20 Best Indoor Hanging Plants for Any Room & Skill Level

There is no faster way to add lush, living character to a room than by drawing the eye upward. Hanging plants transform a flat, boring space into a dynamic vertical garden, saving precious floor space while purifying the air.

But let's be honest: choosing the right one feels like a gamble. Will it survive your shady corner? Is it toxic to your cat? And how do you even hang it without ripping a hole in the ceiling?

Forget the guesswork. This is not just another list. This is your definitive guide to selecting, styling, and safely displaying the 20 best indoor hanging plants. We've categorized them by your exact needs-from "unkillable" beginner options to pet-safe beauties-and included a complete step-by-step tutorial on how to hang them like a pro. Your vertical garden starts here.

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Why Go Vertical? The Space-Saving Magic of Hanging Plants

Before we get to the plants, let's cover the "why." Adding hanging plants is a high-impact design move that solves multiple problems. They:

• Save Floor Space: In small apartments or cluttered rooms, every square foot counts. Going vertical frees up your floors and tabletops.
• Create Visual Interest: Hanging planters add dimension, texture, and a sense of height, making a room feel larger and more complete.
• Improve Air Quality: Many houseplants are famous for filtering airborne toxins. While you'd need a jungle to fully purify a room, every plant helps.
• Utilize "Dead" Space: That empty corner by the window or the blank wall above your sofa? They are perfect opportunities for a hanging plant.

How to Choose Your Perfect Hanging Plant

Your success depends on matching the plant to the place. Before you buy, assess your environment:

1. Light: This is the most critical factor. Stand in your room and look. Is there a window? Does the sun ever hit that spot directly?
   • Bright, Indirect Light: The "holy grail" for most plants. This is a bright room, but the sun's rays don't fall directly on the leaves. Think a few feet back from an east- or west-facing window.
   • Low Light: A room with a north-facing window, or a spot more than 6-8 feet from a window. Few plants thrive here, but some will tolerate it.
   • Direct Light: A sunny, south-facing window where the plant will get 4+ hours of direct sun. Only for succulents and cacti.
2. Care Level: Be honest with yourself. Are you a "forgetter" or an "over-lover"? Choose a plant that matches your personality. We've labeled the easiest ones below.
3. Safety: If you have pets or small children, this is non-negotiable. Many common houseplants are toxic. We've clearly marked the status of each plant based on the ASPCA Poisonous Plant List.

5 Best Hanging Plants for Beginners (The "Hard-to-Kill" Crew)

These plants are famously resilient, tolerate a bit of neglect, and bounce back quickly. If you're new to plant parenting, start here.

1. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Why We Love It: The quintessential hanging plant. It's fast-growing, incredibly forgiving, and its variegated heart-shaped leaves will trail 10 feet or more. It's also one of the easiest to propagate.

• Light: Tolerates low light but thrives in bright, indirect light. More light = more variegation (yellow splashes).
• Water: Let the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out completely. Its leaves will visibly droop when it's thirsty.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

Budget-Saver Tip: You never need to buy another Pothos. To propagate, simply cut a vine, ensuring you have at least 2-3 nodes (the little brown bumps on the stem). Place the cutting in a jar of water, and it will root in a few weeks.

2. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

Why We Love It: Often confused with Pothos, this plant has softer, darker green, and more distinctly heart-shaped leaves. It's just as easy to care for and has a graceful, vining habit.

• Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but adapts well to lower light conditions.
• Water: Water when the top inch of soil is dry. It's more forgiving of over-watering than Pothos.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

3. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Why We Love It: A retro classic for a reason. This plant is tough, non-toxic, and a prolific producer. It sends out "spiderettes," or baby plants, on long runners that create a beautiful, fountain-like effect.

• Light: Bright, indirect light is best. Too much direct sun will scorch its leaves.
• Water: Keep the soil lightly moist during the growing season (spring/summer). It's sensitive to fluoride in tap water, so brown tips are common.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic and safe for all pets.

4. Wandering Dude (Tradescantia zebrina)

Why We Love It: Unbeatable color. The striped purple, silver, and green leaves bring instant "wow" factor. It's a vigorous, fast-growing plant that will cascade over its pot in no time.

• Light: Needs bright, indirect light to maintain its vibrant coloring. If it gets leggy (long, bare stems), it needs more light.
• Water: Prefers to stay consistently moist, but not soggy.
• Pet Safe: No. Can cause skin irritation and digestive upset in pets.

5. Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum)

Why We Love It: A versatile and fast-growing plant that starts bushy and begins to vine as it matures. The arrow-shaped leaves come in shades of green, pink, and white.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Let the top half of the soil dry out before watering.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

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4. Best Low-Light Hanging Plants (For Shady Corners)

While no plant can survive in a closet, these will tolerate and even do well in rooms with north-facing windows or spots far from a light source.

6. Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)

Why We Love It: Technically not a Pothos, its dark green, matte leaves are splattered with shimmery silver. It's a slower grower, but its texture and tolerance for low light make it a star.

• Light: Thrives in low to medium indirect light. Direct sun will burn its leaves.
• Water: Let it dry out almost completely. The leaves will curl inward when it's thirsty.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

7. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

Why We Love It: The classic, elegant vine. It's known for its ability to tolerate shadier, cooler spots where other houseplants might fail. It provides a timeless, traditional look.

• Light: Medium to low indirect light.
• Water: Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Ivy is prone to spider mites, so high humidity helps.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

8. Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis spp.)

Why We Love It: A jungle cactus, not a desert one! This plant has no spines and features long, skinny, noodle-like stems that create a unique, modern silhouette. It's a perfect "statement" plant.

• Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but can handle low light quite well.
• Water: As a cactus, it's sensitive to over-watering. Water when the soil is mostly dry.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Generally considered non-toxic.

9. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

Why We Love It: Famous for its stunning, patterned leaves that fold up at night, like hands in prayer. As it grows, it will begin to trail beautifully over the side of its pot.

• Light: Medium to low indirect light. Never place in direct sun.
• Water: Needs consistent moisture and high humidity. Use filtered water if possible.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic and pet-friendly.

5 Best Pet-Safe Hanging Plants (Peace of Mind)

These plants are confirmed as non-toxic by the ASPCA. Hang them without worry, though it's still best to keep them out of reach of curious nibblers.

SAFETY FIRST: Always Verify Toxicity Plant names can be confusing. Before purchasing, always double-check the scientific name of the plant against the ASPCA's Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List. When in doubt, don't buy it.

10. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Why We Love It: The classic fern. Its feathery, arching fronds are perfect for a hanging basket. It loves humidity, making it an ideal choice for a bright bathroom.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Keep the soil consistently damp. Needs high humidity, so mist it daily or place it on a pebble tray.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

11. String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)

Why We Love It: A delicate, whimsical plant. Its tiny, round leaves feature a pattern that looks just like a turtle's shell, carried on thin, trailing stems.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Let the top inch or two of soil dry out. The delicate leaves store water, so it's sensitive to over-watering.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

12. Hoya Carnosa (Wax Plant)

Why We Love It: A large family of plants with waxy, succulent-like leaves. Hoyas are slow-growing but incredibly long-lived. They produce stunning, ball-shaped clusters of fragrant flowers.

• Light: Loves bright, indirect light. More light encourages flowering.
• Water: Let it dry out significantly between waterings.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

13. Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)

Why We Love It: A striking succulent with thick, fleshy "tails" of overlapping, bead-like leaves. It creates an incredible visual effect in a sunny window.

• Light: Needs direct sun or very bright, all-day light to thrive.
• Water: Water very infrequently. Let the soil dry out completely. The leaves are very fragile and fall off easily.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

14. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)

Why We Love It: This isn't just a holiday plant. Its long, segmented stems will cascade over a pot, and it reliably blooms with gorgeous pink or red flowers when the days get shorter.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Water when the top inch is dry. It needs more water than a desert cactus.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

6 "Wow-Factor" Hanging Plants (Flowering & Fast-Growing)

Ready to move beyond the basics? These plants offer unique shapes, fast growth, or spectacular flowers that make them living works of art.

15. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

Why We Love It: The ultimate "spiller" plant. Its long, thread-like stems are adorned with perfect, pea-shaped leaves. It's a showstopper, but it's notoriously tricky to care for.

• Light: Bright, indirect light with some direct sun. The top of the pot must get light.
• Water: Water very sparingly. The "pearls" will shrivel slightly when it's thirsty. Prone to root rot.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to cats and dogs.

16. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Why We Love It: A delicate, romantic vine with tiny, heart-shaped, silver-patterned leaves on wire-thin purple stems. It grows incredibly fast, creating a curtain of hearts.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: It grows from tubers, so let it dry out completely between waterings.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

17. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans)

Why We Love It: This plant gets its name from its flowers, which emerge from a dark tube, looking just like a tube of lipstick. It has waxy green leaves and blooms with bright red, tubular flowers.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Keep soil lightly moist. Loves high humidity.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

18. Goldfish Plant (Columnea gloriosa)

Why We Love It: Similar to the Lipstick Plant, this trailer produces dozens of orange or red flowers that look exactly like leaping goldfish. A fun, whimsical plant that loves humidity.

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: Prefers consistent moisture and very high humidity.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Non-toxic to pets.

19. Chenille Plant (Acalypha hispida)

Why We Love It: Grown for its bizarre and beautiful flowers, this plant produces long, fuzzy, bright red "cattails" that can be over a foot long. It's a guaranteed conversation starter.

• Light: Needs bright light, even some direct sun, to bloom well.
• Water: Needs consistent, heavy watering. Do not let it dry out.
• Pet Safe: No. Toxic to pets.

20. Million Hearts (Dischidia ruscifolia)

Why We Love It: A dense, bushy plant with stiff, branching stems covered in tiny, heart-shaped leaves. It creates a full, lush look and is actually an epiphyte (like an orchid).

• Light: Bright, indirect light.
• Water: As an epiphyte, it needs to dry out quickly. Water well, then let the soil dry.
• Pet Safe: Yes. Considered non-toxic.

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The Guildmaster's Guide: How to Hang Your Plants Safely

You've chosen your plant. Now for the most important part. A plant in a damp pot is heavy. You cannot just put a nail in the ceiling. Follow these steps to do it right.

Step 1: Choose Your Planter (Drainage & Weight are Key)

Your hanging planter must have a drainage hole. Root rot will kill a plant faster than anything. This creates a new problem: dripping. You have two solutions:

1. The Drip Tray: Use a hanging planter with a built-in, attached saucer. This is the simplest option.
2. The "Cachepot" Method: Keep your plant in its lightweight plastic nursery pot (with drainage holes). Place this plastic pot inside a slightly larger, decorative hanging pot without holes (a "cachepot"). To water, you simply lift the inner nursery pot out, take it to the sink, water it, let it drain completely, and then place it back.

Always opt for lightweight planter materials like plastic, resin, or thin ceramic. A heavy terracotta or concrete pot + wet soil + plant is a recipe for a ceiling failure.

Step 2: LOCATION (Light & Studs)

First, find a location that has the proper light for your chosen plant. Hold the plant up in that spot. Does it look good? Great.

Next, you must determine what's inside your ceiling. You must anchor the hook to a ceiling joist (the wooden beams that frame your house). Hanging a 10-15 pound plant from plain drywall will eventually cause it to rip out.

Use an electronic stud finder to locate the joist. Slide it across the ceiling until it beeps, and mark the center of the joist with a pencil.

Step 3: Hardware 101: Studs vs. Drywall Anchors

You have two main scenarios:

Scenario A (Best): You are drilling into a ceiling joist.

1. Purchase a swag hook or a J-hook. Ensure its weight rating is well above your plant's (at least 25-30 lbs for peace of mind).
2. Drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the hook's screw.
3. Firmly screw the hook by hand all the way into the pilot hole until it is snug against the ceiling. The threads are now biting into solid wood.

Scenario B (If you MUST): You cannot hit a joist.

If your perfect spot is on hollow drywall, you must use a heavy-duty drywall anchor. Do not use the flimsy plastic anchors that come in the box.

1. Purchase a toggle bolt or a molly bolt rated for at least 30-50 lbs. These anchors are designed to spring open inside the drywall, distributing the weight over a much larger area.
2. Drill a hole large enough for the toggle mechanism to fit through.
3. Insert the anchor, attach your hook, and tighten it. The wings will expand inside the ceiling for a secure hold.

Common Hanging Plant Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake 1: Watering Without Draining

The Problem: You water your plant, and it drips all over your floor. Or, you use a pot with no hole, and the roots sit in water and rot.

The Fix: Use the "Cachepot" method from Step 1. Or, take your plants down once a week, place them in the sink or shower, water them thoroughly, let them drain for 20 minutes, and then hang them back up. This is the single best way to water hanging plants.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Weight Limits

The Problem: You use a tiny hook, and one day you come home to a pile of soil, ceramic shards, and a broken plant on your floor.

The Fix: Weigh your plant after a full watering. Use a simple luggage scale. You'll be shocked-it can easily be 10-20 pounds. Ensure your hook AND your anchor method (joist or toggle bolt) are rated for at least double that weight.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to Prune

The Problem: Your beautiful, bushy plant has become a long, stringy, bare vine with a few leaves at the bottom.

The Fix: Don't be afraid to prune! Pruning encourages bushy growth. Snip the long, leggy stems right after a leaf node. This will force the plant to send out new, fuller growth from the top. Plus, you can propagate the cuttings! - Try Our Plant Spacing Tool.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Indoor Hanging Plants

What is the absolute easiest, most unkillable hanging plant for a beginner?

Hands down, the Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum). It tolerates low light, survives missed waterings, grows fast, and clearly "tells" you when it's thirsty by drooping. Just keep it away from pets.

How do I know if I have "bright, indirect light"?

It's the most common and ideal light. It means a bright room, but the sun's rays don't hit the plant's leaves directly. A good test: hold your hand up. It should cast a soft, fuzzy-edged shadow, not a sharp, dark one. Spots near an east-facing window (gentle morning sun) or a few feet back from a west/south-facing window are perfect.

My hanging plant is dripping after I water it. How do I stop this?

You are watering it in place, and the drainage saucer is overflowing. The best method is to take the plant down, water it in the sink, and let it drain completely for 15-20 minutes before hanging it back up. If you can't, water slowly and in small amounts, checking the saucer as you go.

Are hanging plants safe for my cats and dogs?

Many are, but many of the most common ones (like Pothos and Philodendron) are toxic. Always check the scientific name against the ASPCA list. Our "Pet-Safe" category lists 5 great, non-toxic options to start with, such as the Spider Plant, Hoya, and Boston Fern.

How can I hang a plant without drilling into the ceiling?

You have great options!

• Tension Rod: Use a heavy-duty shower curtain or closet tension rod in a window frame.
• Wall-Mounted Bracket: This is often easier to install. You can mount a decorative "L" bracket to the wall (ideally into a wall stud) and hang the plant from that.
• High Shelf: Place your plant on a high bookshelf or cabinet and let it trail down.