String of Pearls Care Guide
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Curio
Botanical Name: Curio Rowleyanus
Difficulty: Can have an attitude
Light
String of pearls love bright light. Give them a home on your sunniest windowsill for them to be happiest. They like to receive direct sunlight for between 6-8 hours a day (when sunlight is less harsh).
Water
They’re pretty drought tolerant, and they recover from drought quickly as long as you don’t let it stay dry for too long. Allow the topsoil to dry out before watering, and give it a good soak until water starts to come out of the drainage hole. Keep their soil moist in the growing months and reduce watering in the dormant months.
Climate
Average indoor temperatures (65°-70°F) are great for a happy string of pearls. Be sure to keep them out of drafty areas because they do not like to be chilly. They thrive in temperatures on the warmer end during the spring and fall and grow the best in cooler temperatures (50°-60°F) in the winter.
Soil
Use a sandy, well-draining cactus potting mix when giving your string of pearls a new home. Fertilize them biweekly during the growing season, and once a month during the dormant period.
Pests and Diseases
String of pearls are not as prone to pests and diseases, but they are susceptible to root rot from over watering and the occasional mealybug.
Tips
Plump pearls = happy plant
Younger string of pearls need more water.
Don’t pot them deep in a pot, they like to be potted pretty shallowly!
Signs your plant isn’t feeling so pearly
Flat pearls: water them!
Shriveled pearls: too much water or sun
Mushy leaves: so much water their leaves are bursting.
Pearls falling off: drafty environment
Yellow or sooty leaves: mealybugs or aphids
How to Propagate
You will have the most luck propagating string of pearls through cuttings. One thing to remember is to let the cuttings sit before planting them in soil because they are very prone to rot. Choose a 4 inch section of a strand. Make sure you are cutting between pearls to prevent damaging the mother plant or the cutting. Prepare a pot of soil with a damp cactus and succulent mix. Then you can coil your strand on top of the soil and gently press it down, or you can remove of few pearls from the strand and place that end directly into the damp soil. Patience is key when propagating pearls: they can take months to root! You should only water them when the topsoil is dry to avoid rot, and remember, they will not be the prettiest or fullest plant at first.
Fun Facts
They produce tiny white flowers in the spring if kept outside.
String of pearls only survive for about five years.
Well-maintained string of pearls can grow up to 2 feet long!
Propagate them in water by removing a few pearls and placing them in a vase with water.
Hardiness Zones
Before you move your plant outside, be sure to check the hardiness zone to save yourself some grief and the loss of a beloved plant. The hardiness zone for string of pearls is : 10-11. They are NOT frost tolerant.
If you live in Tennessee, here’s a hardiness map to help you decide if your plant can survive outside!
