15 Trailing Succulents for Planting in Hanging Baskets

Sharing is caring!

Nowadays, planting trailing succulents in hanging baskets is becoming the norm. This is quite expected as the low maintenance nature of these plants makes them highly desirable houseplants. Not forgetting the beautiful dimensions, they add to spaces inside your home, which is simply amazing.

Additionally, taking care of succulents is economical and easy which is an added advantage to beginners and those discovering their love for hanging baskets.

Whether you are a beginner or you just want to make use of small spaces with some succulents in hanging baskets, this is meant for you.

Sounds interesting right?

Then, let’s begin.


Best Cascading/Trailing Succulents for Planting in Hanging Baskets

1. String of Bananas (Senecio radicans)

The string of bananas also known as Curio radicans is a drought hardy trailing succulent with white flowers and light green leaves that resemble bananas hanging from a stem. This all-year-round plant is ideal for hanging baskets, windowsill, and even bookshelves where its beautiful stems easily flow over.

The easy-to-grow houseplant loves direct sunlight and a quick-draining potting mix. Additionally, water your string of bananas thoroughly and let the water dry before the next watering.

While fertilizing string of bananas isn’t necessary, it is important to do so during the growing season for enhanced growth and blooming.

Pro Tip: Use fertilizer blends specially formulated for cacti and succulents.


2. Trailing Jade (Kleinia petraea)

Trailing jade is also known as Jade necklace, creeping buttons, round leaf peperomia, or Peperomia Rotundifolia. It is an epiphytic herbaceous perennial houseplant with fleshy, orbicular leaves and a creeping growth habit.

This succulent loves a good draining growing medium, bright but indirect light, and a diluted fertilizer feed every 2 weeks during its growing season and once a month during summer.

Also, keep your jade in shape by pinching out the overgrown stems.

Should you need the best trailing plants for planting in hanging baskets? Go for the trailing jade!


3. String of Buttons (Crassula perforata)

The string of buttons is also known as the necklace vine plant, stacked Crassula, or the pagoda plant. It is a drought-tolerant, fast-growing trailing succulent with thick triangular-shaped leaves. The leaves are light-toned grey-green or blue-green color with pink or reddish edges.  The pink color on the edges may sharpen with exposure to more sunlight.

The blooms of a string of buttons are small and star-shaped flowers that appear in spring. These flowers are typically only a quarter of an inch in size

The cultural requirements for the string of buttons plant are; well-drained potting mix, proper watering, exposure to enough sunlight, repotting, and pruning.


4. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)

Trailing succulents - Burros Tail - Sedum morganianum

Also known as donkey’s tail, burro’s tail is a long-lived tender perennial trailing sub-shrub that is generally grown as a houseplant by many gardeners.

With bright to full sun and a good draining growing medium like the cactus mix, burro’s tail grows quickly and fills the hanging baskets with stems that hang vertically down to bring out a beautiful dreadlock look.

For a good-looking plant, you need to fertilize lightly once or twice during the growing season, repot in spring only when it’s root bound, and water your plant whenever necessary.


5. Wax Plant (Hoya pachyclada)

Wax plants are slow-growing trailing succulents with short stems and thick-fleshy green leaves. These plants are spring and summer bloomers that produce sweet-scented white and glossy flowers.

If you want an easy-to-manage trailing succulent for planting in hanging baskets, then go for the wax plant. Apart from well-draining soil, warm and humid conditions, and a monthly light feed of diluted fish emulsion, these plants don’t ask for more.

Read on 31 Low Light Houseplants That You Shouldn’t Miss Out


6. Monkey’s Tail (Hildewintera Colademononis)

Monkey’s Tail is also known as Soft Monkey Tail Cactus. It is a plant whose stems look like a monkey’s tail. These stems are greenish-yellow and on them are soft hair-like white spines that protrude downwards over the entire stem.

Due to their drooping stems, monkey’s tails are preferably one of the best trailing succulents for planting in hanging baskets. Its bright, red flowers are extremely decorative but they bloom and fruit in just a few days.

Requirements for a good growing monkey’s tail include; both direct sunlight and shade, light, well-aerated, and quick-draining soil, once a year application of low nitrogen fertilizer, and proper watering.


7. String of Hearts (Ceropegia linearis)

String of Hearts is an evergreen ornamental houseplant with stringy, purplish stems and opposite heart-shaped leaves. The string of hearts plant is a summer and fall bloomer but its flowers may appear infrequently at odd times throughout the year. These flowers are in shades of white to pale magenta and have a bulbous base and a tubular corolla.

The string of Hearts requires excellent drainage and should be watered only when dry. It also needs infrequent fertilizing with half-strength houseplant fertilizer during its growing season. This house plant performs best when overcrowded hence do not repot unless it’s necessary.


8. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

String of pearls is an evergreen trailing perennial succulent plant with nearly spherical pea-sized alternate leaves.

This easy maintenance succulent is a summer bloomer and produces small daisy-like flowers. These flowers are not showy, but they have a sweet and spicy cinnamon-like fragrance.

It prefers well-draining soil and exposure to bright light. Its stems can trail to approximately 3 feet long which makes it a beautiful trailing succulent for hanging baskets or as a trailing plant for pots.

Caution: String of Pearls is mildly toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets.


9. Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis)

Also commonly known as Little Pickles, Ruby Necklace is an attractive trailing succulent from the daisy family. This plant bears yellow flowers that blend well with the purple backdrop. The leaves of a ruby necklace are long, narrow, and bean-like.

Ruby Necklace is an easy-to-care succulent that requires full sun to part shade, a well-draining soil, and a slow-release fertilizer for good performance.

Caution: Ruby Necklace is toxic to cats and dogs.


10. Lantern Flower (Ceropegia haygarthii)

Lantern flower is also commonly known as parasol flower, bushman’s pipe, parachute flower, snake vine, heart rope, wine vine, rosary vine, or necklace vine.

It is an easy-to-grow evergreen braiding succulent with small oval leaves, dragging or climbing stems, and cream/reddish-brown flowers. Lanterns prefer good draining soil, proper watering and, full to partial sun.


11. String of Beads (Senecio herreianus)

String of beads is quirky succulent with trailing stems of oval, bead-like leaves. Its flowers appear on tall, slender stems. Just like the string of pearls, the string of beads needs room to trail. The plant prefers bright but indirect light with some morning or late afternoon sun.

Also, it is an easy-maintenance plant that needs water only when the surface starts to dry. Moreover, it requires a weak solution of balanced fertilizer once a month during summer and a simple trim to achieve the desired length.


12. Rat Tail Cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis)

Rat tail cactus is a showy cactus plant with funnel-shaped to tubular, bright red to purple flowers. This spring to early summer bloomer produces quite a few flowers in late spring.

The rat tail cactus prefers bright direct sunlight/ full sun and rich, good-draining soil. It also requires regular watering during the growing season and reduced watering in fall.

In addition to this, feed your plant with a soluble fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer. Finally, repot your plant once every year to replenish it.


13. Calico Kitten (Crassula pellucida)

Calico Kitten is a pretty succulent with heart-shaped rosy pink, creamy white, and green leaves. Its dainty white flowers bloom in spring and sometimes throughout the season. The easy-to-grow succulent requires dappled or filtered light and a fast-draining soil or a  potting mix formulated for cacti and succulents.

Ensure to keep the soil moist for the young Calico plants and carry out occasional watering for the established ones.

When it comes to feeding, outdoor calico kitten plants rarely need fertilizer and a little compost will be just enough but, your indoor-grown ones require a water-soluble fertilizer 3 to 4 times a year when they are actively growing.


14. String of Nickels (Dischidia nummularia)

The string of nickels is also commonly known as the button orchid. It is a slender creeping epiphyte with succulent round, dull greenish-yellow leaves.

The flowers of this succulent are yellowish-white and usually appear in spring. On the other hand, its fruits are follicles that split open at one side when mature. This plant prefers a loose, well-draining medium specifically designed for epiphytic plants (composed of shredded bark or coconut husk)

Also, keep your plants in medium to bright light and water only when the surface starts to dry.

Pro Tip: String of nickles love high humidity levels therefore, mist your plant daily and/or place the plant on a pebble tray with water.


15. October Daphne (Sedum sieboldii)

To most gardeners, October Daphne has the most beautiful foliage of all sedums. It is a colorful trailing succulent with pink-tipped light green leaves.

It is a winter-hardy trailing succulent that forms a rounded mound, with horizontal branches spreading out from the center. October Daphne requires full sun to partial shade and its water needs are similar to that of any other succulent.

Its bright pink, star-shaped flowers bloom in fall and occur in clusters at the edge of the stem.


Bonus: String of Tears (Senecio Herreianus)

The string of Tears has a structure almost the same as the String of Pearls. The only difference is that the former is more compact and has spherical, tear-like foliage. It also has a vertical, semi-translucent line running to its tip that assists in photosynthesis.

This plant is a slow-growing succulent with tendrils that can reach about ninety cm. It a summer bloomer with small cinnamon-scented white flowers.

It does best in partial shade or indirect bright light and a sharply draining soil or a cactus mix.


Conclusion

There you go!

You have just read about different trailing succulents that you can grow in hanging baskets. You have also seen the benefits of having those plants in your home.

For example, maintaining succulents is easier compared to other plants. Also controlling pests and diseases is easier since succulents are less prone to such attacks.

Do you have any suggestions on trailing succulents for planting in hanging baskets?

Let’s know in the comments.