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Plant care

String of Needles (Rosary Vine) care

Ceropegia linearis

Also called String of Needles, Rosary Vine, Needle Vine.

RHS H2USDA 10-12Mildly toxic to petsIndoor Stems trail 30-90 cm

Watering rhythm

10-14days

When the top 3-5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and every 3-4 weeks in winter

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Light

Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)

Soil

Free-draining cactus or succulent mix

Humidity

30-50%

Temp

13-25°C

Pet safety

Mildly toxic to pets

Mature size

Stems trail 30-90 cm

Care at a glance

Light

In the wild string of needles grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Thrives in bright indirect light or a few hours of gentle morning sun. Avoid harsh afternoon direct sun which can scorch the delicate foliage. A west- or east-facing windowsill works well. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for when the top 3-5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and every 3-4 weeks in winter for string of needles, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Water thoroughly then allow the mix to partially dry before watering again. Ceropegia stores water in its tuber-like roots and tolerates drought much better than overwatering. Reduce watering significantly in winter.

Soil and pot

String of Needles grows best in free-draining cactus or succulent mix. A well-aerated cactus mix blended with additional perlite (around 30%) provides the drainage this species needs. Standard potting compost alone retains too much moisture. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

String of Needles sits happiest at around 30-50% humidity and 13-25°C (55-77°F). Tolerates average household humidity. Does not require misting and should not be kept in consistently damp conditions, which encourage stem rot. If you keep the room above 13 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed string of needles sparingly. Apply a diluted balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength once a month from spring through early autumn. Do not feed in winter when growth slows. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on string of needles in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Root rot — Caused by overwatering or poorly draining soil. Ensure the mix dries out adequately between waterings and use a pot with drainage holes.
  • Shrivelled leaves — Paradoxically this can indicate both underwatering and overwatering (rotted roots). Check the soil and roots before watering.
  • Mealybugs — Commonly found at leaf nodes; treat with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab or a systemic insecticide for severe infestations.
  • Pale or yellowing leaves — Usually a sign of insufficient light or overwatering. Move to a brighter spot and reassess the watering schedule.
  • Leggy growth — Stems become long and bare with widely spaced leaves in low light. Trim and move the plant to brighter conditions.

Companion plants

String of Needles pairs well with Ceropegia woodii, Hoya carnosa, Sedum morganianum, and Senecio rowleyanus. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Take 8-12 cm stem cuttings in spring or summer, allow the cut end to callous for a day, then root in barely moist cactus mix. The small tubers at stem nodes can also be detached and planted shallowly. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

String of Needles is mildly toxic to pets. Ceropegia linearis is not individually listed by the ASPCA. The genus belongs to the Apocynaceae family; while many Ceropegia species are considered low-risk, the absence of a confirmed ASPCA non-toxic listing warrants a conservative mildly-toxic rating. Keep away from cats and dogs. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

String of Needles care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Ceropegia linearis?

Ceropegia linearis is most commonly called String of Needles, but it is also known as String of Needles, Rosary Vine, Needle Vine. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for String of Needles apply identically to anything sold as Rosary Vine.

How much light does string of needles need?

String of Needles grows best in bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window). Thrives in bright indirect light or a few hours of gentle morning sun. Avoid harsh afternoon direct sun which can scorch the delicate foliage. A west- or east-facing windowsill works well.

How often should I water string of needles?

Water string of needles when the top 3-5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and every 3-4 weeks in winter. Water thoroughly then allow the mix to partially dry before watering again. Ceropegia stores water in its tuber-like roots and tolerates drought much better than overwatering. Reduce watering significantly in winter. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is string of needles toxic to cats and dogs?

String of Needles is mildly toxic to pets. Ceropegia linearis is not individually listed by the ASPCA. The genus belongs to the Apocynaceae family; while many Ceropegia species are considered low-risk, the absence of a confirmed ASPCA non-toxic listing warrants a conservative mildly-toxic rating. Keep away from cats and dogs.

What USDA hardiness zone does string of needles grow in?

String of Needles is rated for USDA zone 10-12 (indoor-only in most US and UK homes) and RHS hardiness H2. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

String of Needles deep-dive guides

Every aspect of string of needles care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

String of Needles qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

String of Needles is also known as String of Needles, Rosary Vine, and Needle Vine.