Mature size & growth rate

How big does String of pickles (Othonna capensis 'Little Pickles' (syn. Crassothonna capensis)) get?

Also called ruby necklace, string of rubies, little pickles, string of pickles.

More about string of pickles

About String of pickles

Othonna capensis 'Little Pickles' (syn. Crassothonna capensis) · also called ruby necklace, string of rubies · houseplant

String of pickles (Othonna capensis 'Little Pickles') is a trailing South African succulent with bean-shaped leaves on purple stems that flush ruby-red in strong light, plus small yellow daisy flowers. It needs bright light, gritty soil, and sparse soak-and-dry watering. Not on the ASPCA list, so treat as mildly toxic and verify with a vet.

Mature size: Slender stems trail up to about 2 m (6 ft); spreads readily in a hanging pot or as ground cover.

Watch for — Leggy, stretched stems with sparse leaves: Insufficient light (etiolation); relocate closer to a sunny window.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

String of pickles does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims. Indoors and in a pot, expect slender stems trail up to about 2 m (6 ft). In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — spreads readily in a hanging pot or as ground cover. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Growth rate and years to mature

String of pickles is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: light feeder. apply a diluted (half- to quarter-strength) cactus or balanced fertiliser once a month during active growth in the cooler months; do not feed during summer dormancy or when growth has stalled.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the string of pickles repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast string of pickles grows.

How to keep string of pickles smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For string of pickles specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — string of pickles takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut.
Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser.
The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants.
A trim once or twice a season is usually enough to hold its length.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Decide the length you want. Pick the point each vine of string of pickles should stop — you can be aggressive; it regrows readily.
Cut just above a node. Snip about 0.5 cm above a leaf node so the stem branches there instead of dying back.
Root the cuttings. Drop the trimmed pieces in water or mix — they root in 2-4 weeks and can fill the same pot for a bushier look.
Repeat as it runs. Re-trim whenever it overshoots; regular light pruning keeps it both smaller and fuller.

How to grow string of pickles bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for string of pickles the accelerators are:

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth.
Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing.
Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The string of pickles light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When string of pickles outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for string of pickles:

Vines pooling on the floor or wrapping past where you want them — purely a trimming cue, not a repot one.
Bare, leggy stems with leaves only at the tips (usually a light problem, not a size one).
A tangled mass that has outrun its support and needs cutting back and re-training.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the string of pickles repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the string of pickles propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

String of pickles size — frequently asked questions

How big does string of pickles get?

String of pickles reaches slender stems trail up to about 2 m (6 ft) when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (spreads readily in a hanging pot or as ground cover.). Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Is string of pickles slow or fast growing?

String of pickles is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. String of pickles does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims.

How long does string of pickles take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep string of pickles smaller?

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — string of pickles takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut. Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser. The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants. A trim once or twice a season is usually enough to hold its length.

How can I make string of pickles grow bigger or faster?

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth. Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing. Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.