String of Pearls
Curio rowleyanus
Family Asteraceae
String of pearls looks exactly like its name: strands of glassy green beads spilling three feet over the edge of a pot, the most sculptural thing a succulent shelf can hold. Guests will touch it to check it's real. It always is.
Honesty first: this is the connoisseur's trailing succulent, happiest in strong light with a restrained hand — and it belongs on a high shelf regardless, since the beads aren't for pets or toddlers. Master it there and you own the prettiest waterfall in the house.
Bright light with some direct sun
Low water
Fast in season growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing string of pearls? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries string of pearls — Curio rowleyanus, print Nº 454, “String of Pearls.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what string of pearls actually needs.
Hardy inZones 9-11String of Pearls · Common problems
Common string of pearls problems
Pests
1 problem on file
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Rot from water on the crown
String of Pearls · Growing & propagation
Growing string of pearls
- Light
- Bright light with some direct sun
- Water
- Low
Shriveled pearls say water, burst pearls say stop
Soil- Cactus mix, shallow pot · pH 6.5 - 7.5
Fertilizer- 2-3 times a year
Pruning- As needed
Trim strands and lay cuttings ON the soil — they root at each node.
Spacing- One per pot
How to plant & propagate string of pearls
- Propagate
- Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups
String of Pearls · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The string of pearls growing playbook
When to spray string of pearls
Growing season. Water around the edge, never over the top.
String of Pearls · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
String of Pearls · Yearly calendar
The string of pearls year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for string of pearls — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
String of Pearls · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Curio rowleyanus
String of Pearls in the garden system
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What string of pearls is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesToxic to cats/dogs and kids
Use- High shelves
- Use
- Succulent collections
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
String of Pearls · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a string of pearls variety
'Variegata'; String of Tears (cousin)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
String of Pearls
Curio rowleyanus
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Curio rowleyanus
- Plant family
- Asteraceae
- Growth habit
- Succulent · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for String of Pearls
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Questions
String of Pearls questions, answered straight.
Is string of pearls safe for kids and pets?
With care. Toxic to cats/dogs and kids Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate string of pearls?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
Elsewhere
Where string of pearls sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron