Soil & potting mix
Best soil for String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus (formerly Senecio rowleyanus))
Also called string of beads, rosary plant.
More about string of pearls
About String of pearls
Curio rowleyanus (formerly Senecio rowleyanus) · also called string of beads, rosary plant · houseplant
String of pearls is a trailing African succulent grown for its dangling strands of pea-shaped leaves. It demands strong light and very sparse watering. Beautiful, brittle, and toxic to pets.
Senecio (Curio) rowleyanus is a trailing succulent in the daisy family native to dry areas of the eastern Cape of South Africa, where it creeps along the ground beneath shrubs and between rocks that shade it from intense sun.
Use a gritty, fast-draining cactus mix amended with pumice, sand or pea gravel; clay pots are preferable to plastic because they let the rootball dry faster between waterings.
Preferred mix: Gritty cactus or succulent mix
Watch for — Mushy pearls: Overwatering or root rot — let dry out fully.
Sources: hort.extension.wisc.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu, en.wikipedia.org
Why string of pearls needs this mix
String of pearls 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.
- String of pearls 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 string of pearls 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 string of pearls; 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 string of pearls 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 string of pearls?
pH is not a concern for string of pearls — 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 string of pearls 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 string of pearls 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 string of pearls covers the timing and technique step by step.
String of pearls soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for string of pearls?
2 parts cactus/succulent potting mix to 1 part inorganic grit (pumice, coarse sand, or horticultural grit). Because each spherical leaf stores its own water reservoir, the roots sit in moisture far longer than a flat-leafed succulent — so drainage must be faster, not just "good."
Can I use normal potting soil for string of pearls?
Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for string of pearls; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first. A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for string of pearls 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 string of pearls need a special pH?
Aim for pH 6.0–7.0 (slightly acid to neutral). NC State Extension lists Curio rowleyanus as tolerating acid (<6.0) through neutral (up to 8.0), but the tighter 6.0–7.0 band covers most commercial cactus mixes and reduces nutrient lockout risk. If you cannot test pH, a branded cactus/succulent mix is typically pre-adjusted to this range.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for string of pearls?
A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for string of pearls 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 string of pearls?
This mix decomposes slowly, so string of pearls 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
- String of pearls care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water string of pearls — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting string of pearls — 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
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