Watering schedule

How often to water String of Nickels (Dischidia nummularia) — the schedule

Also called String of Coins, String of Buttons, Button Orchid, Coin-leaf Dischidia.

More about string of nickels

Watering at a glance

Base rhythm	when top of mix dries out
Spring / summer	Spring and summer: soak or dunk the roots/mount thoroughly about once a week, then let them dry almost completely before the next soak.
Autumn	Autumn: lengthen the gap between soaks as light and growth taper off.
Winter	Winter: soak far less often — roughly every 2-3 weeks — and always let the roots dry fully in between.
Light	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)

About String of Nickels

Dischidia nummularia · also called String of Coins, String of Buttons · houseplant

String of Nickels is an epiphytic trailing plant native to tropical Asia and Australia, prized for its cascading strings of small, round, coin-shaped leaves. It wants bright indirect light, an airy fast-draining epiphytic mix, and high humidity. It is not on the ASPCA list and its milky sap may cause mild stomach upset and skin irritation, so keep it away from curious pets.

Ideal humidity: 50-70%

Watch for — Root and leaf rot: Caused by overwatering or a dense, moisture-retentive mix that keeps the epiphytic roots wet.

The watering schedule, season by season

String of Nickels grows on bark, not in soil — it wants its roots soaked then fully dried and exposed to air, never kept damp like a potted plant. The base rhythm for string of nickels is when top of mix dries out, but the real interval moves with the season, the light and the pot — so treat the figures below as a starting point and always confirm with the plant itself.

Spring & summer (active growth): Spring and summer: soak or dunk the roots/mount thoroughly about once a week, then let them dry almost completely before the next soak.
Autumn (slowing down): Autumn: lengthen the gap between soaks as light and growth taper off.
Winter (rest / dormancy): Winter: soak far less often — roughly every 2-3 weeks — and always let the roots dry fully in between.

Water thoroughly once the top inch of the mix feels dry, then let excess drain fully; as an epiphyte it hates wet feet and rots easily if waterlogged. Reduce watering in winter when growth slows.

Want this turned into a live reminder that adjusts to your home and the weather? The Growli watering calculator takes your pot size, light and season and returns a starting interval for string of nickels in seconds.

How to tell string of nickels needs water

A calendar is the worst way to water string of nickels. Check the plant and the soil instead — for this species, look for these signals in order:

Roots turn silvery-grey or chalky instead of green/plump.
The mount or bark medium is bone dry and light.
Leaves or pseudobulbs look slightly wrinkled or less rigid.

The most reliable single check is the first one on that list. When two signals agree, water; when they disagree, wait a day and look again — under-watering string of nickels for a day is almost always safer than over-watering it.

Overwatering vs underwatering string of nickels

The two failure modes can look alike at a glance, so check the soil weight and wetness before you decide. For string of nickels specifically:

Signs you are overwatering

Mushy, brown, hollow roots that have stayed wet too long.
Yellowing, soft leaves at the base.
A persistently wet, never-drying medium.

Signs you are underwatering

Leaves go limp, leathery or accordion-pleated; roots stay grey for long stretches.
Shrivelling pseudobulbs or curling leaves.

Treating string of nickels like a normal houseplant — watering little and often into bark or moss that never dries — suffocates and rots the roots. Soak hard, then let it dry out.

Water quality notes

Rainwater or filtered water is best for string of nickels; many epiphytes are sensitive to softened water and tap-water minerals.

Seasonal and environmental adjusters

Every figure above shifts with the conditions in your home. For string of nickels, the levers that matter most are:

Air movement matters as much as water — roots must dry between soaks to avoid rot.
A bark or mounted medium dries far faster than moss, so the wetter the medium, the longer you wait.
In high humidity you can soak less often; in dry heated rooms, more often but still let it dry.

Pot choice is part of this too — work out the right size with the pot size calculator, since a pot that is too big stays wet long enough to rot the roots of string of nickels.

String of Nickels watering — frequently asked questions

How often should I water string of nickels?

Water string of nickels when top of mix dries out. Spring and summer: soak or dunk the roots/mount thoroughly about once a week, then let them dry almost completely before the next soak. Winter: soak far less often — roughly every 2-3 weeks — and always let the roots dry fully in between.

How do I know when string of nickels needs water?

Roots turn silvery-grey or chalky instead of green/plump. The mount or bark medium is bone dry and light. Leaves or pseudobulbs look slightly wrinkled or less rigid. The single most reliable test for string of nickels is the first signal on that list — checking the soil or the plant directly always beats watering by the calendar.

What does an overwatered string of nickels look like?

Mushy, brown, hollow roots that have stayed wet too long. Yellowing, soft leaves at the base. A persistently wet, never-drying medium. Treating string of nickels like a normal houseplant — watering little and often into bark or moss that never dries — suffocates and rots the roots. Soak hard, then let it dry out.

What are the signs of an underwatered string of nickels?

Leaves go limp, leathery or accordion-pleated; roots stay grey for long stretches. Shrivelling pseudobulbs or curling leaves.

Can I use tap water on string of nickels?