Houseplant · Asteraceae
String of Pearls
Curio rowleyanus
Get the watering right and this easygoing trailing succulent will spill a soft curtain of green pearls over the pot.
Bright indirect
50–81°F · 10–27°C
USDA 9–12
1–3 ft · 0.3–0.9 m
Overview
String of pearls comes from the dry corners of South Africa, and those little bead-shaped leaves are its clever way of storing water through the long dry stretches. Look closely and each pearl wears a thin clear stripe, a tiny window that lets light slip inside while the plant holds onto its moisture. Indoors it is happiest hung up high, where the strands can tumble gently over the edge of a basket.
It is part of the aster family, a cousin of the humble daisy, and given a happy summer it may open small white flowers that carry a soft cinnamon scent, though blooming indoors is a rare treat you should not count on. For years it went by the name Senecio rowleyanus, and many labels still say so, but botanists have since moved it into the genus Curio. Do not let the name change worry you, since both point to the very same pearls.
Almost all of the care here really is about water, and the plant makes it easy on you by showing how it feels. The pearls swell up plump when it is content and go a little soft when it is thirsty, so it practically tells you when to reach for the watering can. The one real pitfall is leaving the soil wet, so give it bright light and a pot that drains quickly, let it dry out fully between drinks, and it will keep trailing happily for years.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, a gritty fast-draining mix in a shallow pot, and a good soak only once the soil has dried out completely, with a lighter touch in winter and a gentle feed come spring.
Light
Aim for bright indirect light, the sort of glow it gets sitting near a window without hot sun landing straight on the beads. Once it has slowly gotten used to it, a little direct sun is fine, but harsh midday rays will scorch those pearls. If the light is too dim, the strands stretch out thin and bare, so a brighter spot keeps it full.
Water
This is the part that matters most, and it is simpler than it sounds. Soak the mix until water runs through, then leave it be until the soil has dried out completely, giving a bit more in summer and easing off in winter. The beads will pucker when they are thirsty, but soggy soil is what brings on the root rot that claims most of these plants, so err on the dry side and you will be fine.
Soil
Pot it up in a gritty, fast-draining cactus or succulent mix so water can move through and never pool around the roots. Any pH from 6.0 to 8.0 will keep it happy, and a shallow clay pot is a kind choice since it helps the soil breathe and dry between waterings.
Temperature
Comfortable room warmth is all it asks for, somewhere around 50°F to 81°F (10°C to 27°C). A slightly cooler rest through winter near the low end suits it well, and since it cannot handle frost, bring it inside for good once the nights turn chilly.
Humidity
Plain, dry household air is exactly what this succulent prefers, so you can happily skip the misting and the pebble trays. That dry air is a quiet helper, keeping rot away from the stems and beads.
Feeding
It gets by on very little, so there is no need to fuss. Offer a light spring feeding with a dilute balanced or cactus fertilizer while it is actively growing, and then let it rest through winter with nothing at all.
Pruning
Snip back any leggy or bare strands and the plant will fill out fuller and softer, and a quick pinch of the longest stems keeps everything neat. The best part is that the bits you trim root easily into brand new plants, so nothing needs to be thrown away.
Repotting
There is no rush here, since repotting every one to two years is plenty, and a shallow container suits it far better than a deep one. When the roots start crowding the pot, or the soil dries out almost the moment you water, that is your plant letting you know it is ready.
Size & spacing
The trailing strands reach somewhere around 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 cm) long, and the plant spreads about as wide as it hangs. Set up in a basket, those beaded stems drape well past the rim of the pot for a soft, spilling look.
Troubleshooting
Most hiccups with string of pearls trace back to the watering can or the window, and the good news is the plant shows you what it needs before things go too far. Soft, wrinkled pearls mean it is dry, while mushy ones mean it has had too much. Find your plant below and make a small change early, and a droopy stem rarely turns into anything worse.
Soft, mushy stems with pearls dropping or turning see-through
Stems that feel soft and blacken, along with beads that drop off or turn glassy, point to root and stem rot, which is sadly the most common way this plant is lost, and it comes from mix that stays soggy and never dries. The kind thing to do is stop watering right away, cut off the mushy parts, and start fresh by rooting a few healthy stem tips in new gritty mix rather than nursing the tired plant along. You will not lose the plant, only start it anew.
Fix:
- Stop watering and remove affected mushy sections
- Take healthy unaffected stem cuttings and restart in fresh gritty mix
- Repot into fast-draining cactus mix in a shallow, well-drained container
Pearls looking wrinkled, soft, and a little flat
When those plump beads turn wrinkled and go soft, the plant is simply asking for a drink, and this is nothing more than underwatering showing up once the mix has dried well below the surface. Give it a thorough watering until the excess runs from the drainage hole, then let the pot dry all the way down again before the next round. It bounces back quickly, so there is no need to worry.
Fix:
- Water thoroughly until it drains, then let the mix dry completely before watering again
- Resume a regular dry-down cycle, watering more in summer than winter
Pale, brown, or crispy pearls on the sunny side
If the beads on the side facing the window bleach pale or crisp up brown, that is sun scorch from light that is simply too harsh and unfiltered. The plant does love bright light, it just does not want blazing midday sun striking beads that have not toughened up to it, so move it back into bright indirect light. Any time you shift it toward stronger sun, do it slowly across a week or two and it will adjust just fine.
Fix:
- Move to bright indirect light
- Acclimate gradually before increasing sun exposure
Toxicity
This one is toxic, so it just needs a thoughtful spot in your home. Its leaves and sap hold pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and a pet that eats the pearls may vomit and grow listless, while the milky sap can sting skin and unsettle the stomach. Hang it kindly out of reach of curious pets and children, and slip on a pair of gloves before you prune, and everyone stays comfortable.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Toxic
A cat that nibbles a few pearls will usually be sick and then grow quiet and low on energy for a while. Drooling and loose stools can come along too, and the sap may leave its little mouth feeling sore.
Dogs Toxic
Dogs tend to react in much the same manageable way, with an upset stomach and flagging energy the signs you are most likely to notice. A few will also get loose stools after chewing on the dangling strands.
Horses Caution
The pyrrolizidine alkaloids running through this whole plant group are tough on a horse's liver, so it is wise to keep the trailing stems well out of reach. A horse that eats the leaves can end up with a sour stomach and a dull, off its feed sort of mood.
Rabbits Caution
It is kindest to treat this plant as completely off the menu for rabbits. The same alkaloids that trouble other animals make the leaves a poor and risky nibble, so gently keep any bunny from grazing the pearls that dangle within reach.
Livestock Caution
Cattle, sheep, and goats are all sensitive to these Senecio-type alkaloids, which slowly build up and wear on the liver over time. A houseplant seldom finds its way to a barn, but keeping it well clear of any grazing animal is worth the small effort all the same.
Birds Caution
There is not much solid research on how birds handle this plant, so the gentlest, safest choice is to keep a pet bird away from the strands and offer only greens you already know are safe.
People Caution
No part of this plant is meant for eating, and swallowing the leaves can leave the stomach unsettled. The milky sap stings broken skin as well, so pop on gloves when you prune and keep little ones from putting the pearls into their mouths.
Wear gloves when handling or pruning, as the sap can irritate skin and cause a rash in sensitive individuals.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Nearly everyone keeps the plain green form, and it is lovely on its own, but one named selection does show up here and there if you go looking.
'Variegata' (variegated string of pearls)
Its round beads come marbled in green and creamy white, which gives the trailing strands a noticeably paler, softer look than the plain green form.
How to propagate
Making more string of pearls is genuinely easy, and you will find yourself with spare strands to root every single time you tidy it up.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Active growth, spring through summer · Roots typically develop at the nodes within a couple of weeks
Cuttings are the quick, dependable way to grow more of this plant, and spring through summer is the ideal window to take them. Snip 3 to 4 inch stem tips, gently strip the lower beads, and lay the bare nodes against moist gritty mix or tuck them in just below the surface. Roots settle in at each buried node within a couple of weeks, and you are on your way.
SeedModerate
Not commonly used in cultivation · Slow and uncommon in cultivation; less reliable than cuttings
Starting from seed is possible, but it is rarely worth the trouble at home. The wind-borne seeds carry a little cottony tuft and are genuinely hard to track down in the trade, and once you have them they are slow to sprout and far less reliable than cuttings, so most growers happily skip this route.
Myths
The right name for this plant is Senecio rowleyanus.
That name still covers most plant tags and shop listings, so the confusion is understandable, but the plant has since been reclassified. Kew's Plants of the World Online now accepts Curio rowleyanus and keeps Senecio rowleyanus on as a synonym, which means both names lead you to exactly the same plant.
Being a succulent, it lives on neglect and hardly ever needs watering.
It is a touch fussier than that easygoing reputation lets on. The pearls will shrivel if the plant goes bone dry, and yet it rots and fails fast in soil that stays wet, so what it truly wants is a full dry-down between thorough waterings, neither drought nor constant damp.