Senecio – String of Pearls!

Senecio is an ornamental succulent with remarkable pearl-like “leaves” that is sure to catch the eye of everyone who visits your home – a perfect plant for indoor décor.

Senecio is usually grown as an ornamental plant, most often in hanging baskets with its trailing stems spilling over the edge of the container. It can be grown indoors or outdoors (above freezing temperatures) and is low-maintenance.

Like most succulents, it needs very little water (around once a month), a few hours of direct sunlight, and is not affected by humidity. Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot, so a sandy soil is recommended.

String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) is a flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is a creeping, perennial succulent native to the drier parts of south-west Africa. In the wild, its stems root wherever they touch the ground, forming 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!

Its species name, rowleyanus, honours the British botanist Gordon Douglas Rowley, who specialised in cacti and succulents.

It flowers in summer and, like all members of the daisy family, has composite flowers. The flowers last about a month and are said to smell of cinnamon and other spices.

The unusual shape of its leaves allows it to store water, as the plant usually grows in arid environments.
This greatly reduces water loss through evaporation compared with the flat leaves of most flowering plants.

This plant is easy to propagate: take a 10 cm cutting of healthy stem and cover it lightly with moist potting mix. Roots will quickly form where the leaves join the stem.

Plant height: 15 cm

Pot diameter: 12 cm