Temperature
55–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
String of pearls
Curio rowleyanus
String of pearls wants direct light and water every 12 to 21 days, once the pearls lose their firmness and start to flatten. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Direct
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
A south or east window within two feet of the glass, ideally hanging. Grown dim, the pearls space out and the strand goes bare.
Water
Every 12–21 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the pearls lose their firmness and start to flatten, not on a schedule.
Humidity
20% and up
Fine in normal household air. Prefers 40%.
Difficulty
Demanding
Scores 4 of 5: Scores 4 of 5: it looks unkillable and is not. The shallow roots rot within days in a deep wet pot, and by the time the strand shrivels the roots are already gone.
Habit
Trailing
Grows to 6–36 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — poison severity low
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Reported signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Pyrrolizideine alkaloid · Ingestion of the leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The plant's sap can cause skin irritation and rash.
Light
Direct light. A south or east window within two feet of the glass, ideally hanging. Grown dim, the pearls space out and the strand goes bare.
Water
Every 12 to 21 days in a 6-inch pot, when the pearls lose their firmness and start to flatten.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the pearls lose their firmness and start to flatten |
Soil and potting
Two parts cactus mix, one part pumice.
Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Root rot act today
- Leggy growth monitor
- Drooping act today
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
Propagation
Stem cutting in soil. Roots in 14 to 28 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 14–28 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Curio rowleyanus Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q50840601 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Curio rowleyanus Accepted name; family Asteraceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Curio rowleyanus Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02