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Caring for your Strings

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Let’s get into the string of things, if you are looking for an easy to care rewarding houseplants the Senecio Strings are for you. They are an easy to grow species with some popular names such as the p String of Bananas, String of Beads, String of Dolphins and String of Rubies. Follow this article for a rundown on the different Strings and how to care for each of them.

String of Banana care

String of Bananas (Curio radicans) is a succulent vine plant with banana-shaped leaves. This South-African native plant is part of the Asteraceae family.

String of bananas do best in porous, well-draining soil. You can grow this plant in cactus potting soil with perlite for drainage. Add compost if the soil needs nutrients. Wait until the soil is dried out before watering—about once a week in spring and summer, and approximately every two weeks in autumn and winter when the plant is dormant. If growing String of Bananas in a pot, make sure the pot has drainage holes, and be careful not to overwater, which can lead to root rot.

Place the String of Bananas near a sunny window indoors where it can get bright and indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight will burn the leaves. Sparse foliage is a sign that your plant is not getting enough light, and if the leaves have brown tips, it’s getting too much direct sun.

String of beads

Caring for your beads

Also known as “string of pearls” or “rosary,” this succulent is a perennial vine of the Asteraceae family and is native to southwest Africa. Like most succulents, it requires very little hands-on care.

Like most succulents, String of Beads is drought tolerant. Make sure to plant it in a pot with a drainage hole and use potting mix suitable for cacti. Soak the soil thoroughly when watering, then make sure to let the topsoil dry out completely before watering again.

String of Beads does well in bright light. Consider placing it on a sunny windowsill or, if bright sunlight is limited, leave it under a fluorescent light during daylight hours. Also, Make sure there’s plenty of room for your plant to sprawl. Consider displaying it in a hanging basket so tendrils can cascade downwards.

String of Dolphins

String of Dolphin, whose scientific name is Senecio Peregrinus, might be the cutest succulent in existence. It’s a rare animal-like variety that develops some beautiful curvy leaves, which perfectly resemble a pod of little jumping Dolphins. It can grow up to 3 ft long and 15 cm (6 inches) tall, which makes it look great spilling out of a hanging basket or trickling down over bookshelves or even on the edge of a stair rail.

String of Dolphin care

String of Dolphins may easily get sunburned when exposed to too much sun. They are not heat-loving succulent so don’t give them direct sunlight when it is getting too hot. Place them in a south-facing window where they can get at least 6 hours of morning sunlight per day. You may also put them under a fluorescent or LED Grow Light if needed during winter.

Give them a good soak of water until it runs out the pot’s drainage hole, and allow the soil to dry completely in between watering. Do this once per week during spring and summer and once per month during their dormant period every winter.

String of Rubies

Also fondly nicknamed “Ruby Necklace” or “String of Pickles”, this succulent is native to South Africa and is characterised by thin oval-shaped leaves and a reddish-purple stem. As a part of the Asteraceae family, the string of rubies is most closely related to the Senecio genus.

When this succulent is grown indoors it should be given as much light as possible. A bright, sunny, south-facing window that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight is the ideal environment for a String of Rubies. True to its name, when a String of Rubies is grown in direct sun, the leaves will turn ruby red. However, when grown in low light conditions, the leaves will revert to green, and the plant is more likely to become leggy. If you do not have an area that receives enough sunlight for your String of Rubies, it will also do well under strong grow lights.

Let your String of Rubies dry out thoroughly between watering. As with most succulents, this plant is easily susceptible to root rot if overwatered and is considered drought-tolerant. Let the soil dry out and then water your String of Rubies thoroughly, allowing any excess water to drain out of the pot.

Become a string parent

Get caught by the string and fill your home with some strings. Visit our shop for some more varieties.