Black Rose Aeonium
Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'
pet safesucculentdrought tolerant
SPECIMEN NO. 890
Native toArid subtropical regions of southern Africa
Pet caution
String of Bananas
Curio radicans (syn. Senecio radicans)
Also known as: Chain of Bananas
A trailing succulent with long strands of small, curved, banana-shaped leaves. A close relative of String of Pearls, but generally considered hardier and more forgiving to grow.
10–14dwatering range
bright direct to indirectlight needs
15–27°Ctemperature
Watering amount
How much water does my String of Bananas need?
Estimated guideline, not a precise measurement — scale up for larger pots, brighter light, or active growth; scale down for smaller pots, lower light, or winter dormancy. Always water until it drains from the pot's base rather than measuring exactly.
Watering guide
Season note
Water only when the soil is almost completely dry; reduce further in winter dormancy.
Overwatering signs
Root rot, mushy leaves
Underwatering signs
Wrinkled, shriveled banana-shaped leaves
Light & placement
Light level
bright direct to indirect
Best rooms
Care details
Soil
Fast-draining cactus/succulent mix
Humidity
Low; standard household humidity is fine
Fertilizer
Diluted succulent fertilizer occasionally during growing season
Temperature range
15°C – 27°C
Plant care guide
String of bananas, botanically Curio radicans and long sold under its older name Senecio radicans, is native to South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia, where it grows creeping along sandy, rocky soil in arid, drought-prone terrain, rooting readily wherever a trailing stem makes contact with the ground. It belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae, and shares its genus with the closely related, similarly popular string of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) — both species were reclassified from the older, much larger genus Senecio into the newer genus Curio in recent taxonomic revisions, though "Senecio radicans" remains extremely common in casual nursery and gardening use.
The plant's most distinctive feature, and the direct source of its common name, is its foliage: small, plump, glossy, curved leaves shaped remarkably like miniature bananas — or, according to an alternate reading of the same curved shape, small fishhooks, giving the plant its other common nicknames, banana vine and string of fishhooks. Each leaf carries a genuinely functional structural adaptation running along its upper curve: a translucent, window-like stripe of clear epidermal tissue that allows diffuse sunlight to reach the chlorophyll-bearing tissue inside the leaf's interior, rather than relying solely on the exposed outer surface for photosynthesis. This "leaf window" adaptation, also found in the unrelated genus Fenestraria (aptly nicknamed "window plants"), helps the species tolerate the harsh, intense sun of its native South African scrub habitat by processing light through a buffered, partially internal pathway rather than exposing its full photosynthetic tissue directly to potentially damaging UV intensity.
Toxicity
Pets: Toxic to pets — keep out of reach
Humans: Toxic to humans if ingested
Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids; toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if ingested, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Sap may also cause mild skin irritation.
Frequently asked questions
Is String of Bananas toxic to cats and dogs?+
Yes, it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic to pets if ingested — keep it in a hanging spot out of reach.
How often should I water String of Bananas?+
Every 10-14 days, only once the soil is almost completely dry — it's very drought-tolerant and prone to rot if overwatered.
Is String of Bananas easier to grow than String of Pearls?+
Yes, most growers find it noticeably hardier and more forgiving of watering mistakes than the more finicky String of Pearls, while needing similar bright light and care.
