Drooping string of hearts: causes and fixes

Ceropegia woodii

Quick answer

Your string of hearts can droop when the soil is too dry or too wet, and the leaves can look the same in both cases. Check the soil first.

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Most likely cause

Rot at the base

How to tell

Soggy roots at the base can also cause drooping because damaged roots cannot take up water. The soil is wet, the base feels soft, and adding more water makes the damage worse. Small dark flies around moist potting medium may be fungus gnats. They suggest conditions suitable for breeding, without proving that the surface never dries.

The fix

Water according to moisture, only when the soil has dried out completely. Check drainage and do not water just because a calendar says it is time. Remove rotten roots and repot in free-draining mix. If the base is rotten, healthy stem cuttings with nodes can be rooted warm in lightly moist cactus compost. Keep the rooting mix moist, not wet. Established plants need the mix to dry fully between waterings.

Other possible causes

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Thirst (dry potting mix)

How to tell

The soil is bone dry and the whole plant has gone limp, often with wrinkled flat leaves beforehand.

The fix

If the soil is dry, water thoroughly (for a string of hearts that’s usually every 8 to 12 days in summer). It takes a few days to firm up again.

Cold, wet roots

How to tell

Cold exposure can damage the plant even with dry roots. Wet mix in a cold spot also increases the risk of rot.

The fix

Move it away from cold glass and drafts to a spot with suitable, steady temperatures. Water according to moisture, only when the soil has dried out completely. Check drainage and do not water just because a calendar says it is time.

Recently moved or repotted

How to tell

Drooping began after a purchase, move or repot. A move can change light and temperature without disturbing the roots.

The fix

Check moisture and roots before changing anything. Keep its spot and care steady and don’t fertilize while it settles. If roots were damaged, follow this plant’s repotting guidance. Water according to moisture, only when the soil has dried out completely. Check drainage and do not water just because a calendar says it is time.

Its natural trailing habit

How to tell

Long strands hanging over the edge of the pot are how a string of hearts grows. It only counts as drooping when the leaves themselves look shriveled, flat or soft.

The fix

Nothing to fix if the leaves are plump and firm. Check the leaves, not the strands.

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Last reviewed: 2026-10-16