Journal/Care Basics · 6 min read
String of Pearls Care: Keep It Alive & Trailing
By Wren Hollis · Houseplants & Indoor Styling
String of pearls care made simple: the light it really needs, soak-and-dry watering, propagation, and fixes for shrivelled or mushy pearls.
Quick answer
String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) needs more light than most people give it — bright light with some gentle direct sun — plus soak-and-dry watering (roughly every 2–3 weeks, less in winter), a shallow pot, and gritty succulent soil. Shrivelled pearls mean thirst or damaged roots; mushy pearls mean too much water. It is toxic to cats and dogs, so hang it high.
Few plants photograph better than a string of pearls in full cascade — and few houseplants are killed more reliably within six months. The trick is realising it isn't a tropical trailing plant like a pothos: it's a desert-adapted succulent from south-west Africa that happens to grow in strings. Treat it like a cactus that hangs, and it's easy.
How it grows in the wild (and why that matters)
Curio rowleyanus (long known as Senecio rowleyanus) creeps along the ground in the arid Eastern Cape of South Africa, rooting as it goes, its stems shaded by rocks while the pearls bake in bright light. Each pearl is a leaf rolled into a sphere to minimise water loss, with a translucent 'window' stripe that lets light into the leaf's interior. Spherical leaves, shallow roots, drought storage: everything about this plant says bright light and very little water.
Light: the thing almost everyone gets wrong
Most string of pearls plants die of a combination of too little light and too much water. Indoors, give it your brightest spot: right beside a south- or west-facing window, with a few hours of gentle direct sun — morning sun is perfect. In a dim corner the pearls grow small and widely spaced along stringy stems, and the soil stays wet far too long. Harsh midday summer sun through glass can scorch pearls, so fierce afternoon light is the one thing to filter.
Watering: soak and dry, then wait longer than feels right
Water the way desert rain works: thoroughly, then not at all for a while. Drench the pot until water runs from the drainage hole, then let the soil dry out completely before watering again — roughly every two to three weeks in the growing season and as little as once a month in winter. The pearls themselves are your moisture meter: plump and taut means the plant is fine; slightly dulled or beginning to pucker means it's ready for a drink.
Reading your pearls
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Plump, firm pearls | Well hydrated | Nothing — wait until the soil is fully dry |
| Shrivelled, puckered pearls with bone-dry soil | Underwatered | Water thoroughly; recheck in a week |
| Shrivelled pearls despite moist soil | Roots damaged by rot — they can't take up water | Unpot, trim rotten roots, repot in dry gritty mix; restart from cuttings if needed |
| Mushy, translucent, burst pearls | Overwatered | Stop watering, improve light, let soil dry fully; consider repotting |
| Small, widely spaced pearls on thin stems | Not enough light | Move to a much brighter spot |
Soil, pot and temperature
Use a gritty cactus and succulent mix, ideally with extra perlite or pumice. The roots are shallow, so a shallow pot or hanging basket that dries quickly beats a deep one that stays damp at the bottom. Normal room temperatures of 18–27°C suit it in the growing season; if you can give it a cooler, drier rest at 10–15°C over winter, you'll toughen the plant and encourage its small white flowers, which smell surprisingly of cinnamon.
Propagation: the two-minute job
String of pearls is one of the easiest succulents to multiply. Snip 8–10 cm lengths of healthy stem, let the cut ends dry for a day, then lay the strands on top of barely moist succulent soil and pin them down gently. Roots form at the leaf nodes within a few weeks. Lay cuttings across the top of the parent's own pot to make a sparse plant fuller — the classic fix for a bald crown.
Tip: pearls draping over the pot rim get thirstier than the roots — the rim can pinch the thin stems and stop water reaching the ends. If just the tips of long strands shrivel, loop the strands loosely on top of the soil instead of letting them hang hard over a sharp edge.
Warning: string of pearls is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and its sap can irritate skin. Those dangling, bead-like strands are exactly at cat height on a shelf — hang this plant genuinely out of reach in pet households.
Not sure if your trailing succulent is string of pearls, string of tears, or string of bananas? Photograph it in PlantMe — the app tells related Curio species apart across 35,000+ plant classes and gives you species-specific care reminders.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water string of pearls?
Only when the soil is completely dry — roughly every 2–3 weeks in spring and summer, and as little as once a month in winter. Always water thoroughly, then let it drain and dry out fully.
Why are my pearls shrivelling?
Check the soil. Bone-dry soil means simple thirst — water deeply. Moist soil with shrivelling pearls means root rot: the damaged roots can't absorb water, so the plant dehydrates while sitting in wet soil. Unpot it, remove rotten roots, and repot in dry, gritty mix.
Can string of pearls take direct sunlight?
Some gentle direct sun — especially morning sun — is good and keeps growth dense. Avoid intense midday summer sun through a window, which can scorch and bleach the pearls.
Is string of pearls toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. All parts are toxic to pets if ingested and the sap can irritate skin. Keep it hanging well out of reach.
Try it yourself
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