String of Pearls Succulent Varieties – From Pearls to Dolphins: India Guide

Most Indian plant lovers know exactly one version of string of pearls: the classic, round-beaded green trailing plant. It’s beautiful, no doubt. But the “string of” world is far larger than that single plant.

There is a variegated form with cream-and-green marbled beads. There is a giant form with pearls three times the normal size. There is a hybrid that produces leaves shaped exactly like tiny leaping dolphins. Then you get banana-shaped leaves, watermelon-striped leaves, heart-shaped leaves and turtle-patterned leaves, each on trailing stems, each with a look you’d spot from across the room.

This piece covers all of them: the standard string of pearls and its own variants, plus the wider family of “string of” trailing succulents sold in India. For each one, you’ll find what it looks like, how to tell it apart from its cousins, India availability, price and care notes.

For the complete seasonal care guide, monsoon survival protocol, and step-by-step propagation: String of Pearls care guide — India.

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The Plant Family – Understanding “String of” Succulents

Before we get into individual types, a bit of botanical context helps.

String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus, formerly Senecio rowleyanus) belongs to the family Asteraceae, the daisy family. It’s one of the largest plant families on Earth, home to sunflowers and chrysanthemums alongside this odd little succulent. The daisy connection shows up when the plant flowers: small white pompom blooms with a sweet, spice-like fragrance.

The “string of” naming habit has spread well beyond the Curio genus. It now covers a loose group of trailing succulents with equally evocative names, drawn from several different families:

True “string of” succulents, meaning the Curio genus, all share the same basic care: bright indirect light, soak-and-dry watering, very well-draining soil and protection from the Indian monsoon. The non-Curio plants (turtles, hearts, nickels) need a somewhat different routine. Noted for each below.

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The String of Pearls – Main Varieties

1. Standard String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus)

Scientific name: Curio rowleyanus (syn. Senecio rowleyanus) Common names: String of Pearls, String of Beads, String of Peas, Rosary Vine Origin: Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, where it grows as ground cover on dry, rocky slopes in semi-arid conditions

Identification:

• Bead shape: Perfectly round, the defining feature. Each leaf is a smooth, plump sphere roughly 6–8 mm across.
• Colour: Uniform mid-to-dark green
• Window: Each bead carries a narrow translucent stripe (epidermal window) running across it, visible when held up to light. This one detail tells it apart from String of Beads (C. herreianus)
• Stems: Slender, wiry, green, trailing or hanging. Can reach 60–90 cm in good conditions
• Flowers: Small white pompom-like daisies in summer or late winter, smelling faintly of cinnamon

In India: The most widely sold “string of” succulent. You’ll find it at most urban nurseries and every major online plant store. It’s the yardstick every other variety gets measured against.

Growth rate: Fast for a succulent. Stems can put on 15–20 cm a year in good conditions. In Indian spring (March–April), growth is at its most vigorous.

India price: ₹199–₹499 India availability: ★★★★★

Care summary:

• Light: Bright indirect, 4–5 hours. East-facing window ideal.
• Water: Every 10–14 days in summer; every 21–30 days in monsoon
• Soil: Very well-draining, 50% perlite minimum
• Monsoon: Move indoors, cut back watering hard
• Position: Hanging basket or high shelf. Trailing stems need free space to hang without tangling.

Complete care guide: String of pearls care — India guide

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2. Variegated String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus ‘Variegatus’)

Scientific name: Curio rowleyanus ‘Variegatus’ (syn. Senecio rowleyanus var. variegatus) Common names: Variegated String of Pearls, Cream Pearls, Striped String of Pearls

Identification:

• Bead appearance: Same round shape as standard, but the beads carry distinct variegation. Green with creamy-white, pale yellow or ivory striping, patching or sectoring. No two beads look identical.
• Variability: The degree of variegation swings wildly from plant to plant, even stem to stem. Some beads turn out mostly cream, some mostly green, others evenly striped.
• Stems: Same slender trailing habit as standard. Growth can lag a touch, since the white sections carry less chlorophyll.
• Colour in light: Brighter light sharpens the variegation, giving a more defined cream-and-green contrast.

How to distinguish from standard: Hold a strand up against a light background. Standard pearls read uniformly green. Variegated pearls show cream, ivory or white patches, even when subtle.

India context: This one’s catching on fast in India’s plant circles. It photographs beautifully and gets plenty of attention on Indian plant Instagram and Facebook groups. Still rarer than the standard form, but availability is improving.

Important care difference: The cream and white portions of variegated beads have no chlorophyll. They can’t photosynthesise. That changes a few things:

• Growth is a shade slower than standard string of pearls
• It’s marginally fussier about overwatering and low light
• Harsh direct sun bleaches the cream areas further, so bright indirect light is a must

Propagation note: Cuttings don’t always stay true to type. Some revert to solid green. If you want to keep the variegation, pick the most variegated stems to propagate from.

India price: ₹299–₹799 (premium over standard) India availability: ★★★☆☆ — specialist online nurseries; growing availability

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3. Giant String of Pearls / Big Bead String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus — large-bead form)

Scientific name: Curio rowleyanus (large-bead cultivar — various names used commercially) Common names: Giant String of Pearls, Big Bead Pearls, Supersized Pearls

Identification:

• Bead size: Noticeably larger than standard. Beads run 10–15 mm across, against 6–8 mm on the standard form.
• Colour: Standard green, not variegated.
• Stems: A bit thicker and sturdier than standard.
• Visual impact: The bigger beads make for a far more dramatic cascade, one that’s visible from across the room.

How to distinguish from standard: Just measure, or set beads side by side. A standard bead next to a giant one shows the difference instantly. Giant form beads also sit a bit further apart on the stem.

India context: Harder to find than the standard or variegated types, but collectors are chasing it. The bigger beads make a single plant look far more impressive, especially in a hanging basket at eye level.

Care: Identical to standard string of pearls in every respect. Same watering, same light needs, same monsoon precautions.

India price: ₹350–₹899 India availability: ★★☆☆☆ — specialist sellers; occasionally available on Nurserylive and Instagram plant sellers

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4. String of Tears / String of Beads (Curio herreianus)

Scientific name: Curio herreianus (syn. Senecio herreianus) Common names: String of Tears, String of Beads, String of Watermelon, Purple Flush

Identification, and how it differs from String of Pearls: This one gets mixed up with standard string of pearls more than any other plant. Both carry round-ish bead leaves on trailing stems. Look closer and the differences show up fast.

The “watermelon” pattern: Look closely at a C. herreianus bead and you’ll spot 3–5 vertical stripes running tip to base, like a tiny watermelon. This single feature settles most ID arguments.

Care differences: String of Tears is generally a bit more forgiving than String of Pearls. It handles slightly lower light and takes the odd missed watering without sulking too much. A decent gateway plant if you want the trailing-bead look but find true string of pearls too fussy.

India price: ₹249–₹599 India availability: ★★★☆☆. Often mislabelled as “string of pearls” at local nurseries, so online specialist sellers tend to be more reliable for correct naming.

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The “String of” Family – Related Trailing Succulents

5. String of Dolphins (Curio × peregrinus)

Scientific name: Curio × peregrinus (hybrid of C. rowleyanus × C. articulatus) Common names: String of Dolphins, Flying Dolphins, Dolphin Necklace

The extraordinary story of this plant: String of Dolphins is a natural hybrid between String of Pearls (C. rowleyanus) and String of Candles (C. articulatus). What comes out the other end is a plant whose leaves are shaped exactly like tiny leaping dolphins, each one curving into a bow with two small “fins” at the top. It’s easily one of the most whimsical, instantly recognisable plants in the succulent world.

Identification:

• Leaf shape: Curved, bowed, with two small protrusions at the top, the “dorsal fin” and “pectoral fins” of the dolphin. Each leaf runs 10–15 mm long.
• Colour: Blue-green to grey-green, the same glaucous tone you see on many high-light succulents
• Stems: Trailing, similar to string of pearls but slightly more robust
• Window: Each leaf carries a translucent “window” like string of pearls, visible in strong light

How to distinguish: Once you know the dolphin silhouette, there’s no mistaking it. No other plant makes this leaf shape. Even in a bad photo, it’s obvious.

India availability note: String of Dolphins is one of the most sought-after succulents in India’s plant community right now. Demand runs well ahead of supply. Genuine, well-established plants are hard to track down and cost accordingly. Watch out too: plenty of sellers slap “string of dolphins” on curved-leaf plants that are actually string of bananas. Check the leaf shape before you pay.

Care: Broadly similar to string of pearls, with a few key differences.

• Needs more light to hold its shape. Give it consistent bright indirect light, otherwise the leaves flatten out and lose the dolphin curve.
• More cold-sensitive than string of pearls. Protect it below 12°C (worth remembering for north Indian winters).
• Slightly more drought-tolerant than string of pearls. It shrugs off a missed watering better.

India price: ₹399–₹1,299 (premium; demand far exceeds supply) India availability: ★★★☆☆. Specialist online sellers are your best bet, and honestly, Instagram’s plant community is where the good stock turns up first.

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6. String of Bananas (Curio radicans)

Scientific name: Curio radicans (syn. Senecio radicans) Common names: String of Bananas, String of Fishhooks, Creeping Berry

Identification:

• Leaf shape: Curved, elongated, like a tiny banana. Each leaf runs 15–25 mm long and hooks clearly at the tip. The shape stays consistent plant to plant, which makes this one easy to spot.
• Colour: Bright green, usually brighter and more vivid than string of pearls.
• Stems: A bit thicker and more vigorous than string of pearls.
• Growth rate: Faster than string of pearls. Honestly, one of the fastest growers in the whole “string of” family.

How to distinguish from String of Dolphins: Both have curved leaves, which trips people up. Here’s the actual difference:

• String of Bananas: smooth, elongated, curved evenly, like a banana. No fin bits sticking out.
• String of Dolphins: shorter, curved more sharply, with fin-like protrusions right at the top of each leaf.

India recommendation — best for beginners: String of Bananas is the most forgiving “string of” succulent for Indian conditions. Reasons:

• More drought-tolerant than string of pearls
• Handles moderate humidity better, copes with the monsoon better than most of its cousins
• Grows fast, so you see results quickly
• Propagates easily

If string of pearls has let you down before, try this instead. It gives nearly the same look with far less drama.

India price: ₹199–₹499 India availability: ★★★★☆, increasingly available online and often stocked at larger urban nurseries.

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7. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Scientific name: Ceropegia woodii Family: Apocynaceae (a different family from the Curio plants; not a true succulent in the same sense) Common names: String of Hearts, Rosary Vine, Chain of Hearts, Sweetheart Vine

Identification:

• Leaf shape: Small, heart-shaped, flat, 10–20 mm wide. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t mistake it for anything else.
• Leaf pattern: Dark green with silver-grey variegation on top; the underside is pink-purple.
• Stems: Very fine, purple-tinged, trailing. Can reach 90–120 cm.
• Tubers: Small round aerial tubers form along the stems, handy for propagation.
• Flowers: Small, tubular, purple-pink, with a strange cage-like tip. Quite striking when it blooms.

Key care differences from Curio plants: String of Hearts isn’t really a true succulent. It stores some water in its semi-tuberous roots and slightly fleshy leaves, but tolerates moisture far better than the Curio plants do.

• Light: Copes with slightly lower light than string of pearls. A north-east facing window works fine.
• Water: Every 10–14 days in summer, a touch more often than desert-type trailing succulents. Let it dry out fully between waterings.
• Humidity: Handles Indian monsoon humidity better than string of pearls. It can stay outdoors on a covered balcony through the monsoon with a bit of attention.
• Cold: Protect below 10°C.

Variegated form: Ceropegia woodii ‘Variegata’, with cream-edged leaves, is available in India too and is even more sought after than the plain version.

India price: ₹249–₹799 (the variegated form costs more) India availability: ★★★★☆, widely available online. Nurserylive, Ugaoo and Amazon all stock it.

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8. String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)

Scientific name: Peperomia prostrata Family: Piperaceae (the pepper family, not a succulent at all in the traditional sense) Common names: String of Turtles, Creeping Buttons

Identification:

• Leaf shape: Tiny, round, flat, 8–12 mm across. Dark green at the base with silver-white veining that mimics a turtle shell almost exactly.
• Stems: Very fine, trailing or cascading, with each leaf sitting on its own tiny stem.
• Size: Small. A mature plant trails just 15–30 cm, much shorter than string of pearls.

Key differences from all Curio plants: String of Turtles is a peperomia, not a succulent, and the care shifts accordingly:

• Needs more moisture: Don’t let the soil dry out completely. Water once the top 2 cm feels dry, roughly every 5–7 days in summer. Unlike Curio plants, it sulks if kept bone-dry.
• Likes humidity: Actually benefits from it. Does well through the Indian monsoon as long as it’s kept out of direct rain.
• Lower light: Genuinely tolerates low light. A north-facing window is enough.
• Slower growing: Much slower than the Curio trailing plants.

India price: ₹299–₹799 India availability: ★★★☆☆, found mainly at specialist online nurseries, though it’s growing in popularity.

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9. String of Nickels (Dischidia nummularia)

Scientific name: Dischidia nummularia Family: Apocynaceae Common names: String of Nickels, Ant Plant, Button Orchid

Identification:

• Leaf shape: Small, flat, round, slightly cupped, like tiny coins or buttons, 10–15 mm across
• Colour: Mid-green, sometimes grey-green
• Stems: Fine, trailing or climbing
• Epiphytic: In the wild this plant grows on trees. It’s adapted to air moving freely around its roots, not sitting in soil

Care notes: Dischidia care differs from true succulents in a real way. It’s epiphytic, so it prefers to dry out between waterings but still wants a bit more humidity than a desert cactus would tolerate. Leave it bone-dry for too long and it sulks.

India price: ₹249–₹599 India availability: ★★★☆☆, found mostly at specialist nurseries

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10. String of Buttons (Crassula perforata)

Scientific name: Crassula perforata Family: Crassulaceae Common names: String of Buttons, Necklace Vine, Pagoda Plant

Identification:

• Leaf arrangement: Pairs of triangular, grey-green leaves stacked alternately up upright stems, a bit like a pagoda or threaded buttons
• Colour: Grey-green with faint pink-red margins, especially under strong light
• Growth: Upright or semi-trailing, branching. Quite unlike the purely hanging habit of Curio plants
• Not truly trailing: Despite the “string” name, it grows upright and sprawls rather than cascading like true string of pearls

Care: Standard succulent treatment here. Soak-and-dry watering, bright indirect to direct light, soil that drains fast. It’s a Crassula, so broadly it shares jade plant care.

India price: ₹149–₹399 India availability: ★★★★☆, easy to find

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Full Comparison Table – All “String of” Varieties

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Identification Guide – Telling Them Apart

Here’s where most people in India get confused:

String of Pearls vs. String of Tears (Beads)

Side by side, these two look almost identical. Here’s the actual check to run:

1. Bead shape: Pearls are a perfect sphere. Tears are oval, elongated, with a slightly pointed tip.
2. Window stripes: Pearls show one narrow stripe. Tears show several vertical stripes, a watermelon pattern.
3. Size: Tears beads run a touch larger than pearls.

Can’t tell just by looking? Hold it up to bright light or check the window pattern under a magnifying glass.

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String of Dolphins vs. String of Bananas

Both have curved leaves, so mix-ups happen all the time in India’s plant market. Here’s how to tell them apart:

1. Dolphin shape: Dolphins have a sharp curve with two clear bumps at the top of each leaf, the “fins.” Bananas curve smoothly, like an actual banana, with no bumps at all.
2. Size: Dolphin leaves run shorter, 10–15 mm. Banana leaves are longer, 15–25 mm.
3. Colour: Dolphins lean blue-green. Bananas are usually a brighter, mid-green.

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String of Pearls vs. Standard Pea Plant / Other Round-Leafed Plants

Some sellers in India pass off other round-leafed plants as “string of pearls.” A genuine one:

1. Has the characteristic translucent window stripe on each bead
2. Has smooth, perfectly round beads, not hairy, not pointed
3. Grows on wiry, fine stems, never thick or sturdy
4. Trails and cascades. It should look a bit limp, not upright

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Which “String of” Plant Should You Choose? – India Decision Guide

Choose String of Pearls (Standard) if:

You want the classic look and you’re willing to follow the care rules properly. It’s the most photographed, the most recognisable, and the one every nursery stocks. The benchmark plant.

Choose Variegated String of Pearls if:

You want maximum visual drama and don’t mind slightly fussier care. Great if you’re into plant photography. Just accept it grows slower and needs consistently bright light, no exceptions.

Choose String of Bananas if:

You’re a beginner. Or you’ve already killed a standard string of pearls once. Or you live in a coastal city with heavy monsoon humidity and want something fast-growing and forgiving that still looks the part. Best overall recommendation for most Indian gardeners.

Choose String of Dolphins if:

You’re an established plant person after something unusual, something people will ask about. Be ready to pay a premium and source carefully. And give it consistent bright light, it won’t compromise on that.

Choose String of Hearts if:

You want trailing beauty but need slightly lower light, or your city sees a lot of monsoon moisture. That heart-leaf shape wins everyone over. It handles moisture far better than the Curio plants do.

Choose String of Turtles if:

You love the leaf pattern and don’t mind watering more often. It copes with lower light than most “string of” plants. Think of it as a terrarium or shelf plant rather than a hanging basket one, since the trails stay short.

Choose String of Buttons if:

You want a cactus-style care routine but a completely different look: architectural, upright, almost pagoda-like. Easiest of the lot to keep alive.

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India-Specific Buying Guide

What to Look for When Buying

For String of Pearls (all Curio forms):

• Pearls should be plump, round and firmly attached, not soft, translucent, or dropping off
• Stems should be green and firm, never brown, mushy, or dry and brittle
• Look for at least 3–5 well-established stems with 20+ cm of trail
• Sniff the soil. A sour smell means root rot set in during transit

For Variegated forms:

• Check the variegation is genuine: clear cream/white sections across multiple beads, not just one discoloured bead doing all the work
• More variegation isn’t automatically better. A plant that’s 70% cream/white grows painfully slowly and is less robust than one sitting at 40–60% variegation

For String of Dolphins:

• The dolphin “fins” should be obvious on several leaves, not just hinted at by a slight curve
• Plenty of sellers mislabel string of bananas as dolphins. Check carefully before you pay the premium price

For String of Hearts:

• Leaves should be clearly heart-shaped with visible silver-grey patterning on top
• Flip a leaf over. Genuine string of hearts shows a distinct pinkish-purple underside

Online Sources in India

Nurserylive.com – Best range: standard pearls, variegated pearls, string of hearts, string of bananas. Reliable pan-India delivery.

Ugaoo.com – Standard pearls and string of hearts reliably in stock. Packaging holds up well.

Amazon.in (ChhajedGarden, TrustBasket) – Standard pearls widely available. Read the packaging reviews before ordering trailing plants specifically, they’re the ones that suffer most in transit.

Instagram plant community – Best source for: variegated pearls, giant pearls, string of dolphins, string of turtles. Search #stringofpearls, #stringofdolphins, #stringofbananas, #trailingsucculents. Many specialist growers sell well-established plants at fair prices.

Bhimtal Nursery, Kumaun Plants – North Indian specialist sellers, good for standard forms and occasionally variegated ones too.

Price Reference

Full buying guide: Buy succulent plants online India Price reference: Cactus and succulent price guide India

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Display and Styling Ideas for Indian Homes

Hanging Baskets

This is where every trailing “string of” plant belongs. Hang a basket at eye level in an east-facing window and let the stems run 40–60 cm down. Nothing else in the houseplant world looks quite as dramatic.

India-specific: Macramé hangers are getting easier to find now, try Pepperfry, FabIndia, or the local craft fairs. They suspend pots beautifully and you can adjust the height as the plant grows. Terracotta hanging pots with drainage holes work well too.

Shelf Cascades

Set a pot on the edge of a tall bookshelf, a sideboard, or an open kitchen shelf near a window. The stems spill over the edge and run down the shelf face. String of hearts and string of pearls placed together here make a lovely mixed display.

Terrariums

Curio plants need an open-top terrarium, not a closed one. Air has to move. A wide-mouthed glass bowl with string of pearls coiled inside, set on a coffee table near a window, makes a genuinely striking centrepiece.

Important: The soil must drain fast. Add extra perlite to the base layer.

Mixed Hanging Baskets

Pair standard string of pearls with string of bananas, it’s slightly fuller and grows faster, and you get a lush, layered look in one basket. Their care needs match up fine. Tuck a small echeveria rosette in the centre if you want a splash of colour.

Pot and display options: Succulent pots India | Ceramic succulent pots

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What are the different types of string of pearls plants?

The main varieties of string of pearls itself are: standard (Curio rowleyanus), variegated (cream-green beads), and giant (larger beads). There’s a whole family of “string of” plants worth knowing too. String of Tears or Beads (C. herreianus) has oval beads with watermelon stripes. String of Dolphins gives you curved, dolphin-shaped leaves. String of Bananas has banana-shaped leaves, obviously. Then there’s String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii) with heart-shaped leaves, String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata) with turtle-patterned flat leaves, and String of Buttons (Crassula perforata) stacking triangular leaves one on top of another.

Q2: Is there a variegated string of pearls?

Yes. Curio rowleyanus ‘Variegatus’ is a variegated form with beads that are green and creamy-white or ivory, giving a marbled look. It needs slightly brighter light than the standard form and grows more slowly. You’ll find it in India through specialist online nurseries and Instagram plant sellers, usually at a premium, somewhere between ₹299 and ₹799.

Q3: What is the difference between string of pearls and string of beads?

These names get used interchangeably, but they’re actually two distinct plants. Strictly speaking, String of Pearls is Curio rowleyanus, with perfectly round, spherical beads and a single translucent window stripe. String of Beads is Curio herreianus, with slightly oval, elongated beads carrying multiple vertical stripes in a watermelon pattern. String of Tears is just another name for C. herreianus. In most Indian nurseries though, both get sold simply as “string of pearls” without anyone bothering with the distinction.

Q4: What is string of dolphins and where can I buy it in India?

String of Dolphins (Curio × peregrinus) is a natural hybrid of string of pearls and string of candles (C. articulatus). Its leaves look like tiny leaping dolphins: curved, with two small fin-like protrusions at the top. Right now it’s one of the most sought-after succulents in India. Best sources are specialist Instagram plant sellers and Nurserylive. Prices range from ₹399 to ₹1,299 depending on plant size and how established it is.

Q5: Which is easier — string of pearls or string of bananas?

String of Bananas (Curio radicans) is significantly easier for Indian conditions. It handles drought better, copes with monsoon humidity without fuss, grows faster, and forgives the odd care mistake. If you’re a beginner, or gardening in a coastal, monsoon-heavy city like Mumbai, Kochi or Chennai, String of Bananas is the plant to pick. Same trailing look, far less drama.

Q6: Can I grow string of pearls in a terrarium in India?

Yes, but only in an open-top terrarium. String of pearls needs air circulation and completely dry conditions between waterings. Skip the closed terrariums. They trap humidity and rot the roots. Use an open glass bowl or a large-mouthed vessel instead, keep the soil extremely well-draining (60%+ perlite), and water sparingly.

Q7: Why does my string of pearls have spaces between the pearls?

Large gaps between pearls, called etiolation, mean the plant isn’t getting enough light and the stems are stretching towards whatever light source they can find. Move it to a brighter spot straightaway. New growth will come in with tighter pearl spacing. The stretched bits of stem won’t fix themselves cosmetically, but don’t throw them out. Use them for propagation.

Q8: How long do string of pearls trailing stems get in India?

Under good Indian conditions, bright indirect light, correct watering, spring and autumn as the growing season, stems put on 15–20 cm a year. A well-established two-year-old plant can have trails of 40–60 cm. The fastest growth happens in March–April and again in October. Monsoon growth is minimal at best. Giant pearls grow at roughly the same rate; String of Bananas outpaces both.