# String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus (syn. Senecio rowleyanus))

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/string-of-pearls · Updated: 2026-10-07
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/plants/string-of-pearls)

String of pearls · also called String of beads, Rosary vine, Senecio rowleyanus  
indoor · exotic · family Asteraceae · grows 0.3–0.6 m tall, 0.3–0.9 m wide · moderate growth  
part shade · low water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 1 · salt 1 · drought 3 · shade 1 · ease of care 2  
Sow or plant: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov  
Uses: indoor, container

A trailing succulent with bead-like leaves that suits a bright hanging pot. Dry AC air is not its problem; overwatering, dim light and hot glass are. Toxic to pets, and short-lived: plan to take cuttings.

## About

Meet string of pearls, the plant that looks like a beaded curtain. Slender stems carry small, round, pea-like leaves, and in a hanging pot they spill down for 30 to 90 cm (NC State Extension gives a spread of 1 to 3 feet).

It is also one of the more particular. NC State describes it as fussy: it dislikes overwatering, underwatering and too little light, and the plant declines after a few years. The RHS says it is easily damaged or killed by overwatering.

Its Dubai twist runs opposite to the ferns. The RHS says it dislikes humidity and needs good air flow, so dry air-conditioned air is not what hurts it. What hurts it here is too little bright light behind tinted glass, too much water, and hot summer glass.

String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus) is a trailing, evergreen succulent in the daisy family, Asteraceae. NC State gives 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide. Dubai shops still mostly sell it under the old name, Senecio rowleyanus, though the RHS lists both.

Light should be bright. The RHS says near an east- or west-facing window, kept out of midday summer sun, which scorches the leaves; without enough light the stems become weak and straggly. In Dubai that means the brightest sill you have, behind a sheer curtain in the hottest months, and not a dim shelf at the back of the room.

Water lightly from April to September and let the compost dry out between waterings; in winter water only sparingly, if at all, just enough to stop the leaves shrivelling (RHS). NC State also says never to let it dry out completely. It dislikes humidity, so never mist it, and it needs air flow; the RHS gives a comfortable range of 10 to 25°C, away from draughts and heat sources.

The RHS says the plant is poisonous and the sap can cause severe skin irritation, and the ASPCA lists string of pearls as toxic to pets. NC State says plants die back after several years, so renew them from cuttings: a 10 cm stem roots in about a month (RHS).

## Indoors in Dubai

- **Light:** grows well in bright indirect light. Bright light near an east- or west-facing window, kept out of midday summer sun (RHS). Tinted glass can leave it weak and straggly, so use the brightest sill, with a sheer curtain in summer.
- **Dry air and air conditioning:** tolerance 4 out of 5 (1 = needs humidity help, 5 = indifferent). Dry air suits it (the RHS says it dislikes humidity), so skip the misting. Keep it out of the vent's draught and off hot summer glass; wet compost is the usual killer, so let it dry between waterings.
- **Pets:** not pet-safe: keep it out of reach of cats and dogs.
- **Size:** tabletop.
- **Rooms:** living room, home office, kitchen, bedroom.
- **Finding it in Dubai:** specialist: look in specialist plant shops and larger garden centres.
- **Outdoors:** never: keep it indoors all year.

## Through the year

String of pearls keeps its beaded strings all year, so the calendar is about water and light. From April to September the RHS says to water lightly, let the compost dry between waterings and feed half-strength once a month or less. In the hot months, from about June to September, the risks are scorching on hot glass and the roots rotting if you water to a routine. From about November to February, water only sparingly, if at all, and give it the brightest light you have. October to November and February to April are the months to buy and pot up, so the plant is not carried home in summer heat.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov | Plant: Buy and pot up | Cooler months, so the plant is not carried home in summer heat. Use a free-draining succulent mix. |
| Apr–Sep | Feed: Feed monthly at most | The RHS says half-strength general-purpose liquid fertiliser, once a month or less, April to September. |
| Apr–Oct | Pest watch: Check for aphids and mealybugs | The RHS lists aphids and mealybugs as the sap-sucking pests. |
| Jun–Sep | Heat stress: Hot glass scorches it | Keep it out of midday summer sun (RHS); it prefers 10 to 25°C. |
| Nov–Feb | Dormant: Water sparingly, if at all | The RHS says just make sure the leaves do not start to shrivel. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Water lightly from April to September and let the compost dry out between waterings (RHS); never let it dry out completely (NC State). If the pearls shrivel it is thirsty; if the stem turns mushy it has been overwatered.
- **Watering in winter:** Water only sparingly, if at all, just enough to stop the leaves shrivelling (RHS).
- **Soil:** A free-draining succulent or cactus mix, or two parts loam-based, peat-free compost to one part horticultural grit (RHS). NC State says it needs good drainage.
- **Feeding:** A half-strength general-purpose liquid fertiliser once a month or less, April to September (RHS).
- **Pruning:** Trim overgrown stems with scissors; they regrow. Wear gloves, because the sap can cause skin irritation (RHS).
- **Planting:** Repot only into a pot slightly larger than the old one (RHS). Take a 10 cm stem cutting and insert it into moist, peat-free compost with added grit: it roots in about a month (RHS). NC State says plants die back after several years, so propagate rather than try to revive an old one.
- **Pests and problems:** Aphids; Mealybugs; Fungus gnats
- **Toxicity:** Toxic to pets, according to the ASPCA's article on succulents, which lists string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) and says that if eaten it can cause stomach upset, mainly vomiting, and lethargy. NC State says it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and the RHS says the sap can cause severe skin irritation. Wear gloves when you trim it and hang it out of reach.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Unusual bead-like leaves trail beautifully from a hanging pot
- Dislikes humidity (RHS), so dry AC air does not trouble it
- Needs little feeding: monthly at most, at half strength (RHS)
- Stem cuttings root in about a month (RHS), so it is easy to renew

**Cons**
- Toxic to pets (ASPCA), and the sap irritates skin (RHS)
- Easily killed by overwatering (RHS)
- Goes weak and straggly without bright light (RHS)
- Scorches on hot summer glass, and declines after a few years (NC State)

## Common mistakes

- Overwatering. The RHS says these plants are easily damaged or killed by overwatering, and stem rot and shrivelling follow. Let the compost dry out between waterings.
- Misting it or grouping it with the ferns. The RHS says it dislikes humidity, to never mist it, and that it needs good air flow.
- Putting it on a dim shelf. The RHS says without enough light the stems become weak and straggly. Use the brightest east- or west-facing sill, out of midday summer sun.
- Hanging it where pets can reach it. The ASPCA lists string of pearls as toxic, causing vomiting and lethargy, and the RHS says the sap can cause severe skin irritation.
- Trying to rescue an old plant. NC State says plants die back after several years; take cuttings instead.

## Good to know

- The ASPCA lists string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) as toxic, saying it can cause stomach upset, mainly vomiting, and lethargy. NC State adds that it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and the RHS says the sap can cause severe skin irritation.
- The plant was moved from Senecio to Curio, but Dubai shops such as Greenie and Royal Plantscape still list it as Senecio rowleyanus. The RHS lists both names.
- NC State rates it high maintenance for how particular it is, even though it is easy to start: expect to renew it from cuttings every few years.
- On 7 October 2026 Royal Plantscape listed string of pearls at AED 120, in stock, and Greenie at AED 125, with all sizes sold out. Prices and stock change.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Hanging pot, High shelf trailer, Bright windowsill, Sculptural trailer

Hang string of pearls where bright light comes in from an east- or west-facing window, but where the midday summer sun does not reach it, ideally behind a sheer curtain. Because the stems are toxic, hang it high and out of reach of pets and children. Keep it clear of the vent's draught and away from heaters, and give it a pot with drainage holes.

- [Hoya](https://plantguide.ae/plants/hoya.md): Hoya's waxy, trailing leaves give a second shape in the same bright window, and it suits a similar dry-between-waterings rhythm.
- [Zebra haworthia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zebra-haworthia.md): A low, spiky haworthia rosette beneath the hanging strands shares the bright, indirect light and the water-sparingly rhythm.
- [Jade Plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/jade-plant.md): Jade's thick upright stems anchor a bright sill beneath the trailing strings, and both need the compost to dry between waterings. Both are toxic to pets (ASPCA).

## FAQ

**Why are my string of pearls shrivelling or going mushy?**  
Shrivelled pearls usually mean it is thirsty, and the RHS says to make sure the leaves do not start to shrivel even in winter. Mushy stems or collapsing strands usually mean overwatering; the RHS says these plants are easily killed that way. Let the compost dry between waterings.

**Does string of pearls like humidity?**  
No. The RHS says it dislikes humidity, to never mist it, and that it needs good air flow. That makes it one of the few trailing plants that does not mind dry air-conditioned rooms, provided it is kept out of the direct vent draught.

**Is string of pearls safe for cats and dogs?**  
No. The ASPCA lists it as toxic, and chewing can cause vomiting and lethargy. The sap also irritates skin (RHS). Hang it high or keep it where pets cannot reach.

**How much light does it need in a Dubai flat?**  
Bright light near an east- or west-facing window, out of midday summer sun (RHS). Tinted glass can leave a dim room too dark for it, in which case the stems go straggly. Use the brightest sill you have, behind a sheer curtain in summer.

**How long does string of pearls live?**  
Often only a few years. NC State says plants die back after several years and suggests propagating rather than trying to revive. A 10 cm stem cutting roots in about a month (RHS).

## Related plants

[Jade Plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/jade-plant.md) · [Hoya](https://plantguide.ae/plants/hoya.md) · [Zebra haworthia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zebra-haworthia.md) · [Pothos](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pothos.md) · [Ponytail palm](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ponytail-palm.md)

## Photos

![Botanical specimen in Wilhelma Zoo - Stuttgart, Germany.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Adenia_globosa_-_Wilhelma_Zoo_-_Stuttgart%2C_Germany_-_DSC01722.jpg)  
Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adenia_globosa_-_Wilhelma_Zoo_-_Stuttgart,_Germany_-_DSC01722.jpg))

![Senecio rowleyanus leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Senecio_rowleyanus_leaves.jpg)  
Photo: Flickr user Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Senecio_rowleyanus_leaves.jpg))

![Erbse am Band (Senecio rowleyanus) (31772262164)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Erbse_am_Band_%28Senecio_rowleyanus%29_%2831772262164%29.jpg)  
Photo: Maja Dumat from Deutschland (Germany) / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erbse_am_Band_(Senecio_rowleyanus)_(31772262164).jpg))

![Senecio rowleyanus (4256691275)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Senecio_rowleyanus_%284256691275%29.jpg)  
Photo: Leonora Enking from West Sussex, England / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Senecio_rowleyanus_(4256691275).jpg))

## Sources

- [RHS: How to grow string of beads](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/string-of-beads/how-to-grow-string-of-beads)
- [RHS: Curio rowleyanus](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/353584/curio-rowleyanus/details)
- [NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Curio rowleyanus](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/curio-rowleyanus/)
- [ASPCA: Are succulents safe to have around pets?](https://www.aspca.org/news/are-succulents-safe-have-around-pets)
- [Royal Plantscape: String of pearls (price and stock, checked 7 October 2026)](https://www.royalplantscape.com/products/string-of-pearls-senecio-rowleyanus)
- [Greenie: String of pearls (price and stock, checked 7 October 2026)](https://www.greenie.ae/products/string-of-pearls-senecio-rowleyanus)