from a hanging basket, is very easy to care for, and tolerates neglect.
However, it requires slightly more moist soil than its desert siblings. It will also do well in high humidity and medium to bright indirect light. Hardy in USDA zones 10, the coral cactus is a non-toxic plant.
11. Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera)
Like its relative (coral cactus), the mistletoe cactus is an epiphyte with taller pale green branching stems that stand 6 feet tall and is a perfect trailing succulent for hanging baskets.
Native primarily to Central & South America, this plant naturally grows in tropical areas with high rainfall and humidity.
Therefore, you must imitate its tropical conditions if it must thrive as you want it to. Also referred to as the Spaghetti cactus or Chain Cactus, the mistletoe cactus features light green branching stems that can grow up to 30 feet outdoors but can only reach 6 feet indoors.
During the winter and spring, it grows little white to green flowers that appear along the stems before it produces white, pink, or red-colored fruits.
Meanwhile, the mistletoe cactus thrives in well-draining soil and regular watering and will do best in a dappled, brightly lit spot indoors, but keep it away from direct sunlight outdoors.
12. String Of Bananas (Senecio radicans)
Photo by KaitM42 via Wikimedia
The string of bananas is a unique trailing succulent plant, and like others, such as the string of pearls, it is easy to grow and maintain.
It is a stunning plant that is less particular about light and water and is considered a low-maintenance houseplant, making it a perfect beginner plant.
A string of bananas features oblong, banana-shaped leaves about 1 inch long and resemble small green bananas; hence the name. Its banana shape makes the plant a fun indoor plant for children.
At maturity, the plant tends to climb to about 4 feet, which produces a stunning appearance in any home. You can root stem pieces to multiply the plants.
13. String Of Dolphins
The string of dolphins is a gorgeous plant that will beautify your indoor space, thanks to its charming, quirky leaves, resembling jumping dolphins; hence the name. This unique trailing succulent possesses flippers and can reach up to 6 inches tall and climb up to 2 to 3 feet.
Like several other succulents, the string of dolphins does best when exposed to 6 to 8 hours of light and a well-draining growing medium that you must water when the top inch of soil is dry.
Even though it is easy to care for, this plant can draw indoor pests such as aphids. Therefore, inspecting it regularly and using insecticidal soap spray to eliminate pests would be best.
14. Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis)
Ruby necklace is popular trailing succulent on our list and a rapid-growing variety featuring long, narrow, bean-like foliage.
This plant can reach around 2 inches tall before trailing downwards. It features bean-like leaves in various colors, including green and purple, and long, brightly colored stems that are ruby red, hence its name.
One exciting feature of the ruby necklace is its small, yellow, daisy-like blooms, and thanks to its stunning look, you will compare this plant to any bright-colored gem. When you hand it into your home, it will shine all over the room and brighten your mood.
15. Wax Plant (Hoya pachyclada)
The wax plant is a stunning trailing succulent, perfect for your home and hanging baskets. However, it possesses a more slow-growth rate than most other species of the Hoya genus.
This plant comes with thick green leaves with pale red around the leaf tips, displaying a waxy appearance.
16. String Of Buttons (Crassula perforata)
Scientifically called Crassula perforata, the string of buttons is a little shrubby succulent that trails over the container’s rim or hanging basket. It is an incredible plant that features leaves with red-pink color tips when exposed to sunlight.
17. String Of Nickels Succulents (Dischidia nummularia)
The string of nickels is one of the most common trailing succulents on our list, featuring round and broad leaves resembling coins hanging on a string; hence it is also called a String of Coins.
You can plant it in a hanging basket or place it in a giant pot if you want to see its stems trailing down incredibly.
18. Fishbone Cactus (Disocactus anguliger)
The Fishbone cactus is an epiphyte featuring strap-shaped, broad, and leafless stems resembling zigzag shapes, which is why it is also called Zigzag Cactus.
This jungle cactus is famous for its vast, bright, white, and yellow blooms. It is also called rickrack cactus because its leaves have a rickrack ribbon shape.
At an early stage, it begins with straight stems, but as stems grow taller, they gradually take on a pendant growth nature. For instance, each stem may grow several feet long, making fishbone cactus a perfect option for hanging baskets.
Indoors, the Fishbone Cactus will do best in medium to bright indirect sunlight and burn in direct sunlight.
On the other hand, outdoors will require partial shade conditions and can overwinter in USDA zones 10b to 11b. It is also a non-toxic plant, serving as edible fruit like the pitaya specie.
19. Donkey’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) ????Repeated No 1
Most people confuse the donkey’s tail plant with burro’s tail, especially its mature variety; you won’t blame them anyways, given they are almost identical plants.
This plant features edgy succulent leaves hanging in long draping chains, often sprawling up to 3 to 3 feet long, and is indeed an incredible sight.
Also known as sedum burrito, the donkey’s tail is famous as a fussy plant, primarily because the leaves are fragile. In other words, handling the plant can cause the leaves to break off.
Grow this plant in a pot filled with cactus or succulent growing medium and keep it in an area with enough light. Water only when the top two inches of soil are dry.
20. Peperomia Hope (Peperomia tetraphylla)
If you are looking for a plant that will not only trail but also add stunning beauty to your space, Peperomia Hope is the perfect plant. It is a succulent plant with oval-shaped green leaves with light green stripes, each growing up to 8 inches wide and 12 inches long.
Peperomia Hope is an excellent plant for hanging baskets or attractive in a plant stand, where it can display its trailing foliage.
Even though it has a slow-growth rate, it is still epiphytic and requires dappled or indirect light. It likes frequent misting, requires well-draining soil, and does best in equal parts of potting mix and coconut coir bark.
Conclusion
The list keeps going, as thousands of trailing succulents are out there, but we have made your decision-making easier by highlighting the most popular ones.
All these plants are excellent for hanging baskets and easy to care for; hence you must consider the style you require and how you want them to complement well in your space.
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