This cute succulent will make you feel like you’re on the beach all day since, as its name suggests, its leaves look like a group of leaping dolphins! The string of dolphins (Senecio peregrinus), a trailing succulent in the Asteraceae family, is a hybrid of the string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) and candle plant (Senecio articulatus).
The recognizable dolphin-shaped leaves and protracted hanging tendrils that distinguish String of Dolphins. Although these plants can blossom, their fragile blooms are generally unnoticeable, and their intriguing foliage is grown more so than their flowers. Depending on the appearance you’re trying for, you can train them to grow upwards on a trellis or moss pole, where they look fantastic in hanging baskets and vertical gardens.
The majority of the time, string of dolphins are cultivated indoors as houseplants, yet they can also be planted outside. They are not frost-tolerant succulents, though, and need warm weather all year round to survive outside.
Should I remove the flowers from my dolphin string?
When given the right care, a string of dolphins hardly ever becomes sick from a houseplant disease. The most typical disease that hinders dolphin plant growth is root rot. When the roots are overwatered, they become mushy and begin to rot. When cultivating a string of dolphins, use the right watering measures to avoid illness problems.
Hold off on watering until the soil dries out if you see mushy stems or leaves close to the soil line. Keep in mind that dolphins grow better when they are slightly submerged than when they receive excessive amounts of water.
In extreme situations of root rot, you might have to remove healthy stems from the plant in order to propagate the diseased ones.
How is a dolphin string made to bloom?
It is quite simple to propagate any of the cascading Curio species with “string of at the beginning of their names. One of the stems should be placed on top of a pot of soil, and the soil should be misted once a day. This is the simplest way of multiplication (or water it every three or four days). The nodes will produce roots (the spot where the leaf joins the stem). A few weeks later, the portion can be cut off from the mother plant so it can continue to grow on its own.
As an alternative, you can trim a healthy stem into a 2- to 3-inch portion and place the bottom inch of the cutting into a pot of sterile potting soil. With only watering and a sunny windowsill, the stem cuttings will grow roots in about a month. The use of rooting hormone is optional; it is not required. One of the most straightforward succulents to grow is the string of dolphins.
How do I make my dolphin string fuller?
Rearranging the strings’ pattern is the simplest approach to make a string of dolphins appear fuller. Trim a healthy string from the stem’s base, then place the trimmed stem back into the pot where you want it. The primary method for multiplying dolphin succulents is stem cuttings. Wherever you plant these chopped stems, they ought to soon take root and develop. Any string succulent species, such as string of nickels, string of pearls, and string of bananas, can be grown using this technique.
- Cut mature stems from your plant and transplant them where you’d like.
- Wherever they are planted, these clipped succulent stems will take root and produce greater growth.
- Don’t fertilize your succulents excessively.
Stopping the fertilization of your dolphin plant is a surprising action you may take to assist. When fed too much fertilizer, string of dolphin leaves can lose their distinctive dolphin shape. In fact, if you want to keep the plant’s remarkable appearance, it’s best to completely avoid fertilizing it on a regular basis.
Why don’t the dolphins in my string resemble dolphins?
One of my favorite succulents is the Senecio peregrinus, sometimes known as the string of dolphins. I adore how the leaves, which are shaped like dolphins, appear to leap from the stems as though they are riding waves in the sea. They look beautiful together when I plant them with a string of fishhooks since it feels appropriate. I occasionally have an odd sense of humor.
They were also a part of my all-time favorite container garden that I had ever created. How do you feel about my imaginary garden? I refer to it as “Dolphins and Dragons.” Although it may use a little more sunlight, the succulent I planted in March 2019 at our first-ever Premier Succulents workshop is now delightfully filling out. (There was also a regrettable event involving a fallen pot soon after I got this garden home, which ripped off half the leaves on the aeonium and crushed the calico kitten crassula, but that’s a story for another day. Maybe.)
Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls) and Senecio articulatus (candle plant), two additional senecio species, were crossed to create this hybrid, which prefers strong light and, appropriately, a little more water than most succulents. I’ve discovered that it’s essential to avoid letting the soil totally dry out in between waterings since otherwise, the dolphins tend to shrivel and die. Its appeal is increased in the spring when little flowers start to bloom.
Like its pearl parent, the string of dolphins contains “windows” that you can use to determine whether it is sufficiently hydrated. If your dolphins’ tops are tightly closed, you might need to add a bit more water. Your dolphins are fully hydrated if they are flattening out, thus you can probably reduce their water intake a little. The picture below shows a dejected, flattened dolphin. Some of the elder leaves look a little strange because that specific cutting struggled to get going, but that’s alright. Here, weird and unique are welcomed.
Simply pinch the stems and plant the cuttings directly into the soil to promote the growth of your dolphins. The original plant will branch where it was pinched, and they root easily, especially in the late summer and fall.
The tiny dolphins that are forming on the stems are, in all honesty, some of the most delightful and lovely propagation I’ve ever done. New leaves are usually fascinating, but here is a picture of some little dolphins. Decide for yourself.
The leaves can grow to be approximately 3/4″ long and 1/4″ wide as they get older, and, astonishingly, we’ve had some success rerooting individual leaves here in the greenhouse. We tested it since we are always up for an experiment and can’t help spreading if given the chance. We had believed that stem cuttings would be necessary; nevertheless, leaves also work and are just as effective. Old, thick leaves occasionally have the ability to reproduce, however it takes them a while to become a plant. Although there isn’t a 100% success rate, it is a great project for kids!
Set up your kids with an ice cube tray full of dirt and a few leaves from the base of your mature plant. Then, let them place the dolphins in the container with the part that was attached to the mother plant buried in the soil. To increase your chances of growing new plants, attempt to place two or three leaves in each part if you have enough. Set the tray in a bright, sunny area and softly mist it every few days, just enough to moisten the soil’s surface. It’s a pretty sluggish process this way, so be ready to see virtually nothing happen for months. You might also do a second pot or two of cuttings to demonstrate to the children the many techniques (some quicker than others!) to grow new plants. When your cuttings are large enough, you may transplant them into custom-painted pots and give them as gifts to your favorite teachers.
Consider placing cuttings from your string of dolphins into conch shells with echeveria and cotyledon pendens for simple, exquisite table decorations if your wedding has a beach theme. You can also use the same plants in small pots as shower gifts.
With this extraordinary succulent, the options are really limitless. It looks amazing in a hanging basket in a bright window and is guaranteed to catch everyone’s eye.
We would love to display your gorgeous dolphin collection, especially if you purchased it from us. Visit our Facebook page, upload some pictures, and brag about your plantlings. We’d also be interested in seeing any setups you’ve developed that use this amazing plant, such as dolphin propagation stations. We appreciate you sharing your thoughts and images in advance!
Note and shameless plug:
This item has already been shared in parts on our Facebook page. I hope you like this revised and extended version! Check out our store if you don’t already have your own dolphin string! This cute little plant is available in a variety of sizes as well as our selection of trailing succulents. If you need a lot of dolphins or any other succulent for your wedding or other occasion, we can offer discounts for bulk orders! For further information, please send us a note!
Why are the dolphins in my string rising higher?
Your String of Dolphins is not getting enough sunlight if it starts to grow higher, bend toward the light, or elongate toward a window.
Like other plants, the String of Dolphins Plant uses this strategy to adapt to a shortage of light. The plant’s stem and leaves extend in the direction of the light. The stem may swell and the crevices between the leaves may widen, as well. In this situation, plant growth tends to slow down. By increasing the plant’s exposure to light, we advise moving its location. The desired result takes several months to materialize, but at least the plant will quit exerting additional energy to get to the light. This will maintain its health. Direct sunlight exposure is not advised, rather gradual exposure if the Dolphin plant has grown longer. Imagine that this elongation mechanism was the plant’s attempt to compensate for the lack of light. It may also be impacted if it then starts to get excessive light. Make adjustments gradually.
Do dolphin strings enjoy being rootbound?
Reseeding and Potting This trailing succulent does not require frequent repotting because it can endure being root-bound. In fact, keeping the plant slightly root-bound is one of the best strategies to promote blossoms.
The reason why dolphin strings bleed purple
There could be a few causes for your succulent plant to start turning purple. The reasons why your succulent may be turning purple or red, turning purple and dying, what it signifies when succulents turn purple, and what to do in this case are all listed in this page.
Purple or other color changes in succulents can occur naturally or as a result of stress. Stress can cause your succulents to turn purple or red, and the causes can include abrupt temperature changes, excessive heat or light, as well as a lack of food and water.
Anthocyanin and carotenoids, two pigments, are what give succulents their purple or red color. During periods of intense sunlight, this pigment primarily prevents succulents from overphotosynthesizing and burning.
To reveal their full potential colors, some succulent growers purposefully expose their plants to more sun. Blushing or red/purple colouring disappears after sunshine exposure is reduced once more.
How can one make a strand of pearls bloom?
The luscious string of pearls reminds me of the plastic pop-apart beads from childhood dress-up bins with its tiny green bubbles along a slender stem. It’s eccentricity is unavoidable. Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about this unusual succulent.
This succulent, which is a perennial vine of the Asteraceae family and is native to southwest Africa, is also known as “string of beads” or “rosary.” Like other succulents, it doesn’t need much attention from you.
After you have one string of pearls plant, you can easily grow more by planting cuttings in soil and letting them grow roots. This will help your original plant look fuller.
String of pearls can also produce tiny white blooms with vividly colored stamens in addition to its distinctive leaves. (Some claim the blossoms have a cinnamon-like odor.) Reduce water usage and relocate the succulent throughout the winter to a slightly cooler location (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) to promote spring blooming.
Why are the dolphins on my string so soft?
String of Dolphins, in contrast to other succulents, prefers chilly air and can endure wintertime temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It is good for them to have temperatures of around 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer or throughout their growing season.  
But bear in mind that the String of Dolphins are “soft succulents,” which means they won’t endure a severe frost. Therefore, it is advised to put them in a container that can be readily moved inside if the temperature in your location drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Soil and Pot Needs
The String of Dolphins can decay if overwatered, like other succulents do. Choose a soil that drains well, such as a cactus/succulent mix, and plant the plants in a container with drainage holes on the bottom.
Additionally, dolphins do well in slightly congested environments, so select a container that is just a little bit bigger than them.
Watering requirements
Contrary to some uncommon succulents, which can be quite difficult to water, String of Dolphin is relatively simple to care for. The easiest way to do this is to water them well, letting the soil completely dry between applications, then repeating as necessary until the water flows out the drainage hole in the pot. Do this once a week when they are actively developing (often from early Spring to late Fall) and once a month when they are dormant (every winter). Based on the conditions in your particular area, you can modify the watering schedule to suit the requirements of each individual plant.  
5. Dolphins in an Underwater and Overwater String
String of Dolphins prefer a little bit more watering than other Senecio species like String of Pearls, which primarily causes them to suffer from being under-watered.
 
So always remember to look at their leaves for clues that will allow you to tell if they need watering or not.
Always look to their leaves for clues as to whether your String of Dolphins has submerged or is over.
When you observe indicators like dried, deflated, and drab leaves, your dolphin is probably submerged. Conversely, squishy, yellow, or transparent leaves indicate that your dolphin is receiving more water than is necessary.
6. Needs for Fertilizing
String of Dolphins doesn’t require a lot of fertilizer because doing so risks losing its distinctive jumping dolphin appearance. Ideally, you should only feed them once or twice a year, at the start of spring and when they begin to blossom.
7. Slumber
Winter is when the String of Dolphins goes dormant, thus cooler temperatures, around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and much less watering are needed. In light of this, you should reduce your watering to just once a month in order to maintain the happiness and health of this succulent plant.