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redcoralsea

String of Beads/Pearls

Coralred
14 years ago

I just got this plants, is it Senecio rowleyanus? Does this plant need direct sunlight or cool night temperature? At my location, direct sunlight mean 30-34C hot weather while cool night mean in my air condition room at 25C. :D As the potting media (peat + perlite) is bone dry now, I am letting it stand in a saucer of water for 15min. Do update me on its care. Thanks.

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Comments (17)

  • omniphasic
    14 years ago

    These are fascinating plants and they definitely do need special requirements.I'll definitely recommend having it shaded during midday,especially in your climate.Repot it in a glazed ceramic pot so that it remains insulated,and water it only once a week during hot periods.If you are in a truly tropical region,grow it outdoors in a sheltered position.Too much water will induce it to rot.Use a liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing periods(depending on which hemisphere you live in)will make it grow much quicker and nice and lush.Remove the faded flowers to prevent it from going to seed and the plant will perform much better.When you do water,water it from below,as in soaking it in a basin of water rather than overhead watering.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Why a glazed ceramic pot? I thought most people will say unglazed ceramic pot so that water will evaporate much faster.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    When is it growth period? I read it during winter time but my area has no winter, it's hot and humid 30C climate.

  • Mentha
    14 years ago

    Our local C&SS had a presentation on South Africa plants, especially mesembs yesterday. What surprised me is that Senecio were growing in the same areas as some mesembs, which we all know the best way to kill them is by over watering. The only difference was Senecio was in shaded areas, and mesembs were in partial to full sun.

    Below is a link I found (just by chance) to the presentation we had yesterday.

    Here is a link that might be useful: see for yourself

  • paul_
    14 years ago

    Not sure just how "special" the requirements would be considered to be. I have found that if you don't water enough, then the plant will let you know -- the tips of the vines will die. But the plant bounces back easily. Too much water, as already mentioned, can result in root rot. I would advise a clay pot or even in basket in your area ... better to err on the side of drying out quickly than remaining too wet. I grow mine in a mix of peat moss and perlite. HOWEVER, my conditions are so completely different from yours that I cannot say with any certainty what will be best for you. As far as light goes, IME, if the light is a little less than optimal, you will get greater distance between leaves on the vine. I would suggest starting with lower light (no direct sun in the afternoon) and moving the plant from there to try to find light levels that cause the 'pearls' to develop a faint red/purple blush. This should give you nice tight growth. Much more and they may get burned.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Paul, will try to add more Perlite to the peat as I will be using either a glazed or plastic pot. Hard for me over here to find a small unglazed clay pot, they are usually available as a much bigger size version.

    Currently the plant is sitting next to a bright and airy window, no direct sunlight yet until the sun shifted a few months down the road. Will try to aim for that faint red/purple blush colors.

  • njoynit
    14 years ago

    I've moved mine into a coco basket,along with string of bananas& burros tail.Its under a shadecloth on the north side of house.It winters in the GH.I placed it on the East side in GH this year and did much better.It blooms in the winter for me& smells wonderful in a 12 x 12 GH.mine came in a hanging pot about the size of yours.I found had trouble keeping it wet& a string or 3 had dried up.It looks much happier now.

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  • njoynit
    14 years ago

    It grows in the spring for me,just after blooming.I repoted to this in Feb it had a few seed heads.I'll look back through pics and tell you how much its grown.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Actually the pot is only around 3" to 3.5" in diameter, quite small in size. I can still see the numerous small cuttings that are started in there where the new shoots are just beginning to grow out.

  • paul_
    14 years ago

    Hmmm, perhaps a bonsai pot would be a good choice, coralred? Being shallower would lessen the danger of the soil staying too wet.

    The following is a pic of mine from 2 years ago. Strands are presently a meter or more in length. Don't be fooled by the size of the basket. The container the plant is actually in is approx 2-3 cm deep x 11 cm wide x 16 cm long

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  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Paul, yours is such a nice looking plant. Do you mist the strands? From your picture, I see you are keeping it indoor.

    I think I have just the right (plastic) pot for it that is wide (10cm) but shallow.

  • paul_
    14 years ago

    Hi Paul, yours is such a nice looking plant. Do you mist the strands? From your picture, I see you are keeping it indoor.

    Nope, never have misted the strands -- not even during the winter months when my humidity reaches a "high" of 33% (and that's with TWO humidifiers running).

    Yes, it is kept indoors year round -- I live in an apt so hanging it outside has never been an option.

    I think I have just the right (plastic) pot for it that is wide (10cm) but shallow.
    Coralred, if you do choose to go that route, then I should probably mention the following:

    1) I did drill/melt a series of drainage holes in the bottom of the container.

    2) Under the pot, there is another container, a "saucer" if you will, of roughly the same dimensions -- perhaps a tad larger -- to catch any water that drains through the holes in the pot. The pot does not touch the bottom of the 'saucer' but rather has about 1-2cm of clearance. A wick was inserted through a hole at one end of the pot, laid across the bottom of the pot in an "S" shape, and emerged from the other end of the pot. Both ends of the wick dangled into the 'saucer'/cache basin. After two years, it would not surprise me to find that the wick had disintegrated and the roots of the plant had entered the saucer/basin. (However, I have not had any desire to disturb the plant to check. I have this happen with other plants though, so ........)

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    1) I did drill/melt a series of drainage holes in the bottom of the container.

    This pot I will be using has many holes at the bottom so water will drain off fine.

    2) Under the pot, there is another container, a "saucer" if you will, of roughly the same dimensions -- perhaps a tad larger -- to catch any water that drains through the holes in the pot. The pot does not touch the bottom of the 'saucer' but rather has about 1-2cm of clearance. A wick was inserted through a hole at one end of the pot, laid across the bottom of the pot in an "S" shape, and emerged from the other end of the pot. Both ends of the wick dangled into the 'saucer'/cache basin. After two years, it would not surprise me to find that the wick had disintegrated and the roots of the plant had entered the saucer/basin. (However, I have not had any desire to disturb the plant to check. I have this happen with other plants though, so ........)

    I think you meant wick watering like what I did for my African Violets, right?

  • paul_
    14 years ago

    I think you meant wick watering like what I did for my African Violets, right?

    Yes :) As a matter of fact, av's are the plants I noticed sending their roots down into the cache basin.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I checked the plant yesterday, a couple of stems and the beads on the two stems have dried up. I had left the media dry as I am afraid of over watering it.

  • Coralred
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    This plant don't seem to be growing or is growing very slowly. Is it because of the high temperature over here?

  • paul_
    14 years ago

    I suppose that is a possibility. However, I have also noted with mine that until their roots have 'conquered' the pot space, they don't seem to put out much top growth.