Indoor Ivy Plants: 7 Easy Varieties That Thrive Inside Year-Round

Few houseplants offer the trailing elegance of an ivy spilling over a bookshelf or cascading from a hanging basket. The right indoor ivy plants tolerate low light, forgive missed waterings, and grow up to 6 feet of vine in a single year with minimal effort. The wrong ones turn yellow and crispy within a month. The trick is matching the variety to your conditions and avoiding three common mistakes that kill more ivy than any pest. Here are seven proven indoor varieties, ranked by ease of care, with the realistic light, water, and humidity requirements each one needs.

1. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Technically not a true ivy but commonly called Devil’s Ivy, pothos is the easiest trailing plant on the market. It tolerates light from a north window all the way to a sunny west exposure, and it forgives weeks between waterings. Vines reach 6 to 10 ft indoors with regular pruning, longer if left alone.

Popular varieties include Golden Pothos (the classic with yellow variegation), Marble Queen (heavy white variegation, slower growing), Neon Pothos (chartreuse green, brightens dark corners), and Manjula (irregular cream-and-green leaves, $25 per plant). Water when the top 2 inches of soil dry out, roughly every 7 to 14 days depending on light.

2. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

The classic ivy you see climbing brick walls outdoors. Indoors, it does best in bright indirect light with cool temperatures (60 to 70 degrees F) and humidity above 40 percent. It struggles in dry winter air from forced-air heating, where spider mites quickly take hold.

Best varieties for indoors include Glacier (silvery variegation), Needlepoint (small pointed leaves), and Goldchild (gold-edged leaves). English ivy needs more attention than pothos — water when the top inch of soil is dry, mist weekly, and inspect the underside of leaves monthly for spider mites. A $7 spray of insecticidal soap from Bonide handles most pest issues.

3. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

Often confused with pothos and equally easy to grow. Heart-shaped leaves are slightly thinner and softer than pothos foliage, and the plant tolerates even darker conditions. A north-facing window or a spot 8 ft from a south window suits it perfectly.

The Brasil cultivar adds a yellow center stripe to each leaf and ranks among the most popular variegated houseplants of the last decade. Micans is a velvety bronze variant that develops gorgeous copper highlights in moderate light. Both are widely available at Home Depot or local nurseries for $15 to $25.

4. Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)

Not actually Swedish, and not actually ivy, but the round scalloped leaves and dense trailing habit earned it the name. Swedish ivy grows fast in a sunny east window, easily filling a 10 inch hanging basket within 6 months. Pinch the tips regularly to keep it bushy rather than leggy.

The plant is one of the few houseplants that propagates almost instantly. Cut a 4 inch stem, stick it in a glass of water, and roots appear in 5 to 7 days. Pot up the rooted cutting and you have a new plant for free. Water Swedish ivy when the top 1 inch of soil is dry and feed monthly during spring and summer.

5. Algerian Ivy (Hedera canariensis)

A larger-leaved cousin of English ivy with leaves up to 6 inches across and a more tropical look. The variety Gloire de Marengo has cream variegation and is sold widely as a houseplant. It tolerates slightly warmer temperatures than English ivy, which makes it more forgiving in modern homes kept at 72 degrees F or higher.

Provide bright indirect light and water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. Algerian ivy does not tolerate direct sun through a south window — leaves scorch quickly. Watch for crispy brown edges, which signal too little humidity, and group with other plants or use a $30 humidifier in the same room to combat dry indoor air.

6. Grape Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)

An unusual choice that deserves more attention. Grape ivy has glossy, almost lacquered three-lobed leaves and tolerates very low light, making it perfect for an interior office or a dim hallway. It grows slowly compared to pothos but holds its shape well and stays attractive for years.

Allow the soil to dry to the touch between waterings. Grape ivy is one of the most overwatered houseplants in America — it would rather be slightly dry than wet. Yellow leaves almost always mean too much water. Repot every 2 to 3 years into one size larger pot using regular indoor potting mix.

7. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

A succulent ivy with tiny heart-shaped leaves spaced along thin trailing vines. String of hearts can grow vines 6 to 10 ft long in a sunny west or south window. The leaves are silvery green on top with purple undersides, and the plant produces small tubers along the vine that can be removed and propagated.

Treat it like a succulent. Use a fast-draining cactus mix, water deeply only when the soil is fully dry, and place in the brightest spot you have. In low light, vines stretch with widely spaced leaves and lose their decorative impact.

Care Tips That Apply to All Indoor Ivy

Three habits keep nearly any indoor ivy thriving. First, rotate the pot a quarter turn every 2 weeks so vines grow evenly rather than reaching toward the light source. Second, prune aggressively in spring. Cutting back leggy vines forces dense new growth from the base, and the cuttings root easily for new plants. Third, fertilize lightly during the growing season (March through September) with a diluted balanced fertilizer like Espoma Indoor 2-2-2 ($12) every 4 to 6 weeks. Stop fertilizing in winter when growth slows naturally.

Common Problems and Quick Fixes

Yellow leaves usually mean overwatering. Let the soil dry out completely before the next watering, and check that the pot has drainage holes. Crispy brown leaf edges signal low humidity — group plants together, run a humidifier, or move to a steamier room like a bathroom with a frosted window.

Spider mites are the worst pest for indoor ivy plants, especially English and Algerian ivy. Look for fine webbing on the undersides of leaves and tiny moving specks. Spray weekly with insecticidal soap for 3 weeks to break the life cycle. A weekly trip to the shower stall for a gentle leaf rinse also keeps mite populations from establishing in the first place.