A hanging plant gets the light at its height, not the light on the windowsill. Before buying, stand where the basket will hang and check how bright it is there. Then pick a trailing plant rated for that light, and plan how you will water it.
Light levels in lux
University of Illinois Extension sorts houseplants into light categories and gives a reference level for each. One foot-candle is about 10.8 lux, so a light-meter app reading can be compared directly.
| Category | Illinois reference | Where it occurs (Northern Hemisphere) |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 75 foot-candles (about 810 lux) | A few feet from a north window; 1–3 m (3–10 ft) from an east or west window |
| Medium | 150 foot-candles (about 1,600 lux) | In front of a north window; a few feet from an east or west window |
| High or bright | 300 foot-candles (about 3,200 lux) | In front of an east or west window; up to 1.5 m (5 ft) from a south window |
Illinois gives these as minimums. University of Missouri Extension notes growth is often best at the higher end of a plant’s range.
Trailing plants by light level
Light ratings are from the Illinois Extension chart where the plant is listed, and from the named source otherwise. Pet status is from the ASPCA unless noted.
| Plant | Light | Water | Trailing length | Cats and dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) | Low, about 810 lux (Illinois) | Keep slightly moist; less in winter (NC State) | Stems to 1.8 m (6 ft) (NC State) | Toxic |
| Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) | Medium, about 1,600 lux (Illinois); low to medium (Missouri) | Let the mix dry between waterings | Vines can be very long; prune to keep bushy (NC State) | Toxic |
| Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) | Low (Illinois); bright, indirect preferred (NC State) | Never let it dry out; less in winter | Fronds to about 0.9 m (3 ft) (Clemson) | Non-toxic |
| Satin pothos (Scindapsus pictus) | Bright, indirect; no direct sun (NC State) | Moist, well-drained | 0.5–0.9 m (1.5–3 ft) indoors | Toxic |
| Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) | Medium, about 1,600 lux (Illinois); avoid midday sun (Clemson) | Let it dry briefly between waterings | 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) in a basket (Clemson) | Non-toxic |
| Inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina) | Medium, about 1,600 lux (Illinois) | Let the soil dry between waterings | Spreads 30–61 cm (1–2 ft) (NC State) | Toxic (ASPCA, T. fluminensis); NC State flags T. zebrina |
| String of turtles (Peperomia prostrata) | Bright, indirect; tolerates low (NC State) | Evenly moist; easily overwatered | Stems to about 30 cm (12 in) | Non-toxic (trailing peperomia) |
| Wax plant (Hoya carnosa) | High or bright, about 3,200 lux (Illinois) | Let the mix dry almost completely (Iowa State) | Climbs or trails | Non-toxic |
| String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) | West or south window (Wisconsin) | Only when the mix is dry | Hangs about 0.9 m (3 ft) (NC State) | Not listed by ASPCA |
| String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) | Bright light (Wisconsin); bright, indirect (NC State) | Let it dry out between waterings | Stems to 0.9 m (3 ft) | NC State: problem for cats and dogs |
| Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum) | Bright light to full sun (Wisconsin) | Nearly dry between waterings; little in winter | Stems to 1.2 m (4 ft) (Wisconsin) | Non-toxic |
Low to medium light
Heartleaf philodendron is the most shade-tolerant choice here. NC State says it survives long periods in extremely low light but prefers medium light. See our philodendron care guide and the philodendron hub.
Pothos prefers bright, indirect light and survives long periods in low light, according to NC State. Leaves yellow and fall over time, leaving foliage at the stem ends; pruning keeps it full. See our pothos guide and pothos hub.
Boston fern sits in the Illinois low-light group, but Missouri says ferns tolerate low light and prefer medium light. Clemson notes direct sun damages fern foliage and indoor air is often too dry for them. Our Boston fern care guide and bathroom setup guide cover humidity.
Satin pothos is slow-growing, per NC State, and does not tolerate cool air or direct sun. Keep it at 18–29 °C (65–85 °F). See the satin pothos hub.
Medium light
Spider plant is a classic basket plant. Clemson says it tolerates some direct sun, but midday light may scorch leaves. NC State notes that heavy feeding reduces plantlets. See our spider plant care guide.
Inch plant keeps its strongest colour in good light. NC State notes stems lose lower leaves and colour in low light. Its watery sap can irritate skin. See the tradescantia hub.
String of turtles is a small trailing peperomia. Clemson HGIC says it is sensitive to overwatering and that direct sun may scorch peperomia leaves. See our peperomia varieties guide.
Bright light
Hoya. Iowa State says hoyas want one of the brightest windows, especially for flowers, but direct sun can scorch or redden leaves. Do not cut off spent flower spurs; new flowers form on them. Keep hoyas above 13 °C (55 °F), away from cold winter glass. See our hoya care guide.
String of hearts. Wisconsin Extension says leaves stay dark and marbled in strong light and turn light green when light is short. It is easily killed by overwatering. See our soak-and-dry guide.
String of pearls. Wisconsin recommends a shallow clay pot, gritty mix and watering when the pearls start to look slightly shrivelled. Root rot from overwatering is the most common cause of loss. See the string of pearls hub.
Burro’s tail. Stems are heavy and brittle and leaves break off easily, so hang it out of the way. In low light the stems stretch; in very intense light the leaves bleach yellowish.
Watering hanging pots
Hanging plants are easy to forget because the mix is out of sight.
- Check before watering. Illinois Extension recommends testing the mix with a finger to about 5 cm (2 in) deep. Water when dry, not by the calendar.
- Water until it drains. Iowa State advises watering baskets until water runs out the bottom so all roots are reached. Then empty any saucer, as Illinois advises.
- Take it down if you can. Watering over a sink avoids drips on floors and furniture and lets you see the drainage.
- Rescue a dried-out basket by soaking. Iowa State notes that very dry mix shrinks from the pot sides and water runs straight through. Set the pot in a tub of water to soak up from below, then lift it out. Do not leave it standing in water.
- Match the pot to the plant. Plastic dries more slowly than porous materials (Iowa State). Wisconsin recommends shallow clay pots for string of pearls so the mix dries quickly.
- Leave room to water. Iowa State suggests filling mix to 1.3–2.5 cm (½–1 in) below the rim to make a watering lip.
How to choose
- Measure the light at basket height. Choose from the matching group above.
- Check the hook. Iowa State notes larger, deeper containers dry more slowly but are heavier when wet.
- Check pets. Trailing stems can hang within reach. Spider plant, Boston fern, hoya, burro’s tail and string of turtles are listed as non-toxic.
- Avoid drafts. Clemson suggests keeping spider plants a few feet from windows in winter to avoid drafts.
For more light detail see our houseplant light requirements chart, and for dim rooms our low-light plant guide. Our pet-safe plants guide covers more non-toxic options.
References
- University of Illinois Extension: Houseplants: Lighting; Houseplants: Watering
- University of Missouri Extension, D. H. Trinklein (rev. 2016): Lighting Indoor Houseplants, G6515
- Iowa State University Extension: Creating and Growing Hanging Baskets; All About Hoyas
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension: String of Pearls; Burro’s Tail; String of Hearts
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Spider Plant, HGIC 1513; Indoor Ferns; Peperomia, HGIC 1567
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Epipremnum aureum, Philodendron hederaceum, Chlorophytum comosum, Ceropegia woodii, Curio rowleyanus, Hoya carnosa, Tradescantia zebrina, Nephrolepis exaltata, Scindapsus pictus, Peperomia prostrata, Sedum morganianum
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Toxic and non-toxic plant list