Never heard of String of Spades, have grown C woodii for years & I believe I have it, just never heard it called that. A very knowledgeable Ceropegia grower explained it to me as a 'complex of plants' w/ leaf shape variability like that. We didn't speak of cause so sorry, don't know.

Here's mine, the surface pattern is also somewhat different, yet its unusual bloom is virtually the same, as are its tubers.

See how patterned the leaves are here? It's all the same plants which I cut back from time to time.

Same plant.....just different common names. And that's just two of many. It is also known as rosary vine, chain of hearts, hearts entangled and sweetheart vine.

Common names are just plant nicknames and neither right or wrong.

Leaves on Ceropegia woodii are quite variable as to size, exact shape, patterning and color......but it is all the same plant.

ETA: I found no sources which list string of spades as a recognized common name for this plant. And searching under that name turned up no references to it in connection with C. woodii either. Can I ask where you found that reference?

Yes Mike, Jay said so in his opening line. Why do you repeat it, while adding nothing? Pls READ before posting.

" Does anyone know what the difference between the string of hearts and the string of spades is? " (My bold for emphasis.)

Unfortunately, your help isn't helpful. But I don't resort to name calling.

I recently purchased a few of the String of Spades/Daggers/Tears, and aka "Heartless String of Hearts". These are all the same plant, however, it appears to be different from the String of Hearts. Upon purchasing, I noticed a slight difference in the official name, "Ceropegia Linearis Woodii"

Is the plant different too or just the name? Perhaps you'd share some pix pls, I know I'd like to see it.

I've gone on a rampage with plant purchasing while I've been covid-cooped. The grower I purchased them from thought it clever to list multiple different items with different names and not disclose that it's actually the same plant. So I purchased 2 of each: String of Spades, String of Tears, String of Daggers... I figured there was a chance of them being all the same and came to the conclusion I'd sell or gift any excess.

They're lovely! Grow quickly, just like the Hearts :)

♠️ 🗡️ 🔱

Hirt's Gardens has multiple growers supplying their stock. They've got great plants and everything I've purchased has arrived well packaged. They all seem like happy plants. Minus tricking buyers into believing they are buying different variations within the genus, I have had a positive experience buying from this greenhouse so I guess I will recommend them :) https://hirts.com/

Sold out for now though.... because they're all in my home... yeesh. I gave feedback and asked that he be more transparent about the names being his shops own spin and nothing official.

Holy smokes, they're gorgeous!! I may have to beg to buy a pot or 2 after the lockdown passes. They also look very healthy!!! I'm sorry that you got some duplicates, but I'm guessing I'm not the only one who'd like some.

I have never seen that combination of elongated spade shape w/ such patterning; it's fabulous (I'm a texture & pattern person).

I'm no formal 'expert' on these, so I can't speak to 'official names' but the very knowledgeable Ceropegia person I referred to above is Sage Reynolds, who grew, wrote & photographed his own plants in his Ceropegia Journal which is probably at least 10-15 yrs. old now, but here's the link.

Sooo glad you posted their pix, thx, I'm practically salivating ;>)

http://www.sagereynolds.com/cero/cedex.htm

Hi Regannh,

Are you interested in a swap, I have several linearis ssp. woodii forms available!

Like: linearis ssp. linearis, woodii (‘Silver Glory‘ and ‘Variegata’) and ssp. debilis (string of needles).

Kirsten (drimia12drimia<at>outlook<dot>com)

I just bought a String of Spades in April. I got mine from an Etsy seller. It came in a tiny 2" pot. But wow it has grow so much in such a short amount of time! It already has 6" trailing vines and I think it will be ready for repot soon.

They are the same family but a variation—just like the River of Orange, Silver Glory and Variegated String of Hearts are all Ceropegia woodii but different kinds. I want the whole family, honestly!

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to point out that the String of Spades is the woodii linearis whereas the String of Hearts is simply the woodii. Also, the String of pades is slower growing and shoots out some kind of tuber or bulb as oppsed to the simple roots of the String of Hearts.

I thought they were the same plant, just with different common names?

You learn something new every day. :-)

Or you do if you're smart, that is... I like the new clone photographed below.

Well, this is what I have learned about these plants in many years of growing them. There is only limited info available online and one brings together bits and pieces of info. Correct me when I am wrong, I like to learn something new too! And it is good to meet someone seriously interested in these special plants! I am now propagating the shown clone, it is grown from seed set on the Durban clone.

Which ones do you grow?

Greetings, Robert

I don't currently grow any, but you've gotten me interested, Robert. :-)

@HU-588717573 I have Ceropegia Woodii 'Spades' which is currently in flower, I'd love to know what the Clone is. I suspect it's the Orange River one we have here in New Zealand... any thoughts? Would love to know more about how this subspecies came to be. Thanks! :)

Spades flower on the left, standard COH on the right:

I have all varieties of the string of. To date I see there are 6. String of hearts, variegated string of hearts, string of spades, string of needles, silver glory and orange river.

http://www.sagereynolds.com/cero/cedex.htm This is a great study of Ceropegia

Vee, the flower of your ’Spades‘ clone looks very interesting. The flower looks like a hybrid but the leaf does not. Some years ago I learned in a talk on pollination in Ceropegia and Brachystelma that woodii hybrids are unlikely to happen as the pollination system is different from other Ceropegia species anyway. Do you exchange?

This clone shows the same kind of green but the corolla is shorter.

@HU-588717573 this is really interesting to see, thanks for sharing! If you're based in New Zealand, I may be able to offer a cutting, but I don't know about sending plants overseas, I imagine there could be strict import/biosecurity restrictions etc.

That is really interesting to hear about the pollination with Woodii. If that is true, then it only raises more questions about how Spades came to be, but could make sense as the flower really is very different to Woodii.

Both the Spades leaf and flower feel quite similar to my Rendallii:

drimia12drimia<at>outlook<dot>com

Hi Vee,

you can use the drimia address