What Is a Banana String Plant?
String of bananas (Curio radicans) is not a fruit, but rather a succulent vine plant with banana-shaped leaves. This native South African plant belongs to the Asteraceae family and has small, white flowers that bloom in early spring.
What Is the Difference Between a String of Bananas and a String of Pearls?
String of bananas and string of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) are both trailing succulents that can be grown in a succulent garden with other drought-tolerant plants like sedum, echeveria, and crassula. The primary distinction between the two plants is that string of bananas has oblong leaves, whereas string of pearls has pea-shaped leaves.
How to Grow and Cater for String of Bananas
String bananas, which are typically sold potted in planters, are ideal for growing as groundcover in a hanging basket indoors or in a garden. To grow a string of bananas, follow these guidelines:
1. Banana strings thrive in porous, well-draining soil. This plant can be grown in cactus potting soil with perlite for drainage. If the soil is deficient in nutrients, add compost.
2. Wait until the soil is completely dry before watering. This succulent can withstand drought. Wait until the soil is dry before watering”once a week in the spring and summer, and every two weeks in the fall and winter when the plant is dormant. When growing a string of bananas in a pot, make sure the pot has drainage holes and avoid overwatering, which can cause root rot.
3. Select a location with good indirect lighting. Place the banana string near a bright window indoors. If you're planting outside, make sure the plant gets both morning and afternoon sun. The leaves will be burned if exposed to direct sunlight. Sparse foliage indicates that your plant is not getting enough light, and brown tips indicate that it is getting too much direct sunlight.
4. Banana string grows well in warm weather. A banana string can withstand temperatures of up to 110 degrees. If you live somewhere where the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, bring your plant inside for the winter.
5. Support trailing vines with string. The banana string grows quickly and trails. Use a growing string to provide something for the vines, which can grow up to three feet long.
6. Encourage growth by pruning the plant. If you want to encourage more growth, you can prune the plant. Snipping a banana string halfway down the vine will result in the growth of two new vines from the cut.
How to Properly Propagate String of Bananas
Banana plants can be easily propagated in strings. To propagate your banana string from cuttings, follow these steps:
1. Cut: Remove a vine two inches above the stem.
2. Trim the lower leaves around the cut end.
3. Dry: Allow the cutting to dry for three to seven days until it forms a callus.
4. Replant the cutting in a well-draining pot filled with cactus or succulent mix soil.
5. Water: Keep the soil damp until new growth appears and the new plant has roots, then wait until the soil is dry before watering again.
Is String of Bananas Plant Toxic?
 is not a fruit, but rather a succulent vine plant with banana-shaped leaves. This native South African plant belongs to the Asteraceae family and has small, white flowers that bloom in early spring.)
