How often should I water string of pearls?

Water when the top 1 to 2 cm of soil is dry and the pearls feel slightly less firm. In spring and summer that is often every 7 to 14 days. In winter, every three to four weeks is usually enough. Water thoroughly, let it drain, and never leave the pot standing in water.

How much sun does string of pearls need?

Bright light with a few hours of gentle direct sun. An east-facing window with morning sun is ideal. A south or west window works if the plant is protected from the harshest summer afternoon sun, which can scorch the pearls.

Why are my string of pearls shrivelling?

Shrivelled, wrinkled pearls usually mean the plant is thirsty, especially if the soil is bone dry. Give it a thorough soak. If the soil is wet and the pearls are shrivelled or the stems look dark at the soil, the roots have probably rotted and the plant can no longer take up water. Rescue it by taking healthy cuttings.

Why is my string of pearls dying from the top?

Bare stems at the soil line, with healthy strands hanging below, usually come from rot at the crown caused by wet soil or a pot that is too deep, or from too little light at the top of the plant. Lay healthy strand ends back onto the soil surface so they root and fill the top again.

Is string of pearls toxic to cats?

Yes. String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus) is considered toxic to cats, dogs and people if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin. Hang it out of reach of pets and children.

Can you grow string of pearls in a bathroom?

It is not a good choice for a steamy bathroom. String of pearls prefers dry air and soil that dries out between waterings. High humidity and low light both raise the risk of rot.

String of Pearls Care: Light, Watering and Propagation

String of pearls care is simple once you treat it as a succulent with a soft spot for water: give it bright light with some gentle direct sun, plant it in a shallow pot of gritty cactus mix, and water thoroughly when the top 1 to 2 cm of soil is dry. Cut back in winter, keep it out of humid rooms, and lay strand ends on the soil to keep the top full.

Curio rowleyanus (still often sold as Senecio rowleyanus) grows wild in dry parts of south-west Africa, where it creeps across the ground in the shade of rocks and shrubs. The pearls are water-storage leaves, with a narrow translucent stripe called a leaf window that lets light into the leaf. That tells you its two big needs: good light, and soil that doesn't stay wet.

String of pearls care at a glance

Need	What works	What to avoid
Light	Bright, with 2–4 hours of morning sun	Dim rooms, harsh midday summer sun through glass
Water	Soak when top 1–2 cm is dry	Little sips; wet soil for days
Soil	Cactus/succulent mix with extra grit	Standard compost on its own
Pot	Shallow, with drainage; terracotta is good	Deep pots, no drainage
Temperature	18–27°C in summer; 10–15°C winter rest is fine	Frost, cold wet soil
Humidity	Average to dry	Bathrooms, terrariums
Feeding	A few weak feeds in spring and summer	Strong feeds, winter feeding
Pets	Toxic if eaten	Low-hanging strands near cats

Light

String of pearls needs more light than most trailing plants. The best place indoors is right in an east-facing window, or a bright south or west window with a sheer curtain in summer. A north window usually isn't enough in winter.

Signs of low light: gaps of bare stem between pearls, small pearls, slow growth and a thin top. Signs of too much sun: pearls turning yellowish, reddish or bleached, especially on the side facing the glass.

If you hang it, remember that the top of a basket near the ceiling can be darker than you think when the window is lower. Aim for the pot to sit at window height. A small clip-on grow light also works well for this plant. Our plant light meter converter helps you check whether a spot counts as bright.

Watering string of pearls

This is where most string of pearls die, and it can go either way. It likes a bit more water than a cactus, but its roots are shallow and rot quickly in wet soil.

Check the top 1 to 2 cm of soil. Water when it's dry and the pearls feel a touch less firm.
Water slowly at the soil, not over the strands, until it drains out of the bottom.
Let the pot drain completely. Empty any saucer.
In winter, water roughly once every three to four weeks, or when pearls start to wrinkle slightly.

Bottom watering also works: stand the pot in a few centimetres of water for 15 to 20 minutes, then let it drain. It keeps water off the crown, which is the part most prone to rot.

What you see	What it means	What to do
Firm, round, green pearls	Happy	Keep going
Slightly wrinkled pearls, dry soil	Thirsty	Soak and drain
Flat, deflated pearls, dry soil	Very thirsty	Bottom water; check again in two days
Soft, mushy or translucent pearls	Overwatered	Stop watering, check roots
Shrivelled pearls, wet soil	Root rot	Take cuttings from healthy strands

Soil and pot

Use a bought cactus and succulent mix with extra grit, or make your own: one part peat-free compost to one part pumice, perlite or horticultural grit. The soil mix calculator works out volumes for your pot.

A shallow pot is better than a deep one. String of pearls has small roots near the surface, so a deep pot leaves a lot of wet soil below them. Terracotta dries faster than plastic and suits it well. Always use a pot with a drainage hole.

Temperature, humidity and winter rest

It likes warm summers and a cooler, drier winter. A winter spot around 10 to 15°C, with less water, mimics its natural rest and can encourage the small white, cinnamon-scented flowers in spring. It shouldn't go below about 5°C. Keep it away from steamy bathrooms and kitchens; average or dry indoor air suits it.

Feeding

Feed lightly. A balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, three or four times through spring and summer, is plenty. Overfeeding makes soft, stretched growth. Use the fertilizer dilution calculator to measure half strength.

How to propagate string of pearls

Propagation is easy, and it's the best way to keep a plant full or rescue one that's failing.

Method 1: lay strands on soil

Cut healthy strands 10 to 15 cm long with clean scissors.
Remove pearls from the bottom 2 cm of each strand.
Fill a shallow pot with slightly damp cactus mix.
Lay the strands on top, pressing the bare part gently into the soil. A hairpin helps hold them down.
Keep bright, out of direct sun, and mist the soil surface lightly every few days.
Roots usually form in two to four weeks.

Method 2: water propagation

Place the bare end of the cutting in a small glass of water with the pearls kept above the water. Roots form in a couple of weeks. Move it to gritty soil once roots are 1 to 2 cm long, because water roots are fragile and the plant needs time to adapt.

Method 3: fill the top of the existing pot

If the top of your pot has gone bare, coil a few long strands back up and lay them across the soil. They'll root where the stems touch, filling the gaps without cutting anything.

The propagation guide compares these methods with other plants.

Common problems

Problem	Cause	Fix
Bare top, long healthy strands	Crown rot or low light	Lay strands back on top; move to brighter spot
Mushy, translucent pearls	Too much water	Stop watering; check roots; take cuttings
Wrinkled pearls	Thirst	Soak and drain
Long gaps between pearls	Low light	Brighter spot or grow light
White fluff in pearl joints	Mealybugs	Dab with alcohol; repeat weekly
Tiny flies around the pot	Fungus gnats from wet soil	Let soil dry; see the fungus gnats guide

How to save a dying string of pearls

Unpot the plant and look at the roots and the base of the stems.
If the roots are white and the soil is dry, it's just thirsty. Soak it and keep a closer eye on watering.
If roots are brown and soft, or stems are black at the soil line, cut away all the healthy strands.
Root the cuttings using the soil method above, in fresh gritty mix and a clean shallow pot.
Throw away the old soil.

String of pearls care checklist

Brightest window, with some morning sun
Gritty cactus mix in a shallow pot with drainage
Water when top 1–2 cm is dry; less in winter
Keep water off the crown
Feed lightly 3–4 times in the growing season
Lay strands on top to keep it full
Hang out of reach of pets

Sources and further reading

Wisconsin Horticulture Extension: String of pearls, for soil, pots and winter rest.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Curio rowleyanus, for light, temperatures and toxicity.
Royal Horticultural Society: Succulents and cacti, for general succulent care.

For other sun-lovers, read our succulent care indoors guide.