How To Grow and Care for A String of Dolphins?

Senecio Peregrinus, otherwise known as String of Dolphins or the Dolphin Plant, is another succulent type that enchants the beholder with its charm. But more importantly, like most other succulents, it is pretty easy to grow. 

Yet, you might have to give it a slight bit of extra attention and care. It is one of the rare types of succulents that are not very easy to find. So, if you have got hold of a String of Dolphin plant, you need to show it some love, and that’s why we have developed this guide to help you out.

What is a String of Dolphins Plant?

With the scientific name, Senecio Peregrinus is one of the cutest-looking succulents that you can find out there. The animal-like look of this plant is rare, and its curvy and beautiful leaves perfectly resemble tiny dolphins jumping out of water. 

Like other “String-of” succulents, including String of Hearts, String of Bananas, String of Pearls, and String of Turtles, this plant results from cross-pollination between String of Pearls and Hot Dog Cactus. 

This plant can grow up to 3 feet and 6 inches in height. It looks great spilling out of any hanging basket or pot and can trickle down on your windows or shelves and even on the edge of your stair rail. Those trickling-down little dolphins look pretty amazing. 

How Do You Take Care of a Dolphin String Plant?

So, the question is, how do you take care of this lovely-looking plant? Here are some important points that you need to take care of.

Light

Like other String-of succulents, the String of dolphins tends to get scorched in the sun if you place it directly into the sunlight. It’s a succulent that doesn’t like too much heat. So, you keep them safe from direct sunlight when it’s getting too hot. 

If you are looking to place them with other plants located outside, keep them in a shaded spot. They need filtered or indirect sunlight throughout the day. You can grow them in Zone 10, so they are not cold-hardy. 

If you’re growing them as your houseplant, place them in a window that faces south, as they will get about 6 hours of sunlight in the morning. 

Temperature

This plant prefers cool air, unlike other succulents. So, they can withstand temperatures as low as 40 F in the winter. During summer or in the growing season, the ideal temperature for this plant is around 72 F. 

But this is a soft succulent plant. It means they cannot survive a hard frost. If the temperature tends to go under 30 F in your area, it is highly recommended to plant it in a container to transfer them indoors. 

Soil & Pot 

Like other succulents, this plant tends to rot if you overwater it. Hence, you need to pick a well-draining soil, such as Miracle-Gro, and plant it within a container with drainage holes at the bottom. Furthermore, this plant tends to thrive in slightly crowded conditions. So, your container should only be slightly bigger than the plant itself. 

Watering

Watering String of Dolphins is pretty easy. You can give them a good soak until the water starts running out of the drainage holes in the pot. Let the soil dry out completely before your next watering session. 

So, you can water them once a week in their growing season, which is usually around spring to early fall. During winter, you need to water them once a month. Based on your area, you can make adjustments to the watering schedule. 

Fertilizing

This plant doesn’t need much fertilizer, and if you over-fertilize it, the plant can lose its classy look. Just feed them once or twice annually, right at the beginning of spring as they start to bloom.

How to Pot and Repot a String of Dolphins?

This plant prefers to be slightly pot-bound because it results in better blooms. So, repotting it once every three years and doing it during the spring season will give it more space for growing. But, of course, you will have to go for a larger pot, and it will enable you to get rid of any infection from the roots in the process. Here’s what you need to do.

Watering 

Water your plant for 24 hours before beginning the potting or repotting process. It will prevent the plant from getting any shock caused by transplanting. Use a quality pair of gloves and keep your hands safe from the dirt. 

Use a large pot

Choose a pot that is one size larger than the previous one. You can go for the Terracotta pot as it can absorb excess moisture from the soil. But make sure it has drainage holes to prevent the roots from rotting or soil waterlogging. 

Get the Soil Mix right

Choose a well-draining and porous soil mix with 40 percent coco coir, 20 percent perlite, and 15 percent orchid bark (or 50 percent pearlite and 50 percent soil mix).

How to Propagate Strings of Dolphin Succulent?

With this plant, leaf propagation is not an option, so you must use its step. Here’s what you will have to do.

• You can pick a healthy stem with plump leaves and cut it right below the leaf using a sharp knife or scissors. And keep the stem around 5 inches in length or more.
• Remove any of those leaves on the bottom and let the stem dry out for a couple of days. 
• Once the cut has become calloused, stick it in well-draining soil and water it deeply. 
• Place this cutting in partial shade and introduce it to sunlight slowly over the next couple of weeks by avoiding direct sunlight. 
• You can water the cutting again when the top layer of soil dries out fairly. You can give your cutting more water in the next couple of days as the roots will be formed by then. 

Common Problems for String of Dolphins

Primarily there are two major problems that you will have to deal with when grounding and caring for this plant. 

Pest Attack

This plant is vulnerable to mealybugs and spider mites when growing a kit indoors. Spider mites spin webs under the leaves, while mealybugs cause white cotton-like growth. 

You can use cotton swabs soaked in rubbing alcohol. Plus, you can bring your plant outside and spray it with cold water. Using miticide and insecticidal soap for spider mites and mealybugs can be effective. 

Disease

The only disease this plant can get is fungal. However, you can avoid well-draining soil, do proper watering, and use a pot that doesn’t accumulate water.

FAQs

Is a String of Dolphins rare?

Yes, String of Dolphin is a rare succulent type. So, you need to be very careful with them. But the good thing is that they are easy to take care of. 

How much sun does a String of Dolphins need?

This planet doesn’t need much sun, so it is important to place them in a window that faces south. This is because they only need about 6 hours of sunlight in the morning throughout the day. 

Where should I put my String of Dolphins? 

You can place it in a window that faces south if you place it indoors. However, if you want to place them in artificial light, you can put them in T-5 fluorescent light or an LED grow light during the winter.

Final Word

The String of Dolphins is a classy-looking plant that will add to your garden’s overall looks, whether indoor or outdoor. But make sure you protect it from direct sunlight and don’t overwater it, or its roots will rot. Furthermore, use good-quality well-draining soil mix to boost its growth.

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