Hearts and flowers usually refers to the trailing succulent sold as Aptenia cordifolia, also called baby sun rose or heart-leaf ice plant. Check the botanical label before following care advice: string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) and sweetheart hoya (Hoya kerrii) are different plants.
Identify the plant first
Look for fleshy green leaves along spreading stems and small daisy-like flowers in red-purple tones. A single thick heart-shaped hoya leaf or a vine with delicate patterned hearts is not the plant covered here. Common names vary between sellers, so a nursery label or a clear identification matters.
The RHS baby sun rose profile describes its trailing habit and use as a container succulent. It also cautions, through its hardiness rating, that it will not survive being frozen. Plan winter protection before treating it as permanent outdoor ground cover.
Choose a container and location
A hanging basket or pot can accommodate trailing stems while making it easier to monitor moisture and move the plant for protection. Use a container with drainage holes and a freely draining succulent mix. Do not leave the pot standing in collected water.
Provide a bright position and acclimate a plant gradually when moving it into stronger outdoor light. The RHS recommends bright filtered light under glass. A dim indoor shelf is a different environment from a sunny garden, even when both are warm.
Water for the conditions
Check the mix before watering. During active growth, water moderately and allow surplus water to drain. In cooler, low-light conditions, reduce watering rather than continuing a summer schedule. Winter-wet soil and freezing are separate problems, and avoiding one does not solve the other.
If stems become soft or the pot stays wet, check drainage and roots before adding more water. If the mix has become very dry, assess it directly rather than interpreting every limp leaf as rot. Change care based on what you find.
Feeding and trimming
This is not a plant that needs frequent heavy feeding. Use a suitable fertilizer according to its label when growth and conditions justify it; the RHS describes a low-nitrogen spring feed. Do not fertilize a failing wet-rooted plant in an attempt to restore it.
Routine shaping is optional. Trim damaged or overly long stems when necessary with clean tools. You do not need to cut the whole plant back on a fixed schedule to make it healthy.
Propagation and responsible planting
Stem cuttings are one way to propagate an established healthy plant. Identify the plant first, choose sound material and root it in a suitable draining medium. Avoid taking cuttings from stems showing decay. A successful method for this plant does not establish that a detached hoya leaf will produce a new vine.
Before planting outdoors, check local suitability and invasive-plant guidance. Keep spreading material out of natural areas and dispose of trimmings responsibly. There is no need to add mimosa seed pods as a growth treatment: provide appropriate light, drainage and moisture instead.
