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String of Bananas
Curio radicans
SA tree number
English: String of Bananas, Necklace Plant, Baboon Toes, Banana Vine, Creeping Berry, String-of-bananas, String-of-fishhooks, Creeping Senecio, String of Fishhooks
Afrikaans: Bobbejaantoontjies, Bobbejaanvingertjies, Bokballetjies, Bokhorinkies, Bokkos, Bokriempie, Haaskos, Katballetjies, Kleinbokkos, Steenbokhorinkies, Vingertjies, Boontjietou, Visvanghaaktou
Historical scientific names: Senecio radicans, Kleinia radicans
Curio radicans, commonly known as String of Bananas or Necklace Plant, is a fascinating indigenous evergreen succulent perennial. It is highly valued for its unique, banana-shaped, fleshy leaves that are strung along long, trailing stems, creating a distinctive and eye-catching cascading display. It also produces small, fuzzy, white to off-white flowers, making it a popular choice for hanging baskets, containers, and groundcover in arid gardens.
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Distinguishing features:
Leaves are distinctly banana-shaped (or fishhook-shaped), fleshy, and bright green.
Leaves are arranged singly along long, slender, trailing stems, resembling a string of beads or bananas.
Stems sprawl and trail, rooting at nodes where they touch the ground.
Small, fuzzy, white to off-white, brush-like flowers.
Extremely drought-tolerant and forms dense mats.
Overall appearance:
The String of Bananas (Curio radicans) is a delightful succulent that instantly captures attention with its peculiar yet charming appearance. Its long, slender stems are adorned with a continuous string of plump, banana-shaped, bright green leaves, creating a cascading, beaded effect. This makes it an ideal plant for hanging baskets, where its unique 'strings' can dangle freely, or as a dense, intriguing groundcover in a succulent garden.
Height:
Typically grows 10 to 20 centimetres tall, but its stems trail.
Width:
Forms a spreading, trailing mat, usually covering 30 to 90 centimetres or more, as it sends out numerous stolons (runners) that root where they touch the ground.
Leaves:
The leaves are alternate, very thick, fleshy, and distinctly banana-shaped or fishhook-shaped, typically 1.5-3 cm long and about 0.5 cm in diameter. They are bright green, often with a translucent "window" on the upper side that allows light into the leaf's interior for photosynthesis. The leaves are smooth (glabrous) and pointed at the apex. They are arranged singly along the stems, giving the appearance of beads on a string.
Flowers:
The flowers are small, brush-like, and composed of numerous tiny ray florets. They are typically white to off-white, sometimes with a faint yellow or pale pink tinge, and have a slightly cinnamon-like fragrance. The flowers are borne in small, terminal clusters (capitula) atop short, slender stalks. While not as showy as the foliage, they add a delicate touch. Curio radicans flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female reproductive parts.
Flowering season:
Primarily flowers in late winter to spring (around July to October), but can flower sporadically at other times.
Fruits:
The fruit is a small, dry achene (a single-seeded fruit), typical of the Asteraceae family. It is topped with a pappus (a parachute-like structure of hairs) for wind dispersal.
Seeds:
The seeds are very small, cylindrical achenes, often with a pappus of silky hairs that enables them to be dispersed by wind.
Stems:
The stems are slender, flexible, and trailing, initially green but becoming slightly tougher and brownish with age. They readily root at the nodes where they touch the ground, allowing the plant to spread rapidly and form dense mats.
Thorns:
None.
Roots:
It has a fibrous and relatively shallow root system, with adventitious roots developing from the spreading stems, enabling it to colonise areas quickly, especially over rocky surfaces or trailing down.
Soil type:
Requires very well-drained, gritty, or sandy soil. It is extremely intolerant of prolonged moisture or heavy, waterlogged soils, which will quickly lead to root rot. A succulent or cactus potting mix is essential.
Aspect:
Thrives in full sun to partial shade. Full sun encourages more compact growth and can bring out subtle red tints on the leaves, but it also performs well in bright, indirect light. It is highly drought-tolerant and well-adapted to arid conditions. It is moderately frost-tolerant; established plants can survive light frosts if kept dry, but require protection from severe or prolonged frost.
Ediblity:
Not considered edible for humans.
Toxicity:
Like many species within the Curio (formerly Senecio) genus, Curio radicans is considered toxic if ingested. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause liver damage in animals and humans if consumed in significant quantities. While accidental ingestion by humans is rare due to its ornamental use, it is important to keep this plant away from children and pets, particularly grazing animals.
Uses:
Extremely popular as an ornamental plant for hanging baskets, where its trailing stems and unique leaves can be showcased.
Excellent as a groundcover in arid gardens, rockeries, or succulent beds, forming a dense, unusual mat.
Ideal for filling gaps between stepping stones or spilling over retaining walls.
Suitable for indoor cultivation in bright, indirect light.
Ecology:
The small, fuzzy flowers attract various small insect pollinators. The plant's ability to spread rapidly via rooted stems allows it to colonise rocky crevices and slopes, providing groundcover in harsh, dry environments. Its succulent leaves store water, allowing it to survive prolonged dry periods.
Distribution and habitat:
Curio radicans is indigenous to South Africa, primarily found in the Eastern Cape province, often in the drier, more arid regions. It typically grows on rocky slopes, in crevices, and among boulders, often in partial shade provided by rocks or larger plants, in succulent Karoo and thicket vegetation. It is well-adapted to hot, dry conditions.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Curio was recently separated from Senecio, reflecting new phylogenetic understandings. It is derived from the Latin word 'curio', possibly referring to its distinctive shape.
The species epithet radicans is Latin for 'rooting', referring to its ability to root along its trailing stems.
The common name "Necklace Plant" aptly describes the appearance of its beaded stems.
"String of Bananas" refers to the specific shape of its leaves.
"String of Fishhooks" is another descriptive name.
Historical aspects:
Curio radicans has been a favourite in succulent collections and gardens for many years due to its highly unique and decorative appearance. Its resilience and ease of propagation have contributed to its widespread cultivation worldwide. It is often confused with Curio rowleyanus (String of Pearls), which has rounded leaves, leading to some misapplication of common names. Its reclassification from Senecio to Curio reflects ongoing scientific research into plant relationships.
Interesting facts:
This plant's leaves look exactly like tiny green bananas or even little fishhooks, strung along its stems – how cool is that for a living necklace?
It's a champion at trailing and spilling, making it absolutely perfect for hanging baskets where its "strings" can dangle freely.
Even though it's a succulent, its leaves have tiny translucent 'windows' on top, allowing light to hit the inner parts of the leaf for efficient photosynthesis – clever!
It's so easy to make more of these! Just snip a piece off, lay it on some soil, and soon you'll have more 'strings' to share.
Growing tips:
Propagation: Extremely easy to propagate from stem cuttings. Simply snip a piece of stem, allow the cut end to dry and form a callus for a few days, then lay it on top of well-drained succulent mix. It roots readily from the leaf nodes.
Light: Prefers full sun to bright, partial shade. Full sun encourages more compact growth and can bring out subtle red tints.
Watering: As a succulent, it needs very little water. Water thoroughly but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Reduce watering significantly in winter. Overwatering is the most common cause of problems.
Soil: Use an extremely well-draining succulent or cactus mix. Good drainage is crucial.
Container: Excellent for hanging baskets, pots, rockeries, and as a groundcover in arid garden beds.
Maintenance: Very low maintenance. Prune to encourage bushiness or to manage length.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
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