Trailing Plants for Shelves and Mantels

The easiest trailing plants for shelves and mantels are pothos, heartleaf philodendron, spider plant, Swedish ivy, trailing peperomia, and Boston fern. Put them where they get bright, indirect light, check high pots more often because warm air near the ceiling dries them faster, protect the wood with saucers, never set plants on a mantel above a fireplace or stove that is in use, and choose the pet safe options if a cat can reach the shelf.

Vines spilling over a bookcase or along a mantel soften a room in a way upright plants cannot. The display is simple to build, but a few details decide whether the vines stay full and green or turn into bare strings.

Pick the right trailing plant for the spot

• Pothos is the classic. It tolerates medium light, grows fast, and comes in green, gold, white, and silver variegation. It is toxic to pets (see the notes below).
• Heartleaf philodendron looks similar with softer, heart shaped leaves and handles lower light a little better than pothos. Also toxic to pets.
• Spider plant arches and then dangles small plantlets on long stems. It is non toxic and recovers well from missed waterings.
• Swedish ivy has scalloped, rounded leaves and trails quickly in bright light. The ASPCA lists it as non toxic.
• Trailing peperomia, such as the small leaved types sold as string of turtles, stays compact and suits a narrow shelf.
• Boston fern gives a soft, fountain shape on a high shelf or in a hanging pot, as long as you keep the mix evenly moist.

Light on a shelf is not the same as light on a sill

A bookcase across the room from a window can look bright and still be too dim for a vine. If new leaves come in small and far apart, or variegated leaves turn plain green, the plant wants more light. Move it closer to the window, or add a small grow light above the shelf on a timer. See grow light basics. For a shelf right next to a sunny window, the sun lovers in houseplants for bright, sunny rooms are another option.

Build the display

1. Start with saucers or liners. Water marks on a wood shelf or mantel are hard to undo. Set every pot in a saucer, or use a decorative pot with a plastic liner inside.
2. Put the longest trailers high. Vines look best falling from the top shelf or the ends of a mantel. Keep shorter, bushier plants on the middle shelves.
3. Leave room to water. Plants pushed to the back of a deep shelf get forgotten. Keep each pot where you can see the mix and reach it with a long spout can.
4. Check the weight. A pot of wet soil is heavier than it looks. Know what your shelf brackets are rated for, and spread pots out instead of crowding one end.

Watering high and low

Warm air rises, so plants on a top shelf or near the ceiling dry out faster than the same plants at table height. Check high pots with a finger or a moisture meter every few days. Water pothos, philodendron, Swedish ivy, and spider plant when the top inch or two is dry, and keep Boston fern evenly moist. Peperomia stores water in its leaves and prefers to dry a bit more between drinks. Take high pots down to the sink to water if you can, so drips do not run down the wall. If gnats show up, the mix is staying wet too long; see fungus gnats in houseplants.

Keep vines full, not stringy

Long vines with leaves only at the tips are common. Trim a few of the longest strands back by a third, just above a leaf, and new shoots will branch from that point. Root the cuttings in water or moist mix, then tuck them back into the same pot to fill in the top. Pinning a long vine back over the soil with a small hairpin also helps it root and fill out. Turn the pot every week or two so all sides get light.

Safety notes

Do not place plants on a mantel above a fireplace, wood stove, or gas insert that is in use. The heat dries and scorches leaves, and vines or dry fronds hanging toward the opening are a fire risk. Keep trailing plants away from candles too. Mount shelves into wall studs or anchors rated for the load, and screw ceiling hooks into a joist, not into plain drywall. Use a sturdy step stool to water high pots, keep vines away from outlets, cords, and space heaters, and keep long strands out of reach of small children who might pull a pot down.

Pet notes

Pothos, philodendron, and English ivy are toxic to pets, and a high shelf is not out of reach for a cat. The ASPCA lists pothos and philodendron as toxic to dogs and cats; they contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that can cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting, and trouble swallowing. English ivy is also on the ASPCA toxic list. Dangling vines invite batting and chewing. For homes with pets, the ASPCA lists spider plant, Swedish ivy, peperomia, and Boston fern as non toxic, though any plant can upset a stomach if a pet eats a lot of it. Pick up fallen leaves and trimmings. If a pet chews a plant and seems unwell, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. See what to do if a cat eats a plant and plants toxic to dogs.

Bottom line

Choose vines that match the light, put the longest trailers up high, protect the wood with saucers, check high pots more often, trim for fullness, keep plants off any working fireplace mantel, and choose the non toxic options where pets roam.

Related reading

• Living greens table centerpieces
• Gift plant acclimation after purchase
• Fungus gnats in houseplants
• Rolling plant caddies for heavy pots

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