String Of Pearls - Plant of the Month
Although they make the perfect hanging plant, String of Pearls (or Senecio Rowleyanus) are naturally found spreading across the desert floors of South West Africa, rooting wherever they find soil. Because of their spreading nature, these beautiful succulents are very easily propagated (see below).
Although found in the desert where they receive intensely bright sunlight, as a house plant they do well on only a couple of hours of direct light a day, or even in a spot with bright but indirect light. However they will not tolerate full shade, as the rounded leaves make photosynthesising difficult so their thin narrow "slit" (which acts as a light window) must see some sun. In the summer months it's best to house them somewhere they won't be in the full midday sun as they can burn once adjusted to the less intense sun we get in the UK!
As the Senecio Rowleyanus is a desert plant it only requires minimal watering, with the soil being left to mostly dry out before wetting again. Drainage is key to this plants survival as they are prone to root rot and will quickly die off if left sitting in water. They prefer a warmer spot in summer, ideally 18-24 degrees.
In winter, watering should be cut back to about once every month/six weeks (depending on the climate of your space) or when they soil feels dry to the touch. They also prefer cooler temperatures in the winter, and can tolerate cold down to about 10 degrees!
If kept in the right conditions during the colder months, String of Pearls plants will send out a mass of delicate white flowers down it's length in the spring.
When in the right habitat, this plant will thrive and proves to be extremely rewarding to watch grow. As mentioned above, their crawling nature also makes them very easy to propagate (outlined instructions below) meaning you can trim any overgrown lengths and start a whole new plant for you or a friend!
To Propagate:
Select a pot with sufficient drainage and fill with cactus soil or another free draining compost.
Dampen the surface of your compost and take a healthy cutting from your plant, roughly 10cm/4inches long.
Insert the cut end, and any following stem, into the compost until the leaves are almost covered. The cutting will root from where the leaves meet the stem.
String of pearls tend to root quickly so you should see your plant begin to thrive in a short amount of time, crawling across the surface of the compost and rooting as it goes, before trailing down the side of your pot.
When re potting, make sure to carefully wrap the stems around and upwards so they are sat on top of the compost. Gently hold with the palm of your hand and tip upside down to release it from it's current pot.