How to Grow and Care for String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus): Tips and Precautions! How to Get a Full, Trailing Pot? What to Do When the Roots Wither?
String of Pearls is a very beautiful succulent plant, also known as String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus), made up of round, plump, heart-shaped leaves, like strings of wind chimes swaying in the wind. Many people like String of Pearls not only because of its appearance, plump and emerald green, like little pearls, very cute, but more importantly because its vitality is very strong and it easily fills out a pot. Today the editor will give you a detailed introduction to how to grow String of Pearls and the precautions.
String of Pearls is a plant in the genus Senecio of the family Asteraceae, native to South Africa. The leaves are fleshy, round to spindle-shaped, with a transparent longitudinal line in the center of the leaf and a slightly pointed tip at the end. The leaves are succulent and spherical, about 0.5cm in diameter; the pea-sized fleshy leaves have an obvious translucent longitudinal line, and when the leaves are especially full of water, the line appears even more transparent. The stems are slender and creep along the ground, reaching up to 1m in length; it can be planted in hanging pots so the stems and leaves hang down. On its vine-like yellow-green slender stems hang evenly from ten-odd to several hundred deep green, round, plump fleshy leaves, just like Buddhist prayer beads made of precious jasper, full of rhythm and with a unique charm. The flowering period is generally from December of that year to January of the following year.
Growth Habits
It prefers a semi-shady, warm and humid environment, and is drought-tolerant. The optimum temperature is around 20°C~28°C, and direct sunlight is not suitable. Growth is slow at both high and low temperatures; especially in high temperatures above 30°C it almost goes dormant, so water less and it can be cut off from water appropriately. Too much water easily causes root rot. The vigorous growth period is spring and autumn; in early spring or late autumn, when sunlight is not strong and the weather is cool, appropriate sunlight can be given, and in spring and autumn water should be kept sufficient.
How to Grow String of Pearls
1. Watering: Because the leaves are fleshy and juicy, it is drought-tolerant. When growing it, watering should rather be too dry than too wet; this is one of the keys to success. When the weather is dry, spray water on the leaves and vines more often to make up for the lack of water and keep the pearls emerald and plump. It prefers semi-shade; strong sun exposure may scorch the pearls, while too weak light makes growth poor. In the spring and autumn growing seasons: water once every 3-4 days; when the temperature is on the high or low side, water once every 4-6 days. In the high heat of summer, when the water amount cannot be controlled, it is generally best to cut off watering.
2. Planting: The root system is very shallow, so it can be planted in a shallow pot. Generally use a tile to cover the bottom hole, and spread a layer of coal cinder or coarse sand to increase air permeability and water filtration (especially when growing in the commonly used plastic pots). For the soil, it is best to use leaf mold (fallen leaves of trees in autumn and winter mixed with a certain amount of broken soil and exposed... can also be mixed with a certain amount of sand (soil to sand ratio of about 1:3).
3. Temperature: It likes warmth and humidity, is fairly cold-tolerant (in the Jianghuai region it can withstand low temperatures of 0°C), and is heat-tolerant; the optimum temperature is around 20°C~28°C. Growth is slow at both high and low temperatures; especially in high temperatures above 30°C it almost goes dormant, so water and fertilize less, otherwise root rot easily occurs -- this is also one of the keys to successful cultivation.
4. Fertilizing: In the vigorous spring and autumn seasons, apply light fertilizer frequently; often spraying 1-3% nitrogen fertilizer and monopotassium phosphate on the leaves helps make the pearls more emerald and plump, improving their ornamental value.
5. Pest and disease prevention: There are few pests and diseases. Aphids in spring are one; wipe them off promptly or spray 1500 times omethoate to kill them. Mites in summer and autumn are another; use 1000 times dicofol to kill them. Pay attention to ventilation and increase leaf surface humidity to reduce mite infection.
6. Propagation: String of Pearls can be propagated by cuttings; the vines very easily produce aerial roots. In spring and autumn, cut off a few segments, bury half into sand or loose soil, keep moist but not waterlogged, and they will quickly take root for planting.
The vines very easily produce aerial roots. In spring and autumn, cut off a few segments, bury half into sand or loose soil, keep moist but not waterlogged, and they will quickly take root for planting (about half a month in spring and autumn, while rooting is difficult in winter and summer; when the potted plant is not uniform and full enough but has grown too long, this measure can be used to make up for it.) Spider plants can be propagated by division. Except in winter when the temperature is too low for division, it can be done in other seasons. For plants potted for 2-3 years, when repotting in spring, remove the old growing medium from the dense pot of seedlings, divide into two to several clumps, and pot them separately as new plants. Spider plants can also be propagated using the small plantlets on the runners. In the growing season, cut off the small plantlets on the runners, plant them in growing medium or water, and after the small plantlets grow roots, transplant them into pots. In addition, they can also be grown from seed, but this is generally seldom used.
Precautions for Growing String of Pearls
1. Because the leaves are fleshy and juicy, it is drought-tolerant. When growing it, watering should rather be too dry than too wet; this is one of the keys to success. When the weather is dry, spray water on the leaves and vines more often to make up for the lack of water and keep the pearls emerald and plump. It prefers semi-shade; strong sun exposure may scorch the pearls, while too weak light makes growth poor.
2. The root system is very shallow, so it can be planted in a shallow pot. Generally use a tile to cover the bottom hole, and spread a layer of coal cinder or coarse sand to increase air permeability and water filtration. For the soil, it is best to use leaf mold mixed with a certain amount of sand, with a soil to sand ratio of about 1:3.
3. It likes warmth and humidity, is fairly cold-tolerant and heat-tolerant; the optimum temperature is around 20°C~28°C. Growth is slow at both high and low temperatures; especially in high temperatures above 30°C it almost goes dormant, so water and fertilize less, otherwise root rot easily occurs -- this is also one of the keys to successful cultivation.
4. In the vigorous spring and autumn seasons, apply "light fertilizer frequently"; often spraying 1-3‰ nitrogen fertilizer and monopotassium phosphate on the leaves helps make the pearls more emerald and plump, improving their ornamental value.
Flowering Period
String of Pearls generally flowers between the end of December and January of the following year, and the flowering period does not last too long; however, exactly how long it lasts is also related to the temperature of the growing environment. The suitable temperature for this plant to flower is around 20°C; if the temperature is below this general temperature, the flowering period will be delayed, possibly as late as March.
What to Do When String of Pearls Withers
1. In terms of water, although String of Pearls is fairly drought-tolerant, it is also possible that it withers because of a lack of water. In relatively hot and dry weather, you can spray a little water on the leaves and vines every day so the leaves stay emerald green, plump and cute. Also be careful to place it in a semi-shady spot for care.
2. Another point is that its root system is very shallow, so it is more suitable for growing in a shallower pot, which makes the soil better aerated and better drained. Of course, it is even better to put some coal cinder or coarse sand at the bottom of the pot. You can also add a little sand or leaf mold to the soil to make it better aerated.
Increase soil aeration
3. Temperature can also cause this withering in String of Pearls. Although it is fairly cold-tolerant, too low a temperature is also not good; the most suitable temperature should be between 15 and 25°C, and even in winter the temperature should be above 5°C. But when the temperature is relatively high, be careful not to water too much, and the amount of fertilizer also needs to be reduced, so as not to harm the plant's health.
Maintain a suitable temperature
4. Another possibility for the leaves of String of Pearls withering is insufficient nutrients. In this case, you can increase fertilizing and use more light fertilizer, especially in spring and autumn, but not too much. You can also spray a little 1/1000 to 3 nitrogen fertilizer or monopotassium phosphate on the leaves, thus ensuring the leaves stay plump and dripping, and more beautiful.