What could be more interesting than the beautiful, delicately hanging String of Pearls? The flower!
Many mistakes the green pea-shaped for flower, but the String of Pearls flowers differ.
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String of Pearls Flower Meaning and Symbolism
The scientific name Senecio rowleyanus was after a British botanist Gordan Douglas Rowley, while the common name String of Pearls or String of Beads is after its tiny pea-like leaves trailing gracefully.
In many parts of the world, the fast-growing nature of these succulents is also associated with abundance and prosperity.
However, the one after other pea-shaped leaves attached to string-like vines is often regarded as the epitome of loyalty and friendship.
The String of Pearls Flower Overview
Many gardens might have confusion about some entirely purple and blue color String of Pearls images circulating on the Internet. Let me clarify; those are photoshopped.
When stressed, the String of Pearls produces anthocyanin, giving only a slight hint of purple in the plant.
Let’s look at their basic features before we get deceived by such images.
| Indicator | Identity |
|---|---|
| Structure | Daisy-like flower with many white bracts, tubular petals with curved tips |
| Size | About half an inch |
| Color | White flower with red stamen and yellow anthers |
| Fragrance | Cinnamon smell |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets and humans |
| Lifespan | About a month |
| Fruits | Small seeds obtained after the flowers dry out |
| Blooming Season | Summer |
How Often Does the String of Pearls Flower?
The String of Pearls is not a miser when blooming. If the conditions are right, it will reward your eyes with enthralling flowers.
When you let the plant unbothered in winter, cut back on watering, and place them at around 55°F, it promotes blooming in the spring. And a little stress makes the plant produce elegant flowers.
However, you cannot bring a young String of Pearls and expect it to bloom for you. Succulents need to be at least four to six years old to flower.
Further, flowering is easier outdoors than indoors.
How to Make the String of Pearls Plant Flower?
The string of Pearls in your garden or outdoors can easily flower with primary care and has a better chance of blooming if you put the plant under stress.
You might have them indoors, but making them bloom will take a toll on you.
- Place the plants near windowsills during winter to give them a few hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Cut back on watering during winter and move the plant to a cooler area (more than 50°F) throughout the season. Like most succulents, these plants love growing on colder nights but warmer days.
- Ensure the soil is moist enough and not too dry or soggy.
- Make sure the pot used facilitates good drainage. You may drill a few drain holes if necessary.
- Provide the plant with at least 50% humidity and grow them in succulent or cactus mix.
- Fertilize the plant once a month with phosphorous-rich fertilizer, preferably liquid, diluted to 1/4 of its strength.
What Should you do with String of Pearls Flowers?
The String of Pearl flowers provides a good decorative boost to your house and has a sweet cinnamon fragrance enchanting the ambiance.
After all the care and consideration, the flowers are only there for a month, so you can skip deadheading.
Eventually, the flower dries out, and numerous seeds, each with a white cottony pappus, follow.
These seeds can easily get dispersed via wind, but growing an entirely new plant from seeds might be difficult. Instead, gardeners prefer propagation through cuttings.
Moreover, someone allergic to pollen must trim away the bud before releasing the pollen.
How to Cut the String of Pearls Flower?
The best time to cut the plant is early in the morning when the plant is fresh with a good night’s sleep and full of moisture.
Gear up for the cutting process with a pruning shear, gardening gloves, and gardening glasses ready.
- Grab the flower from its very base.
- Snip off the flower a few centimeters above the base.
- Ensure you don’t hurt the neighboring stems and leaves in the above process.
Health Considerations to Keep in Mind
The unique and exotic foliage of String of Pearls captivates your heart and mind with its charms, but the beauty comes with the price of toxicity.
The String of Pearls plant contains pyrrolidine alkaloids, capable of hepatotoxicity and neurological damage to humans and animals.
Upon ingestion in large quantities, your pets shall initially exhibit the symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, and tiredness.
Also, if you or your pet contact the sap, it may cause skin irritation and rashes.
Further, the toxins affect the liver cells disturbing their function and ultimately damaging them.
It is recommended to keep your pets and plants at a distance, and in case of mishaps, contact the hotline below.
From Editorial Team
The toxic effect is nothing in front of this plant’s beauty, and its flowers provide to your household. Hang the String of Pearls to help your pets and plant co-exists.
Moreover, a little attention towards fertilization, watering, and temperature benefits you with little white blooms.
However, a dire situation of dying of String of Pearls can take place if care conditions fluctuate!
