Finding the right houseplants for your home or office is important, especially if you want a certain type of plant. Some are bright, fragrant, and tropical, but there are also some that have that beautiful droop or drape appeal. They can accent bookcases, shelves, and tables because of the way they fall.
Some of those plants are not only beautiful additions, but they are also a good option for respiratory health and boosting your allergies. If this sounds like something you are looking for, you have quite a few to choose from the list below.
Related: Characteristics that Make a Plant a Great Houseplant | Houseplants that Stay Small
1. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
One of the most common houseplants that can give you the droop you are looking for is English ivy. This plant will climb, so when you lay it on a flat surface, it will spread and drape around the surface. English ivy is great for homes that have allergies since it does not release lots of pollen. Working as a natural air purifier, the English ivy releases air into an environment that is safe and free of harmful pollutants.
It is a plant that can tolerate low-lighted areas, so it is great for indoors and being used throughout the home. You do not have to give this plant excessive water, just keep the soil moist with moderate watering practices.
2. Sweetheart Plant (Philodendron scandens)
One of the most popular philodendron species is the heart-leafed sweetheart plant. This plant is great for having that long draped look or you can use it to spread around the home. They will climb just as easily as they will drape, as long as they are spreading out.
You want to make sure you have enough space for the sweetheart plant, as it will spread and seek room in all different directions. It does require some sunlight in order to thrive, although it does not have to be direct. You do want to put this by an open window so it can pull the sun it needs for growth.
These plants should be watered regularly, a good bit of water once a week will usually last the plant until the next watering. If it is short on water, you will see the leaves start to turn yellow and fold.
3. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Probably the absolute easiest plant to grow indoors is the spider plant. This plant only needs indirect sunlight in space and minimal water to continue growing. Once the parent plant grows out, it will start to droop with baby plants or spores that can easily be clipped, and then replanted for a new plant.
The benefits these plants offer are related to breathing and air quality. They absorb pollutants from the air like xylene and formaldehyde that can be irritating to those with asthma and purify the air.
4. Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
If you want a draping indoor plant that is beautiful in contrast to lighter colors and easy to grow, then Devil’s Ivy is for you. You can take the cuttings from this plant, add some water and fresh soil and you can have another ivy plant in just a couple of weeks. Since it drapes so beautifully, keep it up high if you have pets.
This plant can make them very sick and also small children if they decide to try it, as well. This plant needs moderate watering, with the soil staying damp but not wet. Usually, they prefer indirect sunlight for most of the day, but they can still survive in areas with some low lights.
They are great in offices with lots of artificial lights for hours on end.
5. String of Pearls (Senecia rowleyanus)
A unique feature of the string of pearls is that it is actually succulent unlike most of the plants on this list. It requires minimal water, much less than others. In fact, these plants are pretty easy to overwater.
If you give it too much water or even lack water, the pearl beads will start to shrivel and change texture indicating there is an issue with the water. The spring of pearls do best with an indoor trellis, making sure that they are able to droop in the direction you want them to. They do require lots of sunlight and will grow quick in rooms that have lots of bright light and sun coming in.
They do not put off a lot of pollen, so they are good for homes where there are sensitive allergies.
6. Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)
The leaves on a Swedish ivy plant are another option for beautiful greenery that you want to drape around the home or the office. They are much glossier than other ivy species, so they are preferred in areas where the atmosphere is shiny and contemporary. When they are in a warm area of the home, they have the tendency to grow beautiful little white flowers along with ivy.
It does require a moderate watering schedule, preferable a good most watering once a week. Be careful not to drown the ivy because the roots will quickly develop root rot and eliminate the plant. You can place it in direct or indirect sunlight so that it absorbs the light it needs to continue growing.
7. Red Herringbone Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Also known as the prayer plant, the red herringbone plant is unique with its splotches of color and native tropic habitat. Most tropic plants do not drape or droop, like the red herringbone plant. As the plant grows, it will begin to droop out of the pot along the edges.
The leaves become large and are flat by day, but fold by night for prayer time. The leaves on this plant feel like velvet and they have colors of green, yellow, and red. This plant prefers a shady area with soil that stays rather moist.
You can water it once a week or twice if you are finding that the soil is drying out too quickly. In areas where there is a lot of humidity, you may water even less.
8. Satin Pothos (Scindapsus ictus)
The blend of green and silver can be found on the satin pothos. Each of the green leaves has uniquely splotches silver stains that are reflective and great as indoor plants. This plant has mixed feelings about the sun, so you want it in a place where it can get indirect sunlight part of the day and full shade the rest of the time.
Watering this plant is easy, just keep the soil damp with water once a week. These plants are easy to clip and start new ones so that you are not having to search for them and add them to your home wherever you would like.
9. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Another succulent on the list is the Burro’s Tail. This one does require textured soil that has great drainage and lots of sunlight in order to survive. You want to make sure that you do minimal watering on this plant, as too much water can be damaging to the burro’s tail.
Even if you forget to water it for an extra week or two, it will be okay and can bounce back with quick splash of water. The colors are either blue-green or gray-green, depending on the time of year. They give any room a sense of warmth and droop as the tails start to get heavier.
10. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
There is one plant that settles beautifully on the side of the shelf, drooping down the wall, or can be trained to drape across the room for a full green effect. The string of hearts has leaves that embody small green hearts. They bring a splash of color to rooms that need to be brightened up and are easy to tend.
They only need minimal water and can survive with indirect sunlight regularly. Expect them to grow in large groups and hang low like a real string of pearls.
11. Staghorn Fern (Platycerium)
Similar to a Boston fern, the Staghorn fern is a blend of both an air plant and the average fern. It is more tropical and has a natural tendency to absorb moisture from the air This means that it can have minimal watering habits, especially in humid climates.
The way that the leaves grow wild out drape across surfaces allows these plants to stand alone often times on shelves and high counters. Their leaves take the shape of deer antlers, thus the name staghorn. As they get larger, they get heavier and start to drape.
They do need a warm environment, so if you keep your home or office pretty warm around the year, they will be happy. They are naturally hidden in their environment, so be prepared to provide some shade and indirect light. They will burn with direct contact with the sun.
12. Chain Cactus (Cylindropuntia fulgida)
If you are planning to grow a chain cactus in your home, you need the appropriate conditions, including the soil type for this plant. They do like rocks and hard soil that allow for drainage. They also do not need shade and want to be placed directly in the sunlight.
You only have to provide water to these plants once every two weeks or even less if you are in a humid climate where they can absorb water from the air. With the right conditions, this is an easy plant that will make a great droop plant as the chains grow and become too large to stand straight.
13. Wax Plant (Haya linearis)
The wax plant grows these beautiful flowers that like to drape at maturity and make room for more during growth. While they do not start out drooping, after a year of growing different foliage, the plant will make room and the weight of the older flowers will force it to droop or drape around a surface, depending on where it is.
These waxy flowers do well in indirect sunlight throughout the day and have a strong tolerance for humidity in homes in the southern region. You can water these only when the soil starts to dry out and keep the soil draining to avoid any damage to the roots.
14. Peperomia (Peperomia)
A blend of yellow and green, you have seen these plants in homes and offices everywhere. The peperomia has textured leaves that like to spread out like a drape in the pot. Many homeowners put a single plant in a large planter, so it can fan out when it reaches maturity.
The flowers that grow on this plant will bloom in the summer with full exposure to the sun. You want to keep the soil moist but not drenched in water. You may only need to water once a week or 10 days depending on how much light the plant is getting. Those that do not have a lot of light will have fewer leaves.
15. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus pulcher)
Another vine on the list of drooping plants is the lipstick plant. This is named due to the bright red flowers that are found throughout the vines when it is drooping. It makes a great plant for a hanging basket in the home or in the honer shelf so that it can cascade the flowers down the wall like a waterfall.
They enjoy humid areas and like rooms where the temperature is warmer than the rest of the home. In the summer, they do great in a screened patio room. Make sure you water it once every few days to keep it from drying out too much.
16. Grape Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)
For those who want to bring a touch of nature indoors, the grape ivy lets you feel as though you are surrounded by a vineyard without all the grapes. The leaves on this vine mimic actual grape leaves. They do not require a lot of light and are good for rooms that are dark and have lots of shade.
They do well in hanging pots in the home since the vine prefers to dangle down on the outside of the pot. They can live in average room temperatures, with warmer temperatures being more preferred. You also do not need to provide a lot of water for these plants, watering only every 8 days or so.
Once or twice a year you do need to prune the grape ivy so that you can get new blooms or the plant will stop growing.
17. Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
Some homeowners want a cactus that doesn’t need a lot of sun and can still thrive. This is where the fishbone cactus is great and can make a great drooping plant. You do want to keep this cactus dry like others, but as they grow, the stems are not able to stand up and will fall flat first.
As they grow flat, they will start to curl out of the pot and dangle outside. Make sure you are keeping this plant in an area with indirect sunlight and water it once a week. Keep in mind that this is a medium grower plant, so you may see it move faster than other cacti you have planted.
18. Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera)
While most cacti are large and bulky, the mistletoe cactus has thin stems and is a preferred plant indoors. Over the last few years, they have gained popularity as an indoor plant and are taking advantage of the environment that homes offer. These plants need partial shade and indirect sunlight, which is why they like to be indoors.
They do flower like most cacti, providing white and yellow blooms in the spring and summer months. The soil for this cactus is also unique, as it prefers it to be damp and not drying out. Once or twice a week, the mistletoe cactus needs to be topped off with water.
Move the pot to your sunroom in the summer months where there is shade but lots of humidity for the cactus to survive.
19. Silver-Inch Plant (Tradescantia zebrina)
If you truly want a draping plant that comes with unique and vibrant colors, the silver-inch plant is right for you. The leaves are striped with dark and light green streaks similar to a zebra pattern. The flowers that bud out are pink or purple, depending on the lighting, and can stand alone as the centerpiece of every room.
While you only need a small pot for the roots, this plant will spread out and drape around the area surrounding the pot. If the soil starts to dry out, you will notice your bright leaves turn yellow and then brown if you do not moisten the soil. You want to water your soil once every few days, but not excessively.
Keep the soil damp to the touch. In order to get those bright flowers to bloom, you need a lot of light for this plant. Keep it in the direct sunlight for at least half a day, or in an office space with artificial lighting turned on and bright for 10 hours or more.