I love my string of pearls, so imagine my horror when the once-thriving plant started to develop brown pearls! Has this happened to you?
I went on a mission of trial and error, research, and actually spoke to some expert growers to establish how to diagnose why my string of pearls was turning brown and, of course, what I could do to save it.
In this post, I’ll share with you all the tips and secrets I’ve learned from first hand experience of saving my own string of pearls in a step-by-step guide…
For those of you who are short on time, here is my quick explanation…
A string of pearl plants turns brown and shrivels as a result of underwatering. String of pearl prefers bright indirect light and the leaves are sensitive to intense sun which can burn the leaves and turn them brown.
Rather, confusingly overwatering and slow-draining soils can cause the pearls to turn brown or yellow, soft and mushy.
I would keep in mind that the older leaves of a string of pearl plants naturally turn brown and drop off as they grow.
Keep reading for more on why a string of pearl plants turns brown and how to revive it…
Why Is Your String of Pearls Turning Brown and Shriveled? How to Diagnose for Recovery
If your string of pearls (Senecio Rowleyanus) leaves turn brown and shriveled, then it indicates you are under watering.
So before we proceed, I should tell you that overwatered string of pearls also shrivel and turn brown BUT, here are the crucial distinctions of an overwatered plant:
- The pearls and brown and shrivelled AND soft with a mushy texture.
- There is an unpleasant smell from the soil.
- The soil is damp.
If this is the case, your plant is overwatered, scroll to the bottom of the article where I talk about how to solve that problem. However, if your pearls are brown and shriveled but not mushy or smelly, then underwatering is your culprit!
The shriveled appearance is the plant’s way of trying to limit transpiration (water loss) from the leaves, which I think is a clever survival strategy!
String of pearl plants are succulents that store moisture in their leaves. If the plant is at optimal hydration the pearls are green, feel firm and the plant looks healthy.
(Read my article for how often and how much to water a string of pearl plants).
As I’m sure, you’ll know, if you have been researching a string of pearl plants, they are adapted to grow in drought-like conditions in their native South-West African environment with infrequent rainfall and well-draining gritty soil and, therefore, more susceptible to overwatering.
However, what happened to me was that I let the soil dry out between each bout of watering, and the soil the potting soil dries to the point the soil becomes hydrophobic (water resistant).
When certain potting soils dry out completely they tend to repel moisture so when you water the plant after a period of drought the water runs off the surface and down the side of the pot and thus does not reach the roots where it is required.
I noticed that whenever I watered my plant, the water would trickle from the base of the pot almost immediately. I thought that the water couldn’t be infiltrating the soil that quickly! Good heavens!
I picked up the pot and noticed it was too light, which indicated to me that the soil just wasn’t absorbing the water properly, and, therefore, the roots had not had the opportunity to uptake any water; the plant was essentially suffering from drought, turning the pearls brown and shriveled.
There are some other factors pertaining to growing a string of pearls indoors that can dry the soil quicker and lead to a brown and shriveling that we as gardeners need to be aware of:
- Near a source of heat or air current. The soil in a potted string of pearls can heat up very quickly, and the temperature can fluctuate significantly when next to a radiator or in the current of air-con or forced air, which can exacerbate drought stress.
- Watering too lightly. A string of pearls is a drought-tolerant plant, but you should try to soak the soil and let it dry out between bouts of watering to replicate the conditions that it is accustomed to in its native environment. If we water too lightly, it encourages shallow root growth as only the top inch or so of the soil receives moisture, which increases susceptibility to drought and increases the risk of pearls shriveling and turning brown.
- Transplant shock from a change in conditions. Strings of pearls grow very well indoors, but if you move them from one area to another, then the contrast in conditions can cause them to turn brown. The plant adapts to a room’s light intensity and hours of light, as well as temperature and levels of humidity. Moving it to a different room or perhaps taking one home from the store can change the environment and its requirements for moisture, particularly if it is moved from a cool, less bright area to a hotter, sunnier, and less humid location.
How to Revive Brown and Shriveled String of Pearl Plants
So after lots of personal investigation and research, I discovered the secret! The key to reviving a brown and shriveled string of pearls plant is the right potting mix and proper watering.
String of pearls as with all succulents is adapted to growing in coarse, gritty soils that are porous with a relatively large particle size.
If it is in a standard soil mix then this can increase the risk of root rot (because they retain too much moisture) and the potting mix can dry out and repel water off the surface, down the side of the pot, perpetuating the effect of drought despite watering.
So what’s the solution?
Re-pot your string of pearls in a potting mix that has been specifically formulated for growing cacti and succulents (which are available at garden centers, and on Amazon).
Why does this work? Special succulent potting soil has the right properties that allow for good drainage (so that the plants don’t suffer from overwatering) yet it is very effective at allowing water to infiltrate the soil and reach the roots after a period of not watering, rather than run off the top and down the side of the pot.
After I replanted my string of pearls in the soil the water didn’t trickle out the base anywhere near as quickly which is a great indication that it has properly infiltrated and reached the roots where it is needed!
I picked up the pot and what do you know? It felt much heavier after watering! A sure sign that the soil is evenly moist!
This allows for a more natural cycle of watering and optimal levels of soil moisture so that string of pearls can access the water and the soil does not retain too much moisture which causes rot.
How often to water to prevent brown and shriveled string of pearl plants…
It is not possible to give definitive advice on how often to water a string of pearls to avoid them turning brown as their watering requirements can differ depending on factors such as climate, sun intensity, temperature, and humidity.
In my experience, finding the optimal watering frequency for a healthy plant requires an element of experimentation, but you should typically water a string of pearls far less frequently than most plants due to their adaptations to hostile dry conditions.
Typically I water my string of pearls once per week in the Spring and Summer during the active growing period and once every two or three weeks per week in Winter when the plant goes into a dormant state.
Keep in mind that all the experts I consulted insisted that you should always let the soil dry out completely between bouts of watering. I wait until my pearls start to show the slightest indication of drought with slightly wrinkled perls before giving it a good soak.
This way I can tailour my watering frequency to my own plant which helpfully takes into account all the variables that can affect how often to water.
Keep in mind that in really hot climates, a string of pearls can go into a state of Summer dormancy as a natural adaptation to conserve moisture in hostile arid climates.
In which case you should scale back the watering if you notice the growth rate of your string of pearls slowing significantly or see any signs of stress due to too much water such as soft mushy leaves, with some yellowing or browning.
My well-draining succulent potting mix (from Amazon) helps to promote good drainage which negates any potential problems from too much moisture and also allows water to reach the roots effectively after a bout of watering.
This helps keep my string of pearls a nice healthy green color and prevent shriving or brown leaves.
If your string of pearls is drying up despite good watering practices read my article for the solution.
Is your String of Pearls Brown Due to Sunburn? How to Diagnose…
As we discussed earlier, our String of pearls is a succulent that grows in hot and sunny areas, however it is adaptable to a range of light levels which makes it great for growing indoors but often grows best in bright indirect light.
What I’ve discovered is that the leaves can turn brown due to sunburn if the string of pearls has become accustomed to growing in an area of less intense light or perhaps fewer hours of sun per day and is then moved to a more sunny area.
The greater the contrast of sun between the two locations the more potential there is for your string of pearls to turn brown due to sunburn.
String of pearls turning brown due to sun burn can be easily distinguished from string of pearls turning brown due to under watering (or any other reason) as only the leaves that are in the most direct glare of the sun turn brown whereas leaves that have more shade or protection are either less burnt or still remain green.
I’m sorry if this has happened to you but I can tell you individual leaves generally do not recover once they have been burnt.
You can prune back any sunburnt pearls and let the plant regrow or perhaps take some cuttings with healthy leaves and use them for propagation.
String of pearl plants are very easy to propagate, so even badly burnt plants can be revived. Watch this YouTube video for how to propagate a string of pearls.
Preventing Sunburn and How to Keep Your String of Pearls Happy!
As we talked about, our string of pearls are adapted to hot climates and can grow in partial sun but they must not be moved from one more shaded location to an area of sun, or they burn.
With some trial and error I discovered, the string of pearls needs to acclimatize to new conditions gradually rather than contend with a drastic contrast in the intensity of light.
To do this, move your potted string of pearls plant to a more sunny area for an hour a day. Over the course of a month increase the plant’s exposure to direct light by about half an hour or so every 2 or 3 days.
Eventually, the string of pearls can adjust to the new light intensity if gradually exposed and tolerate higher levels of sun without suffering sunburn.
Howeverer we must acknowedlge that string of pearls is somewhat more light sensitive then most succulents so they prefer either bright indirect light or morning sun followed by afternoon shade.
Keep in mind that with more hours of sun, there is a greater requirement for moisture, so I recommend watering consistently once per week to prevent the leaves from turning brown and shriveling through dehydration.
Pro tip: I personally place my string of pearls in my bathroom as it has fisted glass which diffuses the light creating glorious bright, indirect light. In this lightening my pearls look fulsome and grow much more in the Spring! You can also use a sheer curtain which has the same affect!
Are Your String of Pearls Falling off at the Base? Causes and Solutions!
Another potential cause we need to be aware of for your string of pearl plant leaves turning brown is due to age.
As the plant grows and gets older the bottom leaves naturally turn brown and drop off as part of the plant’s natural cycle, and this is true of all succulents, so I can assure you, if its happening on a small scale you have nothing to worry about, phew!
However, from my own observations, this effect can be more pronounced in plants that are in more shade.
As we have already talked about our string of pearls prefer some bright light or some morning sun so if they are in too much shade the stems tend to grow longer as the plant grows in the direction of more light.
This causes the leaves or pearls to become more sparse, particularly lower down the stem. The lower leaves then turn brown and drop off.
This can happen to all succulents but fear not my houseplant friend. The effect is reduced by growing them in more sun. This keeps the plant shorter and more compact rather than leggy and sparse.
Be careful not to move your string of pearls to a location with significantly more sun in one go to avoid sunburn. As I said just find a nice bright spot in your house. A dark shady shelf high up isn’t going to cut it!
If necessary you can always purchase an inexpensive sheer curtain and then you can even place your strong of pearls in a south facing room as long as the light is diffused.
String of Pearls Turning Brown? Overwatering Might be Responsible!
Whilst a lot of what we’ve talked about in this article has been about underwatering, I’m afraid overwatering is also a common cause of brown pearls.
The symptoms of an overwatered string of pearl plants are leaves that are turning brown, yellow, or black and feel soft and have a mushy texture rather, than firmer green leaves.
I should highlight that overwatering isn’t always exclusively the cause. Too much moisture around the roots is usually caused by:
- Overwatering. String of pearl plants are drought-tolerant succulents that like to be on the dry side. If you are watering more than once per week you are likely overwatering.
- Slow-draining soils. String of pearls requires fast-draining soil. Transfer the string of pearls to a specialized succulents and cactus potting mix for the optimal soil mix.
- Pots without drainage holes in the base. Pots without drainage holes in the base cause water to pool around the roots which causes root rot and the leaves and stems to turn brown. Always plant string of pearls in pots with drainage holes to prevent excess water from collecting in the bottom. Empty saucers or trays that are underneath your pots so that water can freely escape.
If the roots stay in damp soil for too long then this causes rot which can turn the leaves from brown to black and kill the plant, however correcting the conditions can save it.
How often we water our plants should depend on our climate but as a general rule wait until the soil has dried out before watering to maintain a healthy plant.
However, you should prioritize replanting the succulent in a different pot (with drainage holes in the base) and use a specialized succulent potting mix to improve drainage.
The succulent soil needs to dry out between bouts of watering for the string of pearls to stay healthy.
If the plant’s condition does not improve despite improving drainage and watering practices then what I always recommend is to take cuttings from healthy leaves and stems for propagation to grow new plants as the rot can eventually spread and kill the plant.
(To learn more, read my article on how to revive a dying string of pearls plant).
String of Pearls Turning Brown without an Obvious Cause? It Might be Bruised
When they are healthy, string of pearl plants have nice firm leaves however they are susceptible to damage if they are bumped in some way.
Bruising can be quite localized to only a few leaves or stems if it has hit in some way. My mischovuous cat once pawed at the dangling tendrils of my string of pearls! The paw swat left its make on the plant resulting in some localized bruising!
This taught me just how delicate string of pearls are so be careful when handling them and locate the plant out of harm’s way. I have now had to relocate mine to a shelf out of paws reach!
Recovery depends on the extent of the bruising but with light busing the leaves can revive, however, persistent bruised leaves may have to be pruned for both functional and aesthetic reasons.
(Read my article, How to Care for a String of Pearls Plant Indoors).
Do you have any interesting insights into string of pearls plants? Any more questions on their care? Please leave a comment below and I’ll reply!! I love to hear from my readers!
Key Takeaways:
- The String of pearl plants turns brown and shrivels as a response to underwatering. Too much sun can burn the leaves and turn them brown.
- Overwatering can turn the leaves brown or yellow, soft and mushy, and can cause rot.
- A string of pearls may turn brown if they are bruised by physical trauma in some way.
- To revive brown and shriveled string of pearl plants, increase the watering and change the potting soil to a gritty mixture made for succulents. Sun burnt leaves may require pruning.