12 Stunning Trailing Plants for Shelves and Hanging Pots

Trailing plants do something no upright plant can — they soften hard lines, fill vertical space, and make a room feel genuinely alive. Here are the 12 best trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging baskets, and elevated spots, from the completely foolproof to the gloriously dramatic.

1. Pothos — The Non-Negotiable Trailing Plant

No trailing plant list is complete without pothos. It trails to 2–3 metres, looks equally good in a hanging pot or draped from a shelf, comes in a dozen colour varieties, and thrives in almost any light. It’s the anchor of any trailing display — then you build around it.

2. Tradescantia — The Most Colourful Trailer

Tradescantia zebrina has some of the most dramatic foliage of any trailing houseplant — deep purple and silver iridescent stripes on leaves that cascade rapidly. It’s fast-growing, easy to propagate (a cutting in water roots in a week), and pet-safe. It needs reasonably bright light to maintain full colour intensity.

3. String of Pearls — The Statement Succulent

String of pearls is the most visually distinctive trailing plant available — tiny spherical leaves on long delicate stems create a waterfall effect that looks genuinely unusual and beautiful. It needs good bright light and careful watering (rots quickly in soggy soil), but for a well-lit hanging spot it’s unmatched aesthetically.

4. Heartleaf Philodendron

Often confused with pothos — similar trailing habit, similar heart-shaped leaves — but the heartleaf philodendron grows faster, has velvety matte leaves (vs pothos’s waxy shine), and tolerates lower light. It’s the better choice if you want a large, dramatic trailing display quickly.

5. Boston Fern — Best for Bathrooms

A large Boston fern in a hanging basket is genuinely spectacular — the long feathery fronds cascade outward and downward in a fountain shape that no other plant quite replicates. It’s demanding of humidity (bathrooms are ideal) and consistent moisture, but for a bathroom or kitchen with good light it’s arguably the most beautiful trailing option on this list.

6. Spider Plant — Best Pet-Safe Trailer

Spider plants in hanging baskets produce cascading baby spiderettes on long arching stems — the babies root easily in a glass of water, giving you an endless supply of free plants. One of the best pet-safe trailing options and works across a wide range of light levels.

7. Hoya — The Flowering Trailer

Hoyas trail or climb depending on variety, and produce clusters of waxy star-shaped flowers with a sweet scent when given enough light. The krimson queen and krimson princess varieties have stunning pink and white variegation. Slow-growing but extremely long-lived and forgiving of occasional neglect.

8. String of Hearts

String of hearts produces delicate trailing stems with tiny heart-shaped leaves in grey-green and purple. It cascades naturally in elegant long strands, is tolerant of some drought, and is completely pet-safe. One of the most charming trailing plants available for a bright windowsill or shelf.

9. Trailing Peperomia

Peperomia prostrata — turtle peperomia — is one of the most unusual and collectible trailing plants. Its tiny coin-sized leaves have a distinctive turtle-shell pattern and cascade on thin wiry stems. Compact, pet-safe, and extremely easy to care for. Perfect for a small shelf display.

10. English Ivy

English ivy is the classic cottage trailing plant that works just as well indoors as outdoors. Fast-growing, available in green and variegated forms, and cascades beautifully from a high shelf or bookcase. It prefers cooler temperatures than tropical plants — a hallway or cool room suits it perfectly.

11. String of Bananas

String of bananas is the easier, faster-growing alternative to string of pearls. The banana-shaped leaves are more robust, less prone to dropping, and the plant grows noticeably faster. Same bright light requirement, same dramatic cascading display — just more forgiving of the occasional missed watering.

12. Rhipsalis — The Shade-Tolerant Cactus

Rhipsalis is a jungle cactus — so unlike its desert relatives, it thrives in indirect light and appreciates more regular watering. The long thin green stems cascade dramatically from a hanging pot, creating an unusual, almost coral-like display. Pet-safe, very easy to care for, and genuinely thrives in rooms where other trailing plants struggle.

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