# String of Pearls (*Curio rowleyanus*)

String of Pearls is a unique succulent plant with small, round leaves that look like green beads on a string. It's also known as 'String of Beads' and is loved for its quirky appearance.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Desert
- **Also known as:** Senecio Rowleyanus, String of Beads

![String of Pearls](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Curio_rowleyanus_syn._Senecio_rowleyanus_2019-04-14_02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curio_rowleyanus_syn._Senecio_rowleyanus_2019-04-14_02.jpg)

## Appearance

The String of Pearls has vibrant green, spherical leaves that resemble tiny peas or beads strung along delicate trailing stems. Its unique pearl-like foliage makes it visually distinct from most other succulents, creating a cascading curtain of green.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Curio

## Interesting facts

- Each individual 'pearl' on the string is actually a tiny leaf!
- It's related to daisies, even though it looks so different!
- Its tiny white flowers often smell just like cinnamon!
- Some of its round, bead-like leaves can grow as big as marbles!

## Special abilities

- **Water Orb Reserves:** String of Pearls has round, bead-like leaves that act as tiny water storage tanks, helping it survive long dry periods.
- **Sun Shield Spheres:** String of Pearls has spherical leaves with less surface area to minimize sun exposure and water evaporation.
- **Stem Power-Up:** String of Pearls' green stems can also photosynthesize, producing extra energy even when leaves are less exposed.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its tiny white flowers to collect nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Southern Carpenter Bee (*Xylocopa caffra*) — A large bee also helping to spread its pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails may occasionally graze on the succulent leaves.

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Pendulous Form](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pendulous-form): Describing a plant or anatomical structure that droops or hangs downwards.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates.
- [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)
- [Succulents](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/succulents)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Be careful not to touch the delicate leaves as they can be easily damaged.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify String of Pearls?

Compare leaf arrangement, rosette shape, ribs, spines and flowers. Keep in mind that drought and strong sun can shift a plant's color and shape. Succulent Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is String of Pearls?

15-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on String of Pearls?

0.5-1 cm

### When does String of Pearls bloom?

Summer

### Is String of Pearls edible?

No

### Is String of Pearls toxic?

Mild

### What is String of Pearls's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is String of Pearls pollinated?

Insect

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [String of Pearls: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/string-of-pearls)