What if there is no heart?

String of Hearts

What if there is no heart?

            String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a perfectly named plant.  Since it’s one of the many Strings of Things, it is in high demand.

            In our search for more stock plants to propagate from, we discovered a different clone called Ceropegia linearis woodii.  In researching it, I found that the leaves are not shaped like a Valentine heart, but more like a teardrop.  Otherwise, the same green and silver leaf on a string.

            Now, what to do?  How can we sell this as String of Hearts?

            So, you know about lemons and lemonade?

            I want to call it ‘Heartless’ String of Hearts.  Everyone that I’ve told, laughs and agrees that’s it.

            ‘Heartless’ String of Hearts.

What's the cultivar name going to be?

String of Hearts - Pink

            The trend for Strings of Things has been hard to detect.  For commercial houseplant growers who are paying attention and believe that there is demand here, the problem is limited plant material --- major propagators don’t have much available.

            String of Peas has a chance.  There are cuttings available from succulent propagators.  For others like String of Bananas, String of Beads or the elusive String of Dolphins, you are on your own to maintain your own stock plants.

            String of Hearts, the green version, is sought after but difficult to grow enough.

            With all these difficulties, why worry about the pink version of String of Hearts?

            It is a sturdy plant but grows exceeding slow due to pink variegation.  It’s going to be worth the effort, so we need a good name.

            Having found no established cultivar name, I declare that it should be ‘Pretty Pink’.

            Pretty has the double meaning of “mostly”, “pretty-much” and Pretty as in “beautiful”, “good-looking”.

            I propose Ceropegia woodii ‘Pretty Pink’.

Ceropegia woodii 'Pretty Pink'

String of Hearts

String of Hearts - Ceropegia woodii

String of Hearts

            There is no doubt that String of Hearts should be called String of Hearts.  Every leaf is perfectly shaped like a Valentine heart, attached to a thread-like stem.

            Once rooted, they can trail over the pot by feet.

            Perfect for the interior waterfall look, they are grown in small hanging baskets.

            Start with a full pot and let them grow and flow.

            Look for the green version and get started.  Then you can dream about the pink one.

Strings of Things

String of Peas - Senecio rowleyanus

Strings of Things

            If you want to know what is trending with interior plants, look at Pinterest.  I’ve been doing this despite my aversion to these types of time sinkholes.

            There are pictures of living spaces decorated with oddly shaped trailing houseplants.  It is greenery to give a waterfall look.

            As soon as one catches fire, there is a world-wide shortage of these rarely grown trailers. Although, String of Peas (Senecio rowleyanus) has always been here and is available in the international succulent supply-train.

            Now I see that the urge to collect plants is back, there are many Strings of Things.  If I’m right about demand, production of these trailers is going to be difficult.  First, there is no stock supply.  They grow slowly, and it takes many pieces to fill out a small pot.

            Luckily, many are succulents which make them survive with owners’ erratic watering and low humidity.

            I have String of Bananas, String of Beads, String of Dolphins, String of Hearts, etc.  There are easily a dozen species that could qualify and if we throw in Rhipsalis, a series of 25 is possible ---- the Strings of Things Collection!