Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae (Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae)
Also called blue finger plant, blue sticks succulent, narrow-leaf chalk sticks.
More about curio talinoides var. mandraliscae
About Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae
Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae · also called blue finger plant, blue sticks succulent · houseplant
Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae, formerly Senecio mandraliscae, is a spreading South African succulent with slender, upward-curving blue-grey finger-like leaves dusted in a chalky bloom. It forms a dense, mat-forming groundcover, vigorous and drought-tough. Striking in containers and rockeries, it spreads readily but, as a Curio (Senecio) relative, is toxic to cats and dogs.
Preferred mix: Free-draining gritty succulent mix
Watch for — Mushy, collapsing stems: Overwatering or poor drainage rots the shallow roots and stems. Let soil dry fully between waterings, use gritty mix, and remove rotted sections, re-rooting healthy fingers.
Why curio talinoides var. mandraliscae needs this mix
Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae stores water in its leaves and stems, so it wants a free-draining, gritty mix that dries out fully between waterings — not a moisture-holding one.
- Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae carries its own water supply in its thick tissue, so the soil's job is to drain fast and then get out of the way.
- Its roots are adapted to short wet spells followed by long dry ones — a mix that stays damp removes the dry phase they depend on.
- A gritty mix also keeps the plant compact and well-coloured rather than soft, leggy and prone to collapse.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons curio talinoides var. mandraliscae struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first.
- Big plastic pots full of dense mix hold a wet core long after the surface looks dry — that hidden wet zone is where rot starts.
- Anything sold as "moisture control" is the opposite of what this plant wants.
Treating curio talinoides var. mandraliscae like a leafy houseplant and using plain compost. It needs at least half its volume as grit, perlite or pumice to survive long term.
pH — does it matter for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae?
pH is not a concern for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae — anything from mildly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0) works. Get the drainage right and pH looks after itself.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with a drainage hole and empty the saucer within minutes of watering. Terracotta is more forgiving than glazed or plastic because it dries the rootball faster.
This mix decomposes slowly, so curio talinoides var. mandraliscae only needs repotting every 2-3 years — mainly to refresh the grit and check the roots are firm and pale. When the time comes, our repotting guide for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae covers the timing and technique step by step.
Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae?
2 parts standard cactus or succulent compost : 1 part perlite or pumice : 1 part coarse grit or coarse sand. Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae carries its own water supply in its thick tissue, so the soil's job is to drain fast and then get out of the way.
Can I use normal potting soil for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae?
Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first. A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
Does curio talinoides var. mandraliscae need a special pH?
pH is not a concern for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae — anything from mildly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0) works. Get the drainage right and pH looks after itself.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae?
A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
How often should I refresh the soil for curio talinoides var. mandraliscae?
This mix decomposes slowly, so curio talinoides var. mandraliscae only needs repotting every 2-3 years — mainly to refresh the grit and check the roots are firm and pale. Use a pot with a drainage hole and empty the saucer within minutes of watering. Terracotta is more forgiving than glazed or plastic because it dries the rootball faster.
Keep reading
- Curio Talinoides var. mandraliscae care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water curio talinoides var. mandraliscae — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting curio talinoides var. mandraliscae — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- How often to water succulents — the soak-and-dry method
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
- Best soil for snake plant
- Best soil for dracaena
- Best soil for peperomia
- All 3899 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library