There’s something special about a houseplant that refuses to stay politely inside its pot.

Give it a little time and it starts trailing from the shelf, climbing the wall, wrapping around a moss pole, or cascading from a hanging basket.

Indoor vines and climbing plants are perfect for creating that lush indoor-jungle look without filling every inch of floor space with pots.

Even better, some of the most attractive climbers are surprisingly easy to grow.

You can train them around a window, let them tumble from a bookshelf, encourage them up a trellis, or use them to transform an empty corner into a wall of greenery.

The important thing is choosing a plant suited to the light and conditions in your home.

Here are 10 beautiful indoor vines and climbers that are relatively easy to grow.

1. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

If you’re growing your first indoor vine, start here.

Golden pothos is famously forgiving.

Its heart-shaped green leaves are splashed and streaked with yellow or cream, while its flexible stems can grow surprisingly long.

Leave the plant on a high shelf and those stems will cascade downward.

Give it a support and something very different can happen.

Pothos is naturally a climbing plant. When given appropriate support and favorable growing conditions, mature leaves can become dramatically larger.

It tolerates lower indoor light, although brighter indirect light usually produces stronger growth and better variegation.

Allow the upper portion of the potting mix to dry somewhat before watering again.

Best for: Beginners who want fast, forgiving trailing growth.

2. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

It’s easy to confuse this plant with pothos from a distance.

Look closer and the differences become easier to spot.

Heartleaf philodendron produces beautiful heart-shaped leaves along slender stems that can trail or climb.

It’s wonderfully adaptable indoors and doesn’t demand constant attention.

Give it bright indirect light for strong growth, although it can tolerate somewhat lower-light conditions.

Allow some of the growing medium to dry between waterings rather than keeping the roots permanently saturated.

If you’re short on floor space, place it on a high shelf and let the vines fall.

Alternatively, provide a moss pole or similar support and encourage it upward.

Best for: Soft, romantic vines that can climb or cascade.

3. Swiss Cheese Vine (Monstera adansonii)

Want something a little more dramatic?

Try Monstera adansonii.

Its leaves develop distinctive holes called fenestrations, giving the plant its popular Swiss cheese appearance.

Unlike the enormous Monstera deliciosa, M. adansonii is relatively easy to accommodate in smaller homes.

You can let it trail, but its natural climbing habit makes it particularly attractive when trained vertically.

Provide a moss pole or other suitable support and the plant can produce an impressive column of perforated foliage.

Bright indirect light generally encourages the best growth.

Keep the growing medium appropriately moist while allowing some drying between waterings, and avoid leaving the roots waterlogged.

Best for: Anyone who wants the monstera look without surrendering half the living room.

4. Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)

Despite its common name, satin pothos isn’t a true pothos.

But it’s every bit as beautiful.

The deep green, heart-shaped leaves are decorated with shimmering silver markings that seem almost metallic when light hits them.

It’s particularly striking in a hanging planter or trailing from a dark-colored shelf where the silver pattern can stand out.

You can also encourage it to climb.

Give it bright indirect light to maintain attractive foliage and healthy growth.

Avoid intense scorching sunshine and don’t keep the potting mix permanently wet.

This plant can be slightly slower-growing than golden pothos, but those silver leaves are worth the wait.

Best for: A sophisticated trailing plant with metallic-looking foliage.

5. Hoya (Hoya carnosa)

Hoya brings something most foliage vines can’t:

Spectacular flowers.

Also called wax plants, Hoyas produce substantial, often succulent-like leaves on long climbing or trailing stems.

Mature plants can develop extraordinary clusters of star-shaped flowers that look almost as though they’ve been molded from wax.

Some are beautifully fragrant.

Hoyas generally appreciate bright indirect light, and some gentle direct sun can benefit many types when they’re properly acclimated.

Because their substantial leaves can store moisture, many Hoyas prefer drying somewhat between waterings rather than remaining continuously wet.

Give the stems a hoop, trellis, or other support and they can form an impressive living sculpture.

Best for: People who want an indoor climber that can also produce extraordinary flowers.

6. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Few trailing plants are as delicate-looking as string of hearts.

Tiny heart-shaped leaves grow at intervals along incredibly slender stems that can eventually trail several feet.

The leaves often display beautiful silver marbling on top and purplish tones underneath.

Hang the plant high enough and you can create a genuine curtain of hearts.

Despite its fragile appearance, Ceropegia woodii is relatively resilient.

Its underground tubers and somewhat succulent foliage help it tolerate periods of dryness.

Give it plenty of bright indirect light and allow the growing medium to dry considerably between waterings.

Too little light can produce sparse, stretched growth with larger gaps between leaves.

Best for: Hanging planters, shelves, and anyone who loves delicate trailing foliage.

7. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

English ivy is famous for covering walls outdoors, but it can also be grown as an indoor trailing or climbing plant.

Its lobed leaves create a completely different texture from tropical pothos and philodendrons.

Variegated cultivars can be particularly attractive.

Grow ivy in a hanging planter and let the stems cascade downward, or provide an indoor frame or trellis for climbing.

It generally prefers good light, particularly variegated forms, along with cooler conditions than many tropical houseplants.

One challenge is spider mites.

Indoor ivy growing in warm, dry conditions can be vulnerable, so inspect the undersides of leaves regularly.

Catch an infestation early and it’s much easier to manage.

Best for: A classic trailing look with small, intricately shaped foliage.

8. Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum)

Young Syngonium plants can fool you.

They often begin as compact tabletop plants with neat arrow-shaped leaves.

Then the stems start stretching.

That’s because Syngonium is naturally a climbing vine.

Give it a pole, trellis, or other suitable support and it can develop into an impressive vertical houseplant.

Alternatively, allow the stems to trail from a hanging planter.

There’s also tremendous variety.

Depending on the cultivar, foliage may be:

Green.

Cream.

White.

Pink.

Silver-green.

Or combinations of several colors.

Bright indirect light is particularly helpful for maintaining strongly colored cultivars.

Best for: Anyone who wants a climber with more colorful foliage than ordinary green vines.

9. Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)

Creeping fig doesn’t behave much like the large Ficus trees people commonly grow indoors.

Instead of developing a substantial trunk and canopy, juvenile Ficus pumila produces masses of tiny leaves along thin climbing stems.

Given the opportunity, those stems can cling to surfaces.

That makes creeping fig potentially spectacular for indoor trellises, topiary frames, and other vertical displays.

But be careful where you allow it to attach.

Its clinging growth can potentially mark or damage painted surfaces and other finishes.

A removable trellis is much safer than encouraging it directly across an expensive wall.

Creeping fig also appreciates more consistent moisture than drought-tolerant plants such as Hoya or string of hearts.

Best for: Creating dense, fine-textured greenery over a frame or trellis.

10. Mini Monstera (Raphidophora tetrasperma)

Despite the common name, this isn’t actually a Monstera.

Rhaphidophora tetrasperma belongs to the same broader plant family, Araceae, but it’s a different genus.

What makes it irresistible is its growth habit.

The plant produces deeply divided green leaves on stems that eagerly climb upward.

It can give you much of the dramatic tropical effect associated with a large monstera while occupying considerably less space.

Provide bright indirect light and a sturdy vertical support.

A moss pole, plank, or trellis can help encourage upright growth.

Under favorable conditions, it can grow surprisingly quickly.

Regular pruning can help keep it within the space you’ve allocated.

Best for: Creating a dramatic vertical tropical display in a relatively small space.

Climbing or Trailing? You Decide

One of the most interesting things about many indoor vines is that you control the display.

Take pothos.

Put it on top of a bookshelf and its vines naturally hang downward.

Put that same plant beside a support and train the stems upward, and you’ve created an indoor climber.

Some climbing aroids can even produce progressively larger foliage when they’re allowed to climb suitable supports under good conditions.

So don’t automatically put every vine into a hanging basket.

Sometimes upward is much more impressive.

5 Easy Ways to Train Indoor Climbers

You don’t need to nail vines all over your walls.

There are plenty of removable or plant-focused supports you can use.

Moss poles

Excellent for climbing aroids such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Syngonium.

Coir poles

A relatively simple vertical option.

Wooden planks

Some climbing aroids attach well to suitable wooden supports.

Small trellises

Perfect for Hoyas and smaller vines.

Hoops

Excellent for creating compact Hoya displays.

Attach stems gently with soft plant ties rather than tightly binding them.

Leave enough room for stems to thicken.

Don’t Let Vines Attach to Your Walls Without Thinking

That beautiful Pinterest photograph showing vines covering an entire wall can be tempting.

But plants don’t care about your security deposit.

Some climbing plants produce aerial roots capable of adhering to surfaces.

Those roots can leave marks or potentially damage finishes.

Moisture around foliage and supports can also create problems against certain wall surfaces.

Instead, use:

Removable plant clips.

Freestanding trellises.

Poles.

Wire frames.

Other appropriate supports.

You’ll get the visual effect without allowing the plant to permanently colonize your house.

Why Do Climbing Plants Produce Aerial Roots?

Look closely at a pothos, Monstera, or Philodendron stem and you may notice small brown structures emerging near the nodes.

Those are aerial roots.

In nature, climbing species use them to attach themselves to tree trunks and other surfaces as they grow toward better light.

Indoors, those roots are telling you something:

This plant was designed to climb.

Giving it an appropriate support allows it to express more of its natural growth habit.

Which Indoor Vine Grows Fastest?

Golden pothos is difficult to beat.

Under warm conditions with good light and appropriate watering, it can produce substantial amounts of growth.

Heartleaf philodendron and Rhaphidophora tetrasperma can also grow rapidly.

But remember:

Fast growth requires resources.

A plant sitting in a dark corner isn’t going to cover your wall simply because TikTok says pothos grows quickly.

Light is the engine driving that growth.

Give your vines enough of it.

Which Vine Is Best for Low Light?

If you have a somewhat dimmer room, consider:

Golden pothos

or

Heartleaf philodendron.

Both tolerate relatively low indoor light better than many decorative vines.

But “low-light tolerant” doesn’t mean no-light tolerant.

A plant placed in a windowless bathroom won’t thrive indefinitely simply because its label says “low light.”

If there’s no usable natural light, provide an appropriate grow light.

Which Vine Is Best for a Sunny Window?

Hoya and string of hearts can both appreciate brighter conditions than many tropical foliage vines.

Some Hoyas can tolerate or appreciate periods of gentle direct sunlight once acclimated.

String of hearts also tends to produce more compact, attractive growth with plenty of light.

Still, introduce strong direct sunlight gradually.

A plant that’s been growing in a dim store can scorch if immediately placed against intensely sunny glass.

Which Vine Is Best for a Hanging Basket?

String of hearts is difficult to beat.

Those incredibly thin stems can cascade downward into a curtain of tiny heart-shaped leaves.

Satin pothos is another beautiful choice.

Golden pothos works almost anywhere.

And Hoyas can look spectacular when their stems are allowed to trail.

Just remember that hanging plants can be deceptively difficult to water.

It’s easy to forget about a pot several feet above eye level.

Check the soil rather than waiting for the plant to wilt.

How to Make Indoor Vines Grow Fuller

A common problem with trailing plants is the three incredibly long vines and nothing else look.

The solution is usually pruning and propagation.

Cut healthy stems at appropriate nodes.

Root the cuttings.

Then plant those rooted cuttings back into the original container.

Now, instead of one or two stems emerging from the soil, you have many.

Periodic pruning can also encourage branching depending on the species.

Over time, the plant becomes substantially fuller.

Don’t Keep Moving Your Vines

Once a climbing plant becomes attached to a substantial support, moving it can become awkward.

Plan ahead.

Think about:

How tall the plant may eventually become.

Whether you’ll need to repot it.

How you’ll water it.

Whether the support can move with the container.

How much light the location receives throughout the year.

A six-inch plant on a three-foot moss pole looks slightly ridiculous at first.

A year later, you may be glad you planned ahead.

Indoor Vines Need More Light Than You Think

Plants such as pothos have developed a reputation for surviving practically anywhere.

Surviving isn’t the same as thriving.

Low light can cause:

Slower growth.

Smaller leaves.

Longer gaps between leaves.

Loss of variegation.

Weak or sparse vines.

Move the plant somewhere with brighter indirect light and the difference can be dramatic.

You don’t necessarily need direct sunshine.

But you do need usable light.

Don’t Overwater Just Because the Vine Is Long

A 10-foot pothos vine doesn’t automatically need watering every two days.

Water requirements depend on much more than vine length.

Light.

Temperature.

Humidity.

Pot size.

Root system.

Growing medium.

Season.

All influence how quickly the container dries.

Check the growing medium before watering rather than following an arbitrary schedule.

And always make sure excess water can drain away.

Are Indoor Vines Safe for Pets?

This is important.

Several popular indoor climbers—including pothos, Philodendron, Monstera, Rhaphidophora, and Syngonium—contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.

Chewing these plants can cause painful irritation of the mouth in cats and dogs.

English ivy can also cause problems if eaten.

If you have a pet that chews plants, don’t assume putting a vine on a shelf solves the problem.

The pot may be inaccessible while the vine eventually grows all the way down to floor level.

Check the safety of the exact species you’re considering and keep potentially harmful plants genuinely inaccessible.

10 Indoor Vines and Climbers at a Glance

Turn a Bare Corner Into an Indoor Jungle

You don’t need dozens of plants to create an impressive green corner.

Use height instead.

Place a climbing Rhaphidophora tetrasperma or Monstera adansonii on the floor.

Add a pothos trailing from a shelf above it.

Then hang string of hearts higher still.

Suddenly you’ve filled the entire vertical space with foliage while using relatively little floor area.

This is one of the biggest advantages of climbing plants.

Your walls become growing space.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve run out of windowsills, shelves, and floor space for houseplants, start thinking vertically.

Golden pothos and heartleaf philodendron are excellent choices for beginners.

Monstera adansonii and mini monstera provide dramatic tropical foliage.

Satin pothos gives you shimmering silver leaves.

Hoya adds spectacular flowers.

String of hearts creates a delicate living curtain.

And Syngonium gives you an enormous range of foliage colors.

The best part is that many of these plants let you decide how they’ll transform your home.

Let them trail.

Train them upward.

Wrap them around a trellis.

Grow them over a moss pole.

Cascade them from a bookshelf.

Give them appropriate light, sensible watering, and somewhere to grow, and a small plant can eventually become one of the most dramatic features in the room.

When you’ve discovered how much greenery can fit into a home simply by growing upward, you may never look at an empty wall the same way again.