How-to Guide
String of Pearls: Bright Light, Careful Watering, Easy Cuttings
The short answer
String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus) needs bright light and a strict dry-out between drinks. University of Wisconsin Horticulture's guidance: allow the potting medium to dry out completely between waterings, giving more water in summer than winter, and watch the beads themselves, which look slightly shriveled when the plant is thirsty.
Wisconsin is equally clear about what kills it: root rot from overwatering is the most common cause of its demise. Use a very fast-draining mix in a shallow pot, and propagate insurance plants from stem tip cuttings, which root quickly at every node.
What String of Pearls Is
String of pearls (also string of beads or rosary vine) is a trailing succulent whose spherical leaves store water. The bead shape minimizes surface area against desert sun, which is your care cheat sheet: strong light, scarce water.
Light
It needs bright light indoors. If you move it outside for summer, Wisconsin advises acclimating it gradually to prevent sunburn on beads grown under glass.
Watering
Let the potting medium dry out completely between waterings, and water more in summer than in winter. A useful built-in gauge: water when the pearls start to look slightly shriveled.
Err on the dry side. Shriveled beads plump back up after a drink; rotted roots do not recover.
⚠ University of Wisconsin Horticulture: root rot from overwatering is the most common cause of this plant's demise.
Soil and Pot
Use a very well-draining mix such as cactus mix, or amend regular potting soil with inorganic material like small pea gravel, sharp sand, poultry grit, or pumice, up to a 1:1 ratio. Choose a shallow container, because the plant does not develop extensive roots.
Temperature
Ordinary room temperatures suit it in the growing season. A cool winter rest around 55 to 60 F may encourage the small, cinnamon-scented summer blooms.
Propagation
- 1Cut — Take 3 to 4 inch stem tip cuttings.
- 2Strip and lay — Remove 3 to 4 leaves from the bottom of each cutting and place it in or on moist potting mix, lightly covering the bottom nodes.
- 3Wait — Roots develop quickly at each node; keep the mix barely moist until new growth appears.
Problems, Pests, and Safety
- Root rot from overwatering: the top killer.
- Mealybugs or aphids may infest plants.
- Bald top of the pot: lay a few cuttings across the soil surface to re-thicken it.
→ Wisconsin Horticulture notes the leaves are slightly toxic if ingested and the sap may irritate skin in sensitive individuals. Keep it hanging out of reach of pets and children, and check the ASPCA plant list if you have cats or dogs.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension — String of Pearls, Senecio rowleyanus — Bright light; dry out completely between waterings; gritty 1:1 amended mix and shallow pots; 55-60 F winter rest; 3-4 inch tip cutting propagation; root rot most common cause of death; mealybugs/aphids; mild toxicity and sap irritation.