Variegated String of Pearls Care

All about variegated string of pearls care!

Light

The variegated string of pearls thrives in bright, indirect light. Put it in your sunniest window or a spot that gets filtered sun outdoors in the spring and summer. I have great success with putting plants in the bright shade of my covered porch.

It can even withstand some direct sunlight…but be careful! Too much direct sunlight can cause the variegation to lose its luster and lead to sunburns on the leaves. You’ll want to slowly acclimate the plant to direct sunlight.

And consider that the sun is not as harsh during some periods of the day. A few hours of direct morning sunlight should not be a problem. But once the afternoon sun starts heating things up, consider providing some shade.

Variegated string of pearls isn’t the biggest fan of medium or low light environments, though. If you aren’t giving your plant enough light, you’ll notice that the plant will get leggy. The stems will look scraggly and stretched out, and the leaves will be small and not as plump.

Water

The variegated string of pearls stores water in its plump leaves. That means that it is able to withstand long periods between watering—something it has evolved to do thanks to the lack of water in its natural habitat.

So how often should you water it? The key here is moderation. Follow the principle of “soak and dry.” Give your plant a deep drink, allowing water to penetrate the soil and reach the roots. Let all of the excess water flow from your pot’s drainage holes.

Then let the soil dry out completely before the next watering session. As a general rule, you can water this beauty every two weeks or so during the spring and summer. Remember that overwatering can cause root rot, leaving your plant with a wilted, sad look and mushy leaves (see below).

As winter approaches, your plant will go into a semi-dormant state, and its water needs diminish. During this period, cut back on watering to about once a month. 

Forget the last time you watered your plant? Keep an eye on the leaves; they will tell you if your plant needs water. When plump and taut, your variegated string of pearls is content. When a little wrinkled or deflated, it’s time to water.

Soil

Any cactus or succulent soil will do just fine because they come pre-mixed with things like perlite, rocks, and sand. These things help prevent the soil from retaining too much water. They also help the water flow through the soil and out of the pot’s drainage holes, ensuring the roots aren’t totally waterlogged.

I like to make my own succulent mixes at home and have a tutorial all about How to Make Succulent Soil. At the very least, I like to keep some perlite on hand so I can mix it into heavier soils to lighten things up!

Temperature

In its native habitat, the variegated string of pearls grows in a desert climate and enjoys a lot of heat. It flourishes in temperatures that rise into the 80s and even 90s Fahrenheit during the day.

Temperatures down into the 60s at night are fine and can even help encourage blooms on the string of pearls. But any temperatures below about 50 degrees at night will likely lead to signs of suffering. It definitely isn’t cold or frost hardy and will die if temperatures get too low—especially if they remain low during the day.

Humidity

Generally succulents don’t need a lot of humidity. String of pearls plants thrive in dry air. In fact, higher humidity levels and more moisture in the air might lead to fungal issues on the plant.

That said, I have had succulents—including string of pearls plants—outdoors in the super humid Maryland environment. And they absolutely thrive. So, don’t overthink it. And try to water in the morning so that the day’s heat can dry off any moisture on the leaves before nightfall.

Growth

Variegated plants in general grow a bit slower than their non-variegated counterparts. That’s because the lighter parts lack chlorophyll, which is an essential part of the photosynthesis process. So variegated string of pearls grows pretty slowly.

That means you don’t have to repot the plant very often. Your plant will likely be in a smaller pot when you get it, and I wouldn’t repot it until the roots begin growing out of the pot’s drainage holes. It will probably take several years before you need to size the pot up.

When you do need to repot the plant, make sure to use fresh soil and size the pot up only about an inch. You don’t want to have too much soil.

Pruning

You may lose some leaves here and there, which can lead to stringy-looking plants. Or, if you have your plant in lower-light environments and it gets leggy, it might also look a bit sad.

You can make your string of pearls plant look fuller and lush by pruning it. Pruning plants can be scary—I know. But sometimes cutting your stems down is the best way forward.

The plant will then sprout new growth from just above the cut area, eventually leading to a fuller look. You can also root the cuttings and put them back into the pot, adding more stems that can also contribute to a fuller look.

Propagation

It’s pretty easy to propagate a variegated string of pearls cutting, too! You can either put them in new pots or pop them back into your plant’s pot. Here are the steps to propagate it from cuttings:

• Select a healthy, well-established stem from your plant. Ensure it’s at least a few inches long with a few sets of leaves. Remove the bottom few leaves to expose the growth points.

• Set it aside in a warm, dry spot for about a day or two to allow the cut end to callus over. This callus formation helps prevent rotting when the cutting is planted.
• Plant in fresh, well-draining succulent soil.
• Place in a warm and bright location, but avoid direct sunlight. Keep the soil lightly moist to encourage root development.

Within a few weeks to a couple of months, you should start to see the roots establishing themselves. New shoots will emerge, and your baby variegated string of pearls will be on its way to becoming its own plant!

Toxicity

Variegated string of pearls contains compounds that can be toxic when ingested. Ingesting any part of the plant could lead to mild to moderate gastrointestinal upset, including symptoms like drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea. 

In more severe cases, excessive consumption could lead to more serious issues, so it’s best to keep this succulent away from pets. While not as harmful to people as it is to pets, it can still cause mild stomach upset if ingested. 

So it’s best to keep it away from kids as well. But it’s perfectly safe to have in your home and to handle! Just look at it—don’t eat it.

Wrapping up…

I hope you’re feeling more confident about nurturing your own variegated string of pearls. Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a budding plant enthusiast, variegated pearls will make a great addition to your collection!

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