Most people are familiar with the string of pearls—that bright green trailing succulent that looks like cascading peas on delicate stems. It’s been all over Instagram and plant inspo pictures for a while now, expertly staged on bookshelves, spilling over side tables, or hanging daintily in pots suspended from the ceiling. We love them at Retreat! They add so much character, and are amazing for adding a trailing element to our desert terrariums. String of bananas, the slightly less popular cousin to the string of pearls, does not get enough recognition, in my opinion. It adds a similar vibe to any space, but actually might be an easier plant to care for than the string of pearls. Its stems are just a little thicker and its leaves a little more substantial. Therefore, if you like the look of the string of pearls, I highly recommend giving the beautiful string of bananas a try.
What we Learned
When we first started carrying the string of pearls and string of bananas at Retreat, it took a little time to figure out what to do to keep them happy. These plants love the absolute brightest indirect light you can give them. Ours thrive in our window when it’s not too hot (otherwise they tend to scorch—but we have a pretty intense south-facing window), and they especially love to be parked directly underneath one of our plant lights. The other key to these plants is they really can’t tolerate over-watering. For our smaller 4” string of bananas/pearls, we wait about 2-3 weeks in-between watering. For the larger plants, we water about once every 3-4 weeks. Obviously, conditions like how dry your home is, what time of year it is, or how much sunlight your plant is getting can change how much you need to water drastically, but that might be a good starting point for you. The key is you want the plant to dry out completely in-between watering.
Scoop the string of bananas for 20% off all this week (June 17 – June 23). You can also enter to win one this week in store, or online through our Instagram and Facebook accounts. Winner must be able to pick up in store.
Quick Tips for the String of Bananas
- Bright-indirect light is really best for these plants
- Avoid too much hot, direct sunlight as this plant can easily scorch
- The brighter really the better for these plants; they love it right under our plant light
- Water only once plant has dried through
- Over-watering is one of the common things that goes wrong for people with this plant
- When in doubt, you could try a moisture meter to make sure you aren’t watering too soon
- Using a well-draining soil (like a succulent/cacti blend) is really important for this plant to ensure it does not retain too much moisture
- One tip is to remember to rotate your plant, especially if you have one side of it facing a corner, or on a bookshelf, etc.
- Rotating your plant allows it to have equal access to sunlight and fresh air and will help your plant stay beautifully even in its growth
- These plants are considered toxic, so keep out of reach of curious eaters
Looking for more? Check out some of our other plant posts on our blog.