Calling all low-maintenance gardeners! If you’re on the hunt for an easy succulent to grow indoors, the string of pearls is the one for you. Its unique, beaded necklace-like texture offers a pretty focal point in your home and looks so beautiful spilling over the edges of containers or hanging baskets. Its faint white blooms also smell a bit like cinnamon!
String of pearls grows really well in bright light, including sunlight. Normal house temperatures (around 72 degrees) are ideal for these sweet little plants, but when they’re dormant they require lower temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees. They like well draining, sandy soil – the same type in which you would plant any other succulent or cacti.
These succulent plants require very little care, and since they are drought tolerant they can survive long stretches without water. This little gem is so good at storing water that you can even water it thoroughly one week and then forget about it for the next week or two! Watering your string of pearls too often can cause root rot, so be sure to let the soil dry out at least half an inch or so between waterings. Never let it sit in water. In the winter you can even cut back watering to about once a month.
Pruning may be required to maintain a certain size or appearance. You’ll want to trim off any dead stems and pearls as well as any stems that have lost their “beads”. The more you prune, the fuller and more compact your plant will be. When the stems start to get really long, you might trim them a little bit and can even pinch it off with your finger. The longer it gets, it will start pulling out of the middle and will make the middle of your plant get skinny.
