String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) care

Vines & trailers · needs attention to keep

String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) wants bright light with some direct sun. Water it every 2 weeks. Water thoroughly when the pot is completely dry and the beads have just started to look slightly flat. Every two to three weeks in summer, monthly in winter. Pot it in cactus compost with extra perlite. A weak cactus feed two or three times over the summer, and repot every 2 years. Humidity: indifferent; dry air suits it. Toxic to cats, dogs and people; causes vomiting and, on contact, skin irritation.

String of pearls: strands of spherical leaves, each with a translucent window along one side that lets light into the interior — an adaptation to reduce surface area in a dry climate. It has shallow fine roots and a deep pot of wet compost is the standard way it dies.

Quick facts

Water: Water every 2 weeks. Water thoroughly when the pot is completely dry and the beads have just started to look slightly flat. Every two to three weeks in summer, monthly in winter.
Light: Bright light with some direct sun.
Humidity: Indifferent; dry air suits it.
Soil: Cactus compost with extra perlite.
Feeding: A weak cactus feed two or three times over the summer.
Repotting: Repot every 2 years.
Toxic to pets: Toxic to cats, dogs and people; causes vomiting and, on contact, skin irritation.
Difficulty: Needs attention.
Mature size: Strands to 60–90 cm.
Native to: Southwest Africa.

Watering a String of pearls

Water every 2 weeks. Water thoroughly when the pot is completely dry and the beads have just started to look slightly flat. Every two to three weeks in summer, monthly in winter.

That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.

Light

Bright light with a few hours of direct sun. String of pearls stretches into a bare thread with beads far apart when it is too dark.

Humidity and temperature

Indifferent; dry air suits it. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.

Soil and potting

Cactus compost with more perlite still, in a shallow pot. The beads are water stores and the roots are fine and shallow — depth of wet compost below them is what kills these plants.

Feeding

A weak cactus feed two or three times over the summer. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.

Repotting

Repot every 2 years. Every two or three years, into a shallow wide pot rather than a deep one.

Common problems

Shrivelled flat beads
Thirsty — or rotting roots that can no longer take water up.

Fix: Check the roots before you water. Firm roots mean it needs a drink; mushy ones mean rot.
Bare strings with beads only at the ends
Too little light.

Fix: Move it into direct sun and cut the bare strings back; they will branch.
Mushy stems at soil level
Rot from overwatering.

Fix: Take healthy strand cuttings and start again.

Propagation

Lay a strand on damp compost and pin it down — it roots at the nodes within a few weeks. Or push cuttings in a circle around the pot's edge to thicken it.

A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.

Toxicity and safety

Toxic to cats, dogs and people; causes vomiting and, on contact, skin irritation.

Questions people ask

How often should you water a String of pearls?

Water every 2 weeks as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Senecio rowleyanus. Water thoroughly when the pot is completely dry and the beads have just started to look slightly flat. Every two to three weeks in summer, monthly in winter. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.

How much light does a String of pearls need?