17 Varieties of Houseplants With Heart-Shaped Leaves
From complicated compound to minimalistic linear, foliage is as varied and diverse as plants themselves. Heart-shaped houseplants are a attention-drawing favorite. The scientific name for this particular leaf form is cordate. The word comes from the Latin noun cor, which means “the heart.” It can refer to other things but is most commonly used contemporarily for leaf shape.
A cordate leaf is widest at the base, and pointed at the tip, with incurved margins. Obcordate is another leaf shape that falls into the heart-shaped category. This is the reverse of the cordate form.
Lucky for us, there are a great many plants that have this leaf shape, and quite a few of them thrive in the home. Let’s take a look at some beautiful houseplants with heart-shaped foliage.
Hoya Hearts ‘Variegata’
It is common to see this hoya species in stores around Valentine’s Day. Its leaves are a bit different from most on this list in that they are obcordate. The widest part of the heart shape is the end of the leaf, with the pointed end at the base. You will often see this plant as a single leaf, planted stem side down in its container. The plant will live this way for some time, but it will not continue to grow more foliage or flowers.
In its mature form, this evergreen epiphyte is a vine. The large obcordate foliage is succulent and waxy. This variety has foliage variegation in shades of apple green and pale yellow. It’s slow growing but can reach lengths of up to 13 feet over time. With enough light, it will produce umbels of small, pink flowers in early to mid-summer.
String of Hearts ‘Silver Glory’
String plants are a lot of fun to tend. The long, delicate, slender stems have a beautiful trailing habit that makes them great for hanging pots. It is a succulent that needs a lot of light, though it prefers indirect or filtered sun. Direct sun can scorch these delicate leaves.
As a succulent, this one is drought tolerant, so only water when the soil is dry, this will help to avoid root rot. Well-draining potting mix is ideal. ‘Silver Glory’ has silvery, metallic variegation with dark green margins. It does bloom in summer, but the flowers are inconspicuous and not what makes it so popular. This one is easy to grow and to propagate, and it grows quickly.
Anthurium ‘Dark Form’
Anthuriums are very popular, and in many cases, rare and complicated. This species has the distinction of being rare, but relatively easy to care for. Luckily, it’s great for collectors and beginners. Anthuriums are epiphytes. They like moisture, but their roots are susceptible to rot. For this one, make sure to keep the soil lightly moist, but not soggy.
Keep the air humid around your ‘Dark Form’ anthurium with a pebble tray or humidifier. This houseplant has large, deep green, heart-shaped leaves with a velvety sheen. The veins are nearly white and very conspicuous. It likes bright light, but avoid direct sun, which can cause lightning or sun scorch.
Heartleaf Philodendron ‘Albo Variegated’
Heartleaf philodendrons are simply wonderful. They have long, trailing stems and beautiful cordate leaves. In spite of this luxurious appearance, they are surprisingly easy to care for. Some philodendrons can be finicky and difficult to grow, but not this one. I find it to be far more tolerant of over and under-watering. In terms of light, it likes a lot, but not direct.
The ‘Albo Variegated’ variety has the same delightful foliage as the standard variety. This one has creamy white to light yellow variegation, making it even more eye-catching. It makes an excellent hanging plant, with stems trailing four feet or longer. It’s also incredibly easy to propagate; just snip a stem and submerge at least one node in water. You’ll have new roots in just a couple of weeks!
Persian Cyclamen ‘Alba’
Some of the most beautiful heart-shaped leaves in the houseplant world belong to the Persian cyclamen. This winter bloomer makes an excellent houseplant, bringing the garden indoors when it’s too cold outside. Cyclamen can grow out in the garden, too, in USDA zones 9-11. The cordate shape is stunning, with silvery patterning on top.
Persian cyclamen also produces flowers (even indoors!) The blooms on ‘Alba’ are pure white with a purple base and stem. These fragrant flowers are popular in floristry, earning themselves the nickname “Florist’s cyclamen.” They can tolerate a few hours of direct sun, but mainly, cyclamen prefer partial to mostly shade. Indoors, medium indirect light is appropriate.
Caladium ‘Carolyn Whorton’
Caladiums are easy to care for, and this one is particularly flexible when it comes to light needs. Most varieties dislike direct sun, but ‘Carolyn Whorton’ can tolerate some as long as it is early in the day. Just don’t let it bake in a sunny window during the afternoon. This tuberous perennial isn’t usually a target for pests. It grows quickly, reaching about two feet tall in a season.
In general, caladiums have very flashy foliage. ‘Carolyn Whorton’ has extra colorful, large, heart-shaped leaves. Bubblegum pink, the foliage has splashes of green throughout, and green margins. The magenta veining stands out, making this plant a true showstopper.
Philodendron ‘Zebra’
Philodendron gloriosum is unlike most plants in the genus as it doesn’t have a climbing habit. Rather, it creeps along the ground sending up truly spectacular leaves. ‘Zebra’ has very dark green, velvety foliage with a stunning sheen. The name comes from a contrast between deep green and bright white veining throughout. It is somewhat rare and can be pricey, but it’s not difficult to grow.
‘Zebra’ likes a lot of moisture and humidity. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. It prefers bright light, but not direct sun, as this will cause sun scorch. Place this philodendron near a bathroom window where it will get plenty of humidity, or use a pebble tray or humidifier.
Anthurium ‘Silver Blush’
‘Silver Blush’ anthurium is similar to ‘Dark Form,’ with one delightful difference. When its cordate leaves unfurl, they are a beautiful blush pink. They gradually mature to a deep green, but this causes an interesting effect. There are often several leaves of varying shades present at the same time. The veining is brilliant silver, and when the leaves mature, they are flashy.
For vigorous growth, give your anthurium a lot of indirect light; less than three feet from a window is best. Anthuriums require a high humidity level, so it’s easiest to keep them alive in kitchens and bathrooms. If you choose to grow it elsewhere, make sure to supplement the lack of humidity. Pale leaves with brown edges are a sign that your plant needs more moisture in the air.
Heart Leaf Fern
These ferns are quirky and adorable houseplants with distinctively heart-shaped leaves. Their glossy, cordate leaves sit high atop jaunty stems that bounce about with movement in the air. They stand perpendicular to the stems, giving this fern plenty of personality. In terms of exposure, medium to bright light is best.
Your heart leaf fern needs a lot of attention when it comes to moisture. The soil needs to stay moist, which means that good drainage is imperative. Provide this fern with moderate to high humidity to keep it looking and feeling its best. If you run into issues, the most likely culprit is low humidity.
Silver Satin Pothos ‘Exotica’
Although not a true pothos, silver satin pothos are very similar in form and care to the most well-known houseplants. You’ll find this lovely vine very adaptable and flexible as well. The plant’s name comes from its silvery foliage. The leaves are heart-shaped with smooth edges. In the case of ‘Exotica,’ they have an abundance of silvery patterns on top.
Bright indirect light or partial shade with a few hours of morning sun will keep ‘Exotica’ happy. It’s happiest with high humidity but tolerant of average indoor levels as long as you don’t let the soil dry out. If this one needs water, it will wilt to let you know. It’s easy to propagate and fast-growing, so it’s fun to share this one. Give them to friends for Valentine’s Day!
Pothos ‘Pearls and Jade’
This variety of golden pothos has all the qualities we love in a pothos but with extra special foliage. The variegation on ‘Pearls and Jade’ is distinctively white, and there tends to be an abundance of it. The leaves are more distinctively cordate in this variety as well. Meanwhile, other golden pothos varieties can skew toward deltoid foliage.
‘Pearls and Jade’ will grow its elegant vines near a window in bright or medium light. Avoid direct sun which can cause sun scald. More light will increase the variegation, making those hearts pop! Let the top inch or two of the soil dry between waterings to avoid fungus.
Syngonium ‘Panda Galaxy’
Syngonium plants are extra easy to care for. They make a great beginner plant, as they are forgiving and low maintenance. Keep it just out of direct sun, and water when the surface of the soil is dry. Aside from that, a monthly application of fertilizer is all it needs to be a vigorous grower.
‘Galaxy Panda’ is a great name for a beautiful plant. The large, elongated heart-shaped leaves of this houseplant have deep veining for extra texture. They are dark green and irregularly splattered with bright white variegation. Treat this plant with moderation across the board, with water, sun, humidity, and care.
Alocaisa ‘Dragon Scale’
Another great name for an impressive plant, ‘Dragon Scale’ alocasia is popular among collectors. It’s also easier to care for than many varieties, so if you find one, grab it, no matter your level of expertise! Alocasias have a reputation for their fussiness, but ‘Dragon Scale’ is a tough tropical.
The name comes from the appearance of the leaves, which unsurprisingly are reminiscent of a dragon’s scaly wings. They are cordate but narrow slightly toward the top. The contrast of light green leaves with deep green veining is striking enough. The veining is deep and prominent, giving them more texture than the average alocasia.
Oxalis ‘Molten Lava’
This is a fun plant to cultivate. Oxalis is also called false shamrock. The ‘Molten Lava’ species has small, perfectly heart-shaped leaves in shades of chartreuse and deep orange. In general, this is a partial shade plant, but you can play around with light to make the colors more intense. Less light will bring out the green, more will accentuate the orange, and also encourage the plant to produce lovely yellow flowers.
Oxalis has a habit of leaning toward the sun if it needs more exposure. Make sure to turn your oxalis every few days for more even growth. Keep the soil moist, but well-drained. Don’t let it alarm you if the foliage dies back in winter. Cut the dead growth back, and it will spring back to life!
Peperomia ‘Rana Verde’
Peperomias are adorable plants that have decorative foliage and thrive in medium to bright light conditions. ‘Rana Verde’ is a slow and steady grower, with beautiful, bright green, cordate leaves. They have heavy veining, which gives them extra texture and interest. It rarely grows larger than one foot tall, and it gets there slowly, so you don’t have to worry about re-potting often. This is one you can just enjoy without worry.
The one area where ‘Rana Verde’ can be sensitive is watering. The soil should be evenly moist but never waterlogged. Wait until the surface of the soil is just barely dry before watering.
Planting it in a container with proper drainage will simplify watering. It’s also sensitive to tap water; distilled or rainwater is ideal. If your water isn’t heavily treated it might be fine, just keep an eye out for tip burn.
Hosta ‘Stained Glass’
It’s more common to see hostas grown as garden plants, but they make good houseplants as well. They are fast growers, so make sure to plant this one in a container that will accommodate its growth rate. They tend to be flexible with sun exposure, with partial shade as an ideal condition. You can experiment with this one if you have a spot that has more or less light; there’s a good chance it will adapt.
‘Stained Glass’ has green and yellow variegation. Yellow varieties tend to thrive with more light, so a bright window is best for this hosta. The leaves are large and heart-shaped, growing in a mounding rosette perfect for houseplant collections. If it gets enough sun, ‘Stained Glass’ can flower in late summer. The blooms are lavender and grow atop tall, slender stems.
African Violet ‘First Kiss Blush’
If you get the light right, African violets are easy to grow and flower easily indoors. This unusual habit makes them highly popular as houseplants. I find my violets prefer a sunny window with several hours of direct light. However, in the summer, their leaves will fade a bit if they get more than usual. Very bright, indirect light is an ideal condition.
African violets need moist soil and will let you know they are thirsty with drooping leaves. With proper lighting and watering, they can flower nearly year-round. The smaller varieties have leaves that are more distinctively heart-shaped. Larger varieties tend to have ruffled leaves with less distinct shapes. ‘First Kiss Blush’ has wonderful velvety foliage and single-petal blooms in deep blush. They sometimes have a purple tint or speckles.
