String of bananas care: light, water and pet safety

Light

NC State says this plant requires bright, indirect sunlight reaching all parts of the plant, and that it is not full-sun tolerant. In practice, hang it directly in front of an east or west window, the University of Illinois Extension's high light level, or a few feet back from a south window where midday rays do not hit the leaves directly. A couple of hours of morning sun is welcome.

The phrase all parts of the plant matters for a trailer. A basket hung high in a window lights the top beautifully while the strands below hang in shadow and thin out. Turn the basket every week or two, and if the crown looks sparse while the tips are lush, the top needs more light. Leaves that turn brown or reddish are, according to NC State, usually sunburned: pull the plant back from the glass or add a sheer curtain.

Water

The rule from NC State is precise: water only when the top half of the soil feels dry. That sits between a fern and a cactus. Push a finger or a wooden skewer halfway down the pot; if the upper half is dry and the lower half only slightly cool, water thoroughly until it drains, then empty the saucer or let the basket drip in the sink before rehanging it.

Overwatering is the one thing NC State singles out to avoid, and root rot is the result. The leaves help you read the plant. Firm, glossy, plump bananas mean it has water in reserve. Slightly wrinkled leaves after a hot week mean it is ready. Leaves that turn soft and see-through while the soil is still damp mean the roots are suffocating; let it dry out and check them.

In winter, when light and warmth drop, the plant slows and the soil stays wet much longer. The RHS advises giving most indoor succulents a cool rest from November to early March with minimal watering, just enough to keep them from shriveling. String of bananas is not a strict desert plant, so do not let it go bone dry for weeks, but expect to water far less often than in summer.

Soil and pH

NC State recommends a well-drained, coarse or sandy potting medium or a cactus mix. If you mix your own, the RHS recipe for succulents works well: two parts loam-based potting compost to one part horticultural grit or sharp sand by volume. Plastic hanging baskets hold water longer than terra cotta, so lean grittier if you use one. A drainage hole is essential; decorative baskets with sealed liners are a common cause of rot.

Humidity

No extra humidity is needed. Like other succulents, it copes with the dry air of a heated home, and the RHS notes that succulents generally like good ventilation. Misting only wets the leaves without reaching the roots.

Temperature

NC State describes string of bananas as not frost tolerant and hardy outdoors only in USDA zones 10a to 11b, so it is a houseplant almost everywhere. NC State gives no indoor minimum for this species. The RHS asks for winter nights around 46 to 50°F (8 to 10°C) for most resting indoor succulents, and we treat 46°F as the floor. For comparison, NC State gives its close relative string-of-pearls 70 to 80°F in summer and 50 to 60°F in winter. Keep it away from cold glass and heater vents.

Fertilizer

A light, regular feed during the growing season keeps the strands lengthening. The RHS suggests feeding succulents monthly from April to September with a liquid cactus feed or a high-potassium fertilizer, and the University of Illinois Extension's general rule caps houseplant feeding at once every 1 to 3 months between March and September, never stronger than the label. Choose a point within that range and stop in winter.

Work out the dose for your watering can with the fertilizer dilution calculator →

Repotting

Repot in spring, when roots fill the pot or stems have rooted across the whole surface and the soil dries out almost as soon as you water. Move up only a little in size; the RHS warns that a pot too large holds excess wet compost that causes rot. Because the plant roots along its stems, repotting is also a good moment to coil a few long strands back onto the soil surface, where they will root and thicken the crown.

• Roots fill the pot and the mix dries out within a day or two
• Stems have rooted all over the surface and crowded the basket
• The center of the pot has thinned while the edges trail

Propagation

NC State calls stem cuttings the quickest and most common method. Cut a few inches of healthy strand, strip the leaves from the bottom section, let the cut end dry and callus, then lay the bare part on or just under gritty mix, as the RHS describes for succulent cuttings, keeping it only slightly moist until roots form.

You can skip the cutting entirely. Since the stems take root along their length, pin a trailing strand onto a small pot of mix set beside the basket, wait for roots, then snip it free. NC State also notes seed is possible, but stem rooting is faster. Spring or summer pruning, which NC State recommends to manage growth and encourage branching, gives you plenty of material.

Methods: Stem cuttings, Stems pinned to soil to root in place, Seed · Best season: spring and summer.

Common problems

NC State lists aphids, mealybugs, scale and spider mites as the pests to monitor, root rot from overwatering as the main disease risk, and browning or reddish leaves as sunburn. Most failures are either too much water in a basket that never dries or too little light on the upper part of the plant. Check new plants carefully at the leaf joints before hanging them near others.

Not sure which one it is? Try the plant problem diagnosis tool →

Is the string of bananas toxic to cats and dogs?

Treat string of bananas as toxic to pets. The ASPCA has no entry under that name or under Curio radicans. Its Groundsel entry covers Senecio species, the genus this plant was filed under until recently, and lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses because of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause liver damage, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and incoordination. NC State confirms the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids and flags it as a problem for cats, dogs, horses and children, with low severity but possible irreversible liver disease after large amounts. Hang it high, and call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if a pet chews it.

Check any other plant against the ASPCA lists →