String of pearls
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Middling It gives warning, with time to act.
Also called Bead Plant, Irish Beads, Necklace Plant, Rosary Vine, String of Beads, String of Marbles and String of Peas.
String of pearls is toxic
- Not assessed for cats. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for dogs. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Toxic to people. The sap can irritate skin, and eating any part may upset the stomach. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it. RHS
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shadeRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
Most foliage plants prefer more humidity than a heated room gives; succulents are named as an exceptionPenn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H2 — 1–5°C 1–5 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Chalk, Loam, Sand; pH NeutralRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- The sap can irritate skin, and eating any part may upset the stomach. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How it usually goes wrong
- Dry scorched spots after a move into a sunnier spot
On a string of pearls the scorch appears within a few days of a sunny spell or a move, and it does not spread afterward.
Glass concentrates what would be tolerable outdoors, because it holds the heat and removes the moving air that carried it away. Its source describes full sun, partial shade.
Telling it apart: Whether it appeared after a move. Scorch follows a change in position within days.
RHSDiagnose spots on the leaves on this String of pearls- Leaves soften and curl inward
The string of pearls hangs evenly all over, and the compost has gone pale and hard. Nothing is spotted or rotten; the plant is simply short of water.
Its source describes well-drained soil. Below that the cells lose pressure, and pressure is what holds a leaf out straight.
Telling it apart: Water it and look the same evening. A thirsty plant firms up fast; one that does not has a root problem instead.
RHSString of pearls soft or mushy stem: causes- Swollen, darkening leaves that come away at a touch
Soft, discoloured tissue appears where the leaves join the stem of the string of pearls, and the compost smells stale rather than earthy.
A plant that stores its own water has little use for more. Kept in well-drained soil that stays wet, the stored tissue takes up water it cannot release and the cell walls give way.
Telling it apart: Press one gently. A dehydrated leaf is leathery and springs back; a waterlogged one stays dented.
RHSString of pearls leaves falling off: causes
Not sure which it is? Ask the diagnosis questions for String of pearls.
Routine care
- Watering
- It copes with infrequent watering, but too much water can cause root rot. The rounded leaves expose less surface to dry desert air, so they lose less water or moisture.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Over winter, give little water and hold the temperature between 13°C and 16°C (55-60°F).RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Rather than reviving an old plant, start new ones from stem cuttings. This is quick and easy: take a stem cutting 3 to 5 inches long and bury a few nodes in potting mix so new roots can form.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026In spring and summer, increase from softwood cuttings, internodal cuttings or division.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- To promote new growth, cut weak or straggly stems back to the plant's base.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Glasshouse red spider mite, aphids and whitefly can attack it. Disease is uncommon.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Curio rowleyanus, syn. Senecio rowleyanus, is a flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is a creeping, perennial, succulent vine native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. In its natural environment its stems trail on the ground, rooting where they touch and form dense mats. It often avoids direct sunlight by growing in the shade of other plants and rocks. It is commonly known as string-of-pearls or string-of-beads.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- Cape Prov.World Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026South Africa--Cape ProvincesNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026S.W.Africa- NamibiaRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- subtropicalWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- Succulent, Vine; habit cascading, creepingNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Trailing (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 12–24 in; width 12–36 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Height Up to 10 cm; spread 0.1-0.5 metres after 1–2 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers white; blooms in summerNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Flowers cream in summer; white in summerRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Uses
What sources record people using this plant for. A traditional or medicinal use listed here is a record of use, not advice to eat it or treat anything with it.
Houseplant. Toxic if eaten.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
Common problems with String of pearls
Other Curio
More of the Asteraceae family
Barberton daisyEdges of the leaves brown while the middle stays sound
Purple passionLeaf blade tips go crisp and brown
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Candy LeafSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Florist's chrysanthemumSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Lavender StepsSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Plants with similar care
Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.