String of Teardrops (String of Tears) care

Light

Bright but filtered. String of Teardrops burns within days in unfiltered south-facing summer sun, and stops growing within months in deep shade. Needs 4–6 hours of bright, indirect light daily. An east- or west-facing windowsill works well. Avoid intense midday sun, which scorches and bleaches the delicate leaves. Can accept 1–2 hours of gentle direct morning sun. If you only have a south window, set the plant back 1.5 m or hang a sheer curtain — both knock the intensity down into the right range.

Watering

Watering string of teardrops: every 2–3 weeks in the growing season (autumn–spring); once a month or less in summer dormancy. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Use the soak-and-dry method: water thoroughly until it drains freely, then wait for the mix to become bone dry before watering again. Overwatering is the primary cause of root rot and plant collapse.

Soil and pot

String of Teardrops grows best in gritty cactus and succulent mix. Use a commercial cactus mix amended with 30–50% perlite or coarse pumice. Fast drainage is essential; the mix must not retain moisture around the fleshy roots. Repot into terracotta or unglazed ceramic to encourage evaporation. 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 Teardrops sits happiest at around 20–40% humidity and 10–27°C (50–80°F). Prefers low humidity typical of most indoor environments. Avoid bathrooms or kitchens with consistently high moisture, which encourages fungal rot. Good air circulation around the trailing stems is important. If you keep the room above 10–27°C 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 teardrops sparingly. Feed monthly during active growth (autumn to spring) with a balanced liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Do not feed during summer dormancy. 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 teardrops in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Root rot from overwatering — The most frequent cause of plant death. Stems turn mushy and leaves drop. Allow soil to dry completely between waterings and ensure the pot has excellent drainage.
• Leggy, stretched growth — Caused by insufficient light. Move the plant closer to a bright window or supplement with a grow light. Prune excessively stretched stems to encourage bushier regrowth.
• Leaf drop during summer — Normal behavior — this species is summer-dormant. Reduce watering sharply in July–August and resume in September when new growth appears.

Propagation

Stem cuttings taken in spring or autumn. Snip a healthy stem 5–8 cm long, remove the lowest pair of leaves, and allow the cut end to callous for 2–3 days. Place on barely moist succulent mix. Roots form within 3–4 weeks. 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 Teardrops is toxic to pets. Listed as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses by the ASPCA. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage with repeated ingestion. Contact with sap may irritate sensitive skin. Symptoms in pets include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and lethargy. 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 Teardrops deep-dive guides

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

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

Featured in these plant shortlists

String of Teardrops qualifies for 6 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Best succulents for beginners — The easiest succulents and cacti to keep alive — selected by documented growth habit, each with the light and watering it actually wants.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

String of Teardrops is also known as String of Teardrops, String of Tears, and String of Lemons.

• Utricularia livida care — light, water and common problems
• Utricularia longifolia care — light, water and common problems
• Utricularia alpina care — light, water and common problems
• All 6887 plant care guides in the Growli library