Arrowhead Vine
Named for its distinctively-shaped leaves, arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllym) is a fast-growing tropical vine that thrives as a houseplant. Give it plenty of bright, indirect light, consistently moist soil, and warm, humid conditions, and the plant will grow vines up to 6 feet long. Train it to grow up a moss pole or a small trellis to give a room a dramatic jungle look.
Climbing Onion
Climbing onion (Bowiea volubilis) isn’t an onion, but it grows vining stems from a big bulb reminiscent of an onion sticking up out of the soil, hence its name. Climbing onion is a member of the lily family and hails from South Africa. If you are looking for a plant that will help you jump on the hortifuturism wave, this is a good pick because it looks like a Star Trek prop.
Creeping Fig
Creeping fig (Ficus pumila), also known as climbing fig, is an indoor vining plant that looks delicate but actually makes a sturdy houseplant–at least for a while. Even with the ideal care, climbing fig lasts only a few years but you can use cuttings to start new plants.
English Ivy
If cottage garden is more your style than tropical jungle, consider English ivy (Hedera helix). It brings a classic look to a space, Greene says. “It’s a bit on the finicky side but it looks beautiful, has a clean shape, and it looks great with brass accents,” she adds.
Grape Ivy
Grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) is an old-fashioned, easy-to-grow vining plant. It can go for days without water and looks lovely in hanging baskets or containers on shelves or plant stands, where its vines can cascade. You can also train its vines to grow on a trellis or moss pole. Put it in a spot where it gets medium to bright light, plant it in well-drained soil, and water it when it’s dry. It will grow vines up to 3 feet long.
Heartleaf Philodendron
Commonly known as the sweetheart plant, heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is a popular indoor vining plant because it’s easy to care for and fast-growing. Its leaves are dark green at maturity but bronze-colored when they first emerge from the stems; variegated varieties have a two-tone effect on each leaf.
Hoya
The hoya plant (Hoya carnosa), also known as a wax plant due to its thick, waxy leaves, is a fast-growing tropical vine that can grow up to 8 feet long. “They’re in between a tropical and a succulent, so they are easy to grow,” Greene says. “They are really low maintenance,” O’Gwin agrees. “They are great for indoors because you can hang them up in a basket, and you won’t have to take the basket down every couple of days to water it.”
Lipstick Vine
Named for its vibrant red tubular flowers, lipstick plant (Aeschynatus radicans) is a colorful indoor vining plant. In its native Malaysia and China, it’s an epiphytic plant that grows in tree branches and cracks in rocks and gets its nutrients from the air.
Monstera
Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) is so popular that its big leaves have become the avatar for tropical plants. O'Gwin points out that some people don't realize monstera is actually a vine. Most people keep their monstera pruned like an upright plant, but in the wild, monstera grows up the sides of trees as tall as 50 feet (15-20 feet indoors).
Mini Monstera
Its official name is Rhaphidophora tetrasperma, but most people call this vining plant mini monstera because it looks like a smaller version of monstera, everybody’s favorite big-leafed tropical. Mini monstera has elegant split leaves and can be trained to grow up walls, shelves, or moss poles.
Pothos
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is easy to care for and fast-growing, so you can have vines trailing down a stair railing fast with minimal effort. “I put these in my clients’ homes when they are looking for instant gratification and when they are trying to fill out a space with a vining look,” Greene says. “Pothos grows quickly, and it’s very forgiving.”
Satin Pothos
Satin pothos (Scindapsus pictus) has heart-shaped green leaves splotched with silver and gray variegation. Technically, this plant is not a pothos, but it is in the same plant family as its pothos cousins, and it’s just as easy to grow.
String of Hearts
String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a vine that has thin purple stems and tiny, heart-shaped leaves in colors ranging from variegated green and white to cream and pink. A string of hearts plant produces deep magenta flowers once a year.
Swiss Cheese Vine
Swiss cheese vine, also called Adanson’s monstera (Monstera adansonii), is a fast-growing tropical vine that thrives as a houseplant, just like its cousin, Monstera deliciosa. Swiss cheese plants have heart-shaped leaves laced with holes. It grows aerial roots to support itself as it climbs. Give your Swiss cheese vine plenty of bright, indirect light. Keep it consistently moist and use a well-draining potting mix. Indoors, Swiss cheese plant grows vines 3 to 8 feet long.
String of Pearls
The string of pearls succulent vine (Curio rowleyanus) looks like a necklace because its bubble-shaped leaves resemble beads strung on its long, vining stems. It thrives as a houseplant when given bright but indirect sunlight and a splash of water here and there. Those bead-like leaves store water so this plant doesn't need frequent watering.
Vanilla Bean Orchid
The vanilla bean orchid (Vanilla planifolia) is a vining plant that grows the vanilla beans used in baking. This epiphytic tropical makes a beautiful houseplant, but it’s a bit harder to grow than a pothos. Plant it in chunky potting soil—an orchid mix works—and give it warmth, humidity, and bright, indirect light. In the wild, vanilla bean vine grows up to 100 feet long, but it stays much smaller when grown indoors.