String of Pearls

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Curio rowleyanus · formerly Senecio rowleyanus

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Trailing String of Pearls stems with spherical leaves — Foliage and growth form. Photograph: Leonora Enking from West Sussex, England, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Plant typeTrailing succulent

LightBright filtered light

WaterDry substantially between waterings

EdibilityNot edible; toxic if eaten

U.S. nativeNo

Native to LafayetteNo

InvasiveNot persistent outdoors in Indiana

Self-seedingRare indoors

Identification and care

Slender trailing stems carry nearly spherical leaves with a translucent window. Give bright filtered light with gentle morning sun. Water only after the mix has dried substantially, then drain completely. Avoid wetting the crown repeatedly.

Standard soil mix

Use two parts coarse mineral aggregate, one part potting mix, and one part fine bark or coarse sand. A shallow container with an open drainage hole suits the small root system.

Flowering and propagation

Small white flowers on String of Pearls — Flowers. Photograph: Leonora Enking from West Sussex, England, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Small white flowers may appear under favorable seasonal conditions. Lay stem cuttings across slightly moist, gritty mix so several nodes contact the surface.

Environment and native habitat

Succulent Karoo landscape in South Africa — Regional Succulent Karoo context—not a documented exact locality. Photograph: Julie Anne Workman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Quartz-covered Knersvlakte dryland landscape — Southern African dryland context—not the species' documented microsite. Photograph: Derek Keats, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Round leaves reduce exposed surface while storing water; narrow leaf windows admit light. These adaptations point to bright conditions, lean soil, and alternating moisture and dryness.

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String of Pearls

Identification and care

Standard soil mix

Flowering and propagation

Environment and native habitat

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