String of Raindrops (String of Tears) care

Light

String of Raindrops is what florists mean by "bright spot, no direct sun" — close enough to a south or east window to feel the brightness, with a sheer curtain or a few feet of distance keeping the sun off the leaves. Give it bright, indirect light for most of the day, such as a spot near an east or west window or just back from a bright south-facing one. A little gentle morning sun is fine, but harsh midday sun through glass scorches the soft leaves. Too little light makes stems stretch and the leaves space out and pale. A phone lux-meter at the leaf surface should read 1,500-3,000 lux at noon.

Watering

Water string of raindrops when the compost is dry right through, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and every 3-4 weeks in winter. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage holes, then let the mix dry out completely before the next drink; the plump leaves hold a reserve, so it copes with drought far better than with wet feet. Plump, firm leaves mean it is happy; shrivelled leaves signal thirst, while soft, translucent or mushy ones mean overwatering. Cut back sharply in the cooler, darker months.

Soil and pot

String of Raindrops grows best in free-draining cactus or succulent mix. Use a gritty, fast-draining medium: a bagged cactus and succulent compost loosened with extra perlite, coarse sand or fine grit (roughly one part grit to two parts compost). The aim is a mix that holds a little moisture but drains in seconds, since this species is very prone to root rot. Always plant in a pot with drainage holes. 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 Raindrops sits happiest at around 30-50% humidity and 18-27°C (65-80°F). Average, fairly dry household air suits it well and it needs no misting; as a succulent it actively dislikes prolonged damp, humid conditions, which encourage rot and fungal problems. Good airflow around the trailing stems is more useful than added humidity. If you keep the room above 18 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 raindrops sparingly. Feed sparingly: a balanced houseplant or cactus feed diluted to half strength, around once a month through spring and summer only. It is a light feeder and over-fertilising produces weak, leggy growth. Stop feeding entirely in autumn and winter while 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 raindrops in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Root rot from overwatering — The single biggest killer. Soggy or slow-draining compost turns stems and leaves soft, yellow and translucent. Always let the mix dry fully, use a gritty medium and a pot with drainage holes.
• Shrivelled, wrinkled leaves — Slightly deflated or wrinkled teardrops usually mean underwatering or, in summer, too much heat and sun. A good soak normally plumps them back up within a day or two.
• Leggy, sparse stems — Stretched stems with widely spaced, paler leaves indicate too little light. Move it somewhere brighter (indirect) and pinch back long stems to encourage fuller, more compact growth.
• Mealybugs and scale — White cottony mealybugs in leaf joints and small scale insects are the main pests. Dab them with a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol, or treat with insecticidal soap, and isolate the plant until clear.

Companion plants

String of Raindrops pairs well with String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus), String of bananas (Curio radicans), Echeveria, Haworthia, and Ceropegia woodii (string of hearts). 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

Easy from stem cuttings in spring or summer. Snip a healthy length of stem, remove the lowest leaves and let the cut end callus for a day or two, then lay or shallowly plant it on top of barely moist, gritty succulent mix; the nodes root readily where they touch the soil. Keep it warm and bright but out of direct sun, and water lightly until rooted. 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 Raindrops is toxic to pets. String of raindrops (Curio citriformis) is not individually listed on the ASPCA toxic/non-toxic plant database. However, the ASPCA does flag its close relative string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) as causing stomach upset (chiefly vomiting) and lethargy if eaten, and lists several other Senecio species (such as ragwort and groundsel) as toxic to cats and dogs due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids. On that genus-level basis we treat this plant as toxic and recommend keeping it out of reach of pets; the sap can also irritate skin, so wear gloves when handling. 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 Raindrops deep-dive guides

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

• String of Raindrops watering schedule
• String of Raindrops light requirements
• Best soil mix for string of raindrops
• String of Raindrops fertilizing guide
• When to repot string of raindrops
• How to propagate string of raindrops
• String of Raindrops growth rate & size
• String of Raindrops cold hardiness
• String of Raindrops temperature & humidity
• Is string of raindrops toxic to cats & dogs?

Related guides

String of Raindrops is also known as String of Raindrops, String of Tears, Tear-drop Senecio, and Lemon Bean Bush.

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