Dream of cascading lush green, colourful plants down to the floors from the hanging pots, but do not know what to look for exactly? Well, we have you covered. Here’s a list of 7 gorgeous hanging houseplants suitable for planting in India, one for every type of plant parent to grow in those hanging pots or baskets.

Wandering Jew

Thanks to their spreading habit, these plants work great in hanging plants boasting their leaves dark violet to green colour in the bottom and silver colour strips with pink to purple flowers. Being hard to kill, a wandering jew is a houseplant that can be grown beautifully in a hanging basket cascading off its long beautiful trailing vines. 

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Spiderwort, wandering Jew plant, striped wandering Jew, inch plant
• Botanical Name: Tradescantia
• Type of plant: Herbaceous perennial
• Native from: Mexico, South America, Caribbean
• Mature size: 6-12 in. tall, 12-24 in. wide
• Flower colour: White, purple, pink
• Bloom time: Year-round
• Best for: The semi-attentive new plant parent

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist by watering them weekly in summer and less frequently in the fall and winter. To make sure that the plant is ready for watering, feel the soil a few inches down the pot. If it feels dry, water it. 
• Potting: Wandering jews can grow well in moist but well-drained soil. 
• Temperature: range of 65-75-°F (18-23°C), the warm and humid condition is preferable. It should not be kept in temperatures below 50°F (10°C). 
• Light: It prefers bright indirect sunlight and partial shade. Placing them on a window that boasts at least 8 hours of sun a day will be ideal, but do not expose them to direct sun.

Benefits

• The leaves of wandering jews have antioxidant, anti-bacterial, antiarrhythmic properties.
• With both beautiful colours and viny nature, this plant is arguably the best to hang.

Tips

Pinch off the tips at the ends of the plant’s branches to encourage bushy growth. One can use them to propagate new plants in just six months.

To aid in drainage, mix a small amount of sand into a commercial potting soil blend that also boasts an ample amount of organic material.

Boston Fern

With a mass of lush green foliage, sword-shaped, blue-green fronds with many tiny leaflets arching and grazing down the hanging pot, it is arguably the most refreshing visual to welcome you. Boston ferns are pretty slow growers and are planted in the fall or spring for best growth. Due to their stylish statement, these ferns have left a massive mark on modern interior decor.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Boston fern, sword fern, ladder fern, boss fern
• Botanical Name: Nephrolepis exaltata
• Type of plant: Herbaceous, perennial
• Native from: Americas, Africa, Polynesia
• Mature size: 2–3 feet tall and wide
• Flower colour: Non-flowering
• Best for: The attentive and style-conscious plant owner

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: Lightly moist but not soggy soil is preferable. If the soil dries out quickly, the fern’s foliage can also dry out, resulting in the drop of the plant. Hence regular mists and watering in small quantities but frequently is the key. During summer, water the plants every day but reduce it during fall and winters, as the plant is not actively growing. 
• Potting: A moist, well-drained, organically rich, loamy soil is preferable.
• Temperature: range of 65-75°F (18-23°C) with mild temperatures is preferable. Boston ferns cannot tolerate extreme heat as well as cold. Temperatures above 95°F (35°C) and below 35°F (1.6°C) can totally harm them. They prefer humid conditions of about 80% humidity.
• Light: Bright, indirect light is preferable. A lot of shade may result in sparse fronds with dull green colour, and too much sun can burn the fronds; hence partial indirect sunlight is ideal.

Benefits

• Proven by NASA as one of the top air-purifying houseplants, Boston fern not only absorbs formaldehyde, toluene and xylene but also increase the humidity levels of the room and thereby help improve an individual’s body and mind.

Tips

Always keep your Boston ferns moist. If they don’t receive enough humidity, the tip of their fronds will turn brown. Immediately start planning a proper misting schedule for increasing the humidity levels for abundant and lush green growth.

English Ivy  

From impacting the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome to covering the old European league campuses with their glossy dark green leaves, English Ivy has found a profound place in indoor decor. Spreading out naturally from the hanging pots cascading to the floors, English Ivy, with its invasive properties, has successfully invaded the world of indoor decor.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: English ivy
• Botanical Name: Hedera helix
• Type of plant: Vine
• Native from: Europe
• Mature size: 20–80 ft. tall, 3–50 ft. wide
• Flower colour: Yellow, cream
• Bloom time: Fall, early winter
• Best for: The inattentive new plant parent

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: English Ivy prefers moist, humid conditions but not soaking wet or soggy conditions. It can tolerate minimal drought-like conditions but will produce the most vibrant colour in evenly moist soil. Hence, don’t let the soil dry out but keep it evenly moist. 
• Potting: A loose, fertile, moist, well-drained soil is preferable. In hotter, drier climates, the ground should be heavily mulched to keep it cool and wet. 
• Temperature: range of 45-80°F (6-26°C) is acceptable but prefers cooler conditions. During hot summer days, mist the ivy frequently to increase the humidity levels.
• Light: English Ivy requires bright indirect light. The leaves will scorch in direct sunlight hence should be avoided except in winters.

Benefits

• With anti-inflammatory properties, English Ivy, when consumed in tea or by applying the leaves directly, helps relieve people suffering from arthritis, gout, or rheumatism.
• English Ivy leaves help to detoxify the body as studies show it helps release toxins from the body, thereby purifying the blood and reducing the strain on the liver and gallbladder.
• It helps to minimize pain and infection of burn wounds on the skin. It can also help relieve discomfort and irritation of psoriasis, eczema, acne, and other skin-related conditions.
• Though the research is still ongoing, English Ivy leaves display a significant antioxidant activity- the ability to prevent the spread or mutation or development of cancer.
• According to NASA, one of the top 10 air-purifying plants that help reduce moulds and improve the air quality by increasing the humidity and removing mould spores.

Tips

While watering an English Ivy, avoid drenching the leaves and making them susceptible to fungal diseases instead water at the plant base.

Bambino Bougainvillaea

Vigorous, versatile growers with a riot of colours, Bambinos Bougainvillaea are showy plants with no particular high maintenance. With cascading colourful bracts and green leaves, these plants are excellent for a hanging spot on your balcony window grill, covering it with beautiful bright awes.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Bougainvillea, lesser Bougainvillaea, paper flower
• Botanical Name: Bougainvillea
• Type of plant: Hardy Perennial shrub 
• Native from: South America
• Mature size: 2–6 ft. tall, 1–3 ft. wide
• Flower colour: Pink, purple, red, yellow
• Bloom time: spring, summer, and autumn
• Best for: colour loving, aesthetic, semi-attentive plant parent with a good sunny spot for plantation.

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: keep your plant evenly moist during spring, summer and fall (the blooming period) and nearly dry during winters. It loves to be watered deeply but drained adequately as well. Too much water retention can lead to overly green growth and no blooms.
• Potting: Not fussy of the soil type, Bougainvillae enjoy a moist loamy, organic compost with proper drainage. 
• Temperature: range of 60-70°F (15-21°C), warm and dry condition is preferable. Bougainvillaeas are heat lovers that produce their best blooms in dry climates.
• Light: They require direct sunlight at least six hours a day to produce the colour we love. Not enough sun = not enough bloom. Keep them in a sunny spot near a big south-facing window for ample sunlight.

Benefits

• While adding the splash of colour, Bougainvillae also helps cure various disorders and diseases when flowers or leaves are consumed in tea like diarrhoea, stomach acidity, cough and sore throat, blood pressure, diabetes.

Tips

Bougainvillaeas are required to be trained to attach themselves to support like wall, trellis or window grill. Without support, they would flop down and become a sprawling blob hanging from a pot. 

Do not forget ‘Overwatering = any colour (not to mention rot!).’

Rex Begonia

Tropical plants with striking variegated foliage and delicate blooms, Rex Begonia brightens up even the dreariest winter days. These plants are grown and enjoyed in many homes and offices for their spectacular leaves cascading down the hanging pots.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Rex Begonia, Indian Begonia
• Botanical Name: Begonia rex-cultorum
• Type of plant: Herbaceous perennial
• Native from: Northeastern India, southern China, and Vietnam
• Mature size: 12–18 inches tall and wide
• Flower colour: Varies; usually pink
• Bloom time: Summer
• Best for: a colour fond, stylish, attentive plant parent

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: Rex begonias require regular watering once a week, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. Humidity is crucial for them to thrive happily, but spraying will lead to spots on leaves. Reduce the watering during the dormant winter period and water them only when the pot completely dries out.
• Potting: They prefer airy, light, rich and fast-draining soil.
• Temperature: range of 65-75°F (18-23°C), is preferable. While it can tolerate dry air, high humidity will make it thrive colourfully. Note the rule “If you’re comfortable, the Rex Begonia is comfortable.”
• Light: Moderate to bright indirect light year-round perhaps an eastern facing window is preferable. As they are not aggressive bloomers, begonias will thrive even under fluorescent lights. 

Benefits

• It provides the average removal of chemical vapours with the addition of eye-catching foliage.

Tips

Cluster your begonia plants to create a self-sustaining humid climate or use a pebble tray filled with water to provide steady humidity.

Cut off the flower stalks to direct the plant’s energy to the spectacular leaves.

Hindu Rope Plant

With lush, waxy foliage and striking tiny star-shaped cluster blooms, Hindu Rope Plant with trailing vines looks incredible when left hanging over elevated shelf ledges or in hanging pots. These plants are easy to care for, slow-growing, long-lived making them excellent for novice planters.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Hoya, wax plant, waxflower, Indian rope plant, porcelain flower, honey plant
• Botanical Name: Hoya carnosa
• Type of plant: Semi-succulent, Perennial
• Native from: Asia, Australia
• Mature size: Up to 15 in. long
• Flower colour: Usually light Pink
• Bloom time: Spring, Summer
• Best for: novice plant parent

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: During spring and summer (the active growth periods), the plant requires an adequate water supply, but this should be done once the top few inches of the soil are thoroughly dried out. Hindu rope plant loves deep watering but cannot stand waterlogged conditions resulting in root rot. Although drought resistant, the plant will decrease the numbers or not bloom at all if underwatered.
• Potting: It prefers light, airy, fast-draining soil. 
• Temperature: anything above 50°F (10°C), a consistent warm condition is preferable. High humidity levels will result in a waxy, glossy appearance of the plant’s foliage.
• Light: A bright but indirect sunlight with partial shade is preferable. Avoid positioning your Hindu rope plant in a window that receives extended exposure to direct afternoon sun.  

Benefits

• Strong aromatic flowers are used in various beauty products like powders, perfumes, lotions, etc.
• Hindu Rope Plants are excellent air purifiers.

Tips

Be patient with a new plant, as it may take up to a few years before it starts producing blooms.

Philodendron

Touted for their air cleaning abilities, a genus containing hundreds of species with beautiful, large glossy, green foliage, philodendrons are excellent for adding a touch of tropical jungles to your home.

The Basic Information

• Common Name: Philodendron
• Botanical Name: Philodendron
• Type of plant: Perennial
• Native from: Central America, South America
• Mature size: 1–20 ft. tall, 1–6 ft. wide (varies by species)
• Flower colour: None
• Best for: Attentive plant parent

Preferable Conditions

• Watering: With philodendrons, both overwatering and under watering can cause plant droops, so gauge when it’s time to water according to the dryness of the soil and not just leaves. They require moderate soil moisture conditions; hence water them once or twice a week when the soil feels dry enough to touch.
• Potting: A loose, well-drained, loamy, rich soil is preferable. 
• Temperature: anything above 55°F (13°C) is preferable. 
• Light: A bright indirect light is preferable as it has leggy growth with too little light and turns yellow with too much sunlight.

Benefits

• They improve the air quality by purifying it and inducing a calming effect.
• When you keep your philodendron properly misted (once every week), it will add humidity to the air, warding off ailments like dry skin conditions and respiratory problems aggravated by dryness.
• Large, waxy leaves of philodendrons are excellent dust trappers. They trap the debris that would otherwise fall on surfaces and remain airborne.

Tips

Keep rotating your philodendron regularly to maintain an even shape, and consider repotting them carefully every few years to prevent them from bursting out of a small pot.

Hope you will find our first blog informative. I have written this blog under Indian cities context and the plants which are easily available at your neighborhood local plant nursery. Do comment with your choice of indoor plant at home or the one you are already taking care at your home or apartment.

Happy reading! Do subscribe to our blog for new blog updates related to DIY living and culture.