String of Nickels Care: The Coin-Shaped Trailing Succulent

String of Nickels (Dischidia nummularia) is a trailing succulent with small, round, coin-shaped leaves. The leaves are flat and stack along the vines like rows of coins. Each leaf is about the size of a nickel (hence the name), and the vines can grow several feet long.

It is easy to care for, grows fast, and tolerates a wide range of conditions. String of Nickels is more forgiving than String of Pearls (which tends to shrivel and die if you look at it wrong) and more tolerant of moisture than most succulents. The vines grow quickly—often several inches per month during the growing season—and it looks beautiful cascading from a hanging basket or high shelf.

If you want a low-maintenance trailing plant that actually thrives instead of just survives, String of Nickels is perfect. It is one of the easiest trailing succulents I have grown, and I have killed plenty of String of Pearls to prove it.

Quick Care Summary

Light: Bright, indirect light (tolerates medium light)
Water: When soil is mostly dry (every 1 to 2 weeks)
Humidity: Normal household humidity is fine
Growth habit: Trailing succulent
Biggest mistake: Overwatering

Light

String of Nickels does best in bright, indirect light but tolerates medium light. It is more light-tolerant than String of Pearls, which needs very bright light to stay compact.

Best light:

East-facing window (bright morning sun, no scorching)
A few feet back from a south or west window (bright but indirect)
Within 3 to 5 feet of a window

In bright light, the vines grow faster and the leaves stay fuller and rounder. In medium light (like 6 to 8 feet from a window), the plant still grows but more slowly, and the vines stretch more between leaves.

Signs of too little light:

Leggy growth (long stretches of vine with few leaves)
Slower growth (less than 1 inch per month)
Leaves spaced farther apart on the vine
Vines grow thin and wiry

If your String of Nickels is getting leggy, move it closer to a window and prune back the long vines. The new growth will be more compact.

Signs of too much light:

Leaves turn yellow or pale green (washed out)
Brown, scorched edges or spots
Leaves shrivel or wrinkle even when watered

Direct sun through a south or west window can scorch the leaves, especially in summer. If you see scorching, move the plant back a few feet or add a sheer curtain.

Watering

Water when the soil is mostly dry (about 80 to 90 percent dry). String of Nickels is more tolerant of moisture than most succulents, so you do not need to wait until the soil is bone dry like you would with String of Pearls or other delicate succulents.

How to water:

Check the soil by sticking your finger 1 to 2 inches down
If mostly dry, water thoroughly until water runs out the drainage holes
Empty the saucer within 30 minutes (do not let it sit in water)
Wait until the soil is mostly dry again before watering

Typical schedule:

Spring and summer (active growth): Every 1 to 2 weeks
Fall and winter (slower growth): Every 2 to 3 weeks

The schedule depends on your home conditions. In a warm, dry home with good airflow, you might water weekly. In a cooler, more humid home, every 2 weeks might be enough.

Signs of overwatering:

Yellow, mushy leaves that fall off easily
Soft, translucent leaves
Black or brown rot on stems
Soil stays wet for more than a week
Foul smell from the soil

If you see signs of overwatering, stop watering immediately. Let the soil dry out completely. Remove any rotted sections of vine. If the rot has spread to the base, you may need to propagate the healthy parts and start over.

Signs of underwatering:

Wrinkled, shriveled leaves (leaves lose their plumpness)
Leaves feel thin and papery
Older leaves at the base of the vine dry up and drop
Soil is completely dry and pulls away from the pot

If the leaves are wrinkled, give the plant a thorough watering. The leaves should plump back up within 24 to 48 hours. If they do not, the roots may be damaged, or the plant may be too far gone.

Soil and Pot

Use well-draining soil. String of Nickels tolerates more moisture than most succulents but still needs soil that dries out within a week or so.

Best soil:

Cactus and succulent mix (pre-made, easy)
Or regular potting soil mixed with perlite (2:1 ratio—two parts soil, one part perlite)
Or potting soil + perlite + coarse sand (equal parts)

The key is drainage. If water pools on the surface or the soil stays wet for more than a week, add more perlite or sand.

Pot requirements:

Must have drainage holes (non-negotiable)
Hanging basket or pot on a high shelf (to show off the trailing vines)
Shallow pot works fine (String of Nickels has shallow roots)

Pot size: String of Nickels does not mind being slightly rootbound. A 4 to 6 inch pot is plenty for most plants. When the roots fill the pot and start circling, you can repot to the next size up (only 1 to 2 inches larger).

When to repot:

When roots grow out of the drainage holes
When the plant dries out extremely fast (less than a few days after watering)
Every 2 to 3 years, even if the plant seems fine

Repot in spring or early summer when the plant is actively growing. Do not repot in fall or winter.

Temperature and Humidity

String of Nickels is not fussy.

Temperature: 60 to 85 F
Humidity: Normal household humidity (40 to 60 percent) is fine

Higher humidity encourages faster growth but is not required.

Fertilizer

String of Nickels does not need much food.

Fertilize once a month in spring and summer
Use diluted liquid fertilizer (half strength)
Skip fertilizing in fall and winter

Pruning

String of Nickels grows fast and can get very long—sometimes 3 to 4 feet or more. Prune to control length, remove damaged sections, or encourage bushier growth (more vines from the base).

How to prune:

Cut back long vines with clean scissors or pruning shears
Cut just above a node (the spot where a leaf attaches to the vine)
Remove damaged, yellow, or shriveled leaves
Propagate the cuttings (do not waste them)

To encourage bushier growth: Pruning does not directly make the plant bushier (String of Nickels grows from the base, not from where you cut). But pruning back long vines redirects the plant’s energy to the base, and you can propagate the cuttings and plant them back in the same pot to create a fuller look.

How often to prune:

Whenever the vines get too long for your space
Or once or twice a year to keep the plant compact and tidy

I prune mine every spring and propagate the cuttings. After a few years, I have a thick, full pot of vines instead of a few long, sparse strands.

Propagating String of Nickels

String of Nickels propagates easily from stem cuttings. It roots faster than most trailing succulents (looking at you, String of Pearls) and the success rate is very high—probably 90 percent or better if you use healthy cuttings.

How to propagate in water:

Cut a section of vine (4 to 6 inches long with at least 3 to 4 leaves)
Remove the bottom 1 to 2 leaves to expose the nodes
Place the cutting in a small glass or jar of water (nodes submerged, leaves above water)
Set in bright, indirect light
Change the water every few days to keep it fresh
Roots develop in 2 to 3 weeks (sometimes sooner)
Once roots are 1 to 2 inches long, plant in soil

How to propagate in soil:

Cut a section of vine (4 to 6 inches)
Remove the bottom 1 to 2 leaves
Lay the cutting on top of moist (not wet) succulent soil
Press the nodes lightly into the soil (they do not need to be buried)
Mist the soil lightly every few days to keep it slightly moist
Roots develop in 2 to 3 weeks, and the cutting will anchor itself

I prefer water propagation because I can see the roots forming, but soil propagation works just as well. Some people just lay the cuttings on top of the soil and let them root without misting—String of Nickels is that easy.

Tips for success:

Use healthy, non-shriveled cuttings (plump leaves, no damage)
Propagate in spring or summer (faster rooting)
Keep cuttings in bright light but not direct sun
Be patient—even if it takes 3 to 4 weeks, the cuttings usually root

You can also propagate multiple cuttings in the same pot to create a fuller plant faster.

Common Problems

Leggy growth (long vines with few leaves)

Cause: Not enough light. String of Nickels stretches toward the light when it is too far from a window.

Fix:

Move the plant closer to a window (within 3 to 5 feet)
Prune back the leggy vines
Propagate the cuttings and plant them back in the pot for a fuller look

The new growth after pruning will be more compact if the plant is in brighter light.

Yellow, mushy leaves

Cause: Overwatering or root rot. The roots are sitting in wet soil for too long and starting to rot.

Fix:

Stop watering immediately
Let the soil dry out completely
Check the roots—if they are black, mushy, or smell bad, trim off the rotted sections
Repot in fresh, well-draining soil
Water less frequently going forward (wait until soil is 80 to 90 percent dry)

If the rot has spread to most of the plant, propagate the healthy sections and start over.

Wrinkled, shriveled leaves

Cause: Underwatering. The leaves lose their plumpness when the plant is too dry for too long.

Fix:

Give the plant a thorough watering (water until it drains)
The leaves should plump back up within 24 to 48 hours
If they do not, the roots may be damaged (check for root rot)
Water more frequently going forward

Occasional slight wrinkling is normal for succulents—it is the plant’s way of telling you it is thirsty. But if the leaves stay wrinkled even after watering, something else is wrong (usually root damage).

Leaves turning brown or black

Causes:

Cold damage (String of Nickels does not tolerate cold—below 50 F can cause damage)
Root rot (black, mushy leaves at the base of the vine)
Sunburn (brown, crispy patches on leaves exposed to direct sun)

Fix:

If cold damage, move the plant to a warmer spot (above 60 F)
If root rot, follow the steps under “Yellow, mushy leaves”
If sunburn, move the plant back from the window or add a sheer curtain

Pests

String of Nickels is pest-resistant but can attract mealybugs (white, cottony bugs that hide in leaf crevices) or spider mites (tiny bugs that cause speckled, dull leaves).

How to treat:

Inspect the plant regularly (check under leaves and along vines)
If you see mealybugs, dab them with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol
For spider mites, rinse the plant under a gentle stream of water, then spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil
Repeat treatment every 5 to 7 days for 2 to 3 weeks

Quarantine new plants for 2 weeks before placing them near your other plants to catch pests early.

Vines not growing

Causes:

Dormancy (slower growth in fall and winter is normal)
Not enough light (too far from a window)
Rootbound (roots have filled the pot and need more space)
Not enough nutrients (has not been fertilized in over a year)

Fix:

If it is fall or winter, be patient—growth will resume in spring
If light is low, move the plant closer to a window
If rootbound, repot to a slightly larger pot
If underfed, start fertilizing monthly in spring and summer

What To Do Next

If your String of Nickels is thriving:

Propagate it and plant the cuttings back in the same pot for a fuller look
Try String of Hearts (similar care, pink trailing vines with heart-shaped leaves)
Or try String of Turtles (tiny, patterned leaves—slightly more finicky but still easier than String of Pearls)

If your String of Nickels is leggy:

Move it closer to a window (within 3 to 5 feet)
Prune back the long vines and propagate the cuttings
The new growth will be more compact in brighter light

If your String of Nickels is struggling:

Check the soil moisture (overwatering is the most common cause of problems)
Make sure the pot has drainage holes
Move the plant to brighter light if growth is slow

If you want more easy trailing plants:

Pothos (nearly indestructible, grows fast, tolerates low light)
Philodendron (similar to Pothos, trailing or climbing)
String of Hearts (pink trailing vines, similar care to String of Nickels)

If you killed String of Pearls and want revenge:

String of Nickels is the plant for you. It is so much more forgiving. I have kept String of Nickels alive for years while I have killed String of Pearls multiple times. String of Nickels tolerates more water, more shade, and more neglect. If you want a trailing succulent that actually survives, this is it.