String of Tears Care: The Delicate Trailing Succulent

String of Tears (Senecio citriformis or Curio citriformis) is a trailing succulent with teardrop-shaped leaves that look like tiny, plump water droplets hanging from delicate vines. The leaves are smooth, light green, and almost translucent when backlit. Each leaf is about the size of a small bead, and the vines can grow several feet long, cascading beautifully from a hanging basket or high shelf.

String of Tears is closely related to String of Pearls (round bead-like leaves) and String of Bananas (banana-shaped leaves). But String of Tears is easier to care for than String of Pearls (which is notoriously finicky and prone to shriveling) and grows faster. It is more forgiving of mistakes, recovers quickly from neglect, and propagates easily.

If you have killed String of Pearls multiple times (like I have), String of Tears is a great alternative. It has the same trailing succulent vibe but with way less drama. It is forgiving and perfect for beginners who want a low-maintenance trailing plant that actually survives.

Quick Care Summary

Light: Bright, indirect light (some direct sun okay)
Water: When soil is completely dry (every 2 to 3 weeks)
Humidity: Dry air is fine
Growth habit: Trailing succulent
Biggest mistake: Overwatering

Light

String of Tears needs bright light to stay compact, plump, and healthy. It can tolerate some direct sun (especially morning sun), which makes it more light-tolerant than String of Pearls.

Best light:

South or west-facing window with a sheer curtain (bright but not scorching)
East-facing window (bright morning sun, no harsh afternoon sun)
4 to 6 hours of bright light daily (some direct sun is fine)
Within 1 to 3 feet of a window
Or under a grow light (12 to 14 hours per day)

String of Tears can tolerate some direct sun (especially morning sun from an east window), but too much harsh afternoon sun can scorch the leaves and cause them to shrivel.

Signs of too little light:

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

If your String of Tears is getting leggy, move it closer to a window. Prune back the leggy vines, and the new growth will be more compact in brighter light.

Signs of too much light:

Leaves turn brown, tan, or reddish (sunstress)
Leaves shrivel or wrinkle even when watered
Crispy, scorched patches on leaves

A little sunstress (leaves turning slightly tan or red) is normal and harmless. Some people even like the color change. But if the leaves are scorching or shriveling, move the plant back from the window or add a sheer curtain.

Growth in bright light vs. low light:

In bright light: Vines grow fast (often several inches per month), leaves are plump and full, spacing between leaves is tight
In low light: Vines grow slowly, leaves are smaller and less plump, spacing between leaves is wide (leggy)

Watering

String of Tears is drought-tolerant and prefers to dry out completely between waterings. Like all succulents, it stores water in its leaves, so it can handle long periods without watering. In fact, underwatering is safer than overwatering. When in doubt, wait a few more days.

How to water:

Check the soil by sticking your finger 1 to 2 inches down (or lift the pot to feel the weight)
Check the leaves—if they feel slightly soft or wrinkled, the plant is thirsty
If the soil is bone dry and the leaves are soft, 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 completely dry again before watering

Typical schedule:

Spring and summer (active growth): Every 2 to 3 weeks
Fall and winter (slower growth): Every 3 to 4 weeks (or longer)

The schedule depends on your home conditions. In a warm, dry, bright home, you might water every 2 weeks. In a cooler, more humid, or lower-light home, every 4 weeks might be enough. The pot size also matters—smaller pots dry out faster.

Signs of overwatering:

Mushy, translucent leaves (leaves lose their firmness and look watery)
Soft, rotting stems
Leaves falling off easily
Soil stays wet for more than a week
Foul smell from the soil
Black or brown rot on the roots

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:

Leaves wrinkle or shrivel (they lose their plumpness and look deflated)
Leaves feel soft 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. String of Tears can handle some wrinkling—it is a sign the plant is thirsty, but it is not an emergency. The plant will recover quickly once watered.

Overwatering causes root rot and mushy leaves. This is the most common cause of death for String of Tears (and all string succulents). If you are not sure whether to water, wait a few more days. The plant will forgive underwatering but not overwatering.

Soil and Pot

Use well-draining, gritty soil. String of Tears needs soil that dries out quickly (within a week or so). If the soil stays wet too long, the roots rot.

Best soil:

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

The soil should feel light and gritty. When you water, it should drain quickly (within a few seconds). If water pools on the surface or the soil stays wet for more than a few days, add more perlite or sand.

Pot requirements:

Must have drainage holes (non-negotiable)
Terracotta pots are ideal (they breathe and wick away excess moisture, which prevents overwatering)
Hanging basket or pot on a high shelf (to show off the trailing vines)
Shallow pot works fine (String of Tears has shallow roots)

Pot size: String of Tears does not mind being rootbound. A small pot (4 to 6 inches) 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). Do not use an oversized pot—the soil will stay wet too long and the roots will rot.

When to repot:

When roots grow out of the drainage holes
When the plant dries out extremely fast (within 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 Tears is not fussy.

Temperature: 60 to 80 F
Humidity: Dry air is fine

Fertilizer

String of Tears does not need much food.

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

Pruning

String of Tears 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, shriveled, or mushy leaves
Propagate the cuttings (do not waste them)

To encourage bushier growth: Pruning the ends of the vines does not directly make the plant bushier (String of Tears grows from the base, not from cut ends). But pruning 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 to make the plant look fuller:

Prune the long vines
Propagate the cuttings
Once the cuttings have roots (2 to 4 weeks), plant multiple cuttings back in the same pot
After a few months, you will have a thick, full pot of vines instead of a few long, sparse strands

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 lush, full hanging basket instead of a few scraggly vines.

Propagating String of Tears

String of Tears propagates easily from stem cuttings. The success rate is very high (probably 90 percent or better if you use healthy cuttings and provide bright light). It roots faster than String of Pearls.

Method: Stem cuttings in soil (easiest, most reliable for succulents):

Cut a section of vine (4 to 6 inches long with at least 8 to 10 leaves)
Remove the bottom 1 to 2 inches of leaves to expose the stem
Let the cuttings dry for 24 hours (this allows the cut end to callus over and prevents rot)
- Lay the cuttings on a paper towel or plate in a dry spot (not in water)
After 24 hours, lay the cutting on top of moist (not wet) succulent soil
Press the exposed stem lightly into the soil (it does not need to be buried)
Mist the soil lightly every few days to keep it slightly moist (not soaking wet)
Roots develop in 2 to 4 weeks, and the cutting will anchor itself
Once rooted, treat like a mature plant (let the soil dry completely between waterings)

Alternative method: Water propagation (works but slower for succulents):

Cut a section of vine (4 to 6 inches)
Remove the bottom leaves
Let the cutting dry for 24 hours
Place the cutting in a small glass or jar of water (stem submerged, leaves above water)
Change the water every few days
Roots develop in 3 to 5 weeks
Once roots are 1 to 2 inches long, plant in soil

I prefer soil propagation for String of Tears because it is faster and the cuttings transition more easily to soil (no transplant shock).

Tips for success:

Use healthy, plump cuttings (avoid shriveled or damaged vines)
Propagate in spring or summer (faster rooting)
Keep cuttings in bright light but not direct sun
Do not overwater—mist lightly, do not soak
Be patient—even if it takes 4 weeks, the cuttings usually root

You can propagate multiple cuttings in the same pot to create a fuller plant faster. I usually propagate 5 to 10 cuttings at once and plant them all in the same hanging basket.

Common Problems

Leggy growth (long vines with few leaves)

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

Fix:

Move the plant closer to a window (within 1 to 3 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.

Mushy, translucent leaves (watery appearance)

Cause: Overwatering or root rot. The leaves are absorbing too much water 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 (only when soil is bone dry and leaves are slightly soft)

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

Wrinkled, shriveled leaves (deflated appearance)

Cause: Underwatering. The leaves have used up their stored water.

Fix:

Give the plant a thorough watering (water until it drains)
The leaves should plump back up within 24 to 48 hours
Water more frequently going forward (but still let the soil dry completely between waterings)

Occasional slight wrinkling is normal—it is the plant’s way of telling you it is thirsty. But if the leaves stay wrinkled even after watering, the roots may be damaged.

Leaves turning brown, tan, or reddish

Causes:

Sunstress (too much direct sun): Leaves turn tan, brown, or red as a protective response
Sunburn (too much harsh sun): Leaves turn brown with crispy, scorched patches
Cold damage (below 50 F): Leaves turn brown or black and shrivel

Fix:

If sunstress (tan/red), move the plant back from the window slightly, or leave it (a little sunstress is harmless and some people like the color)
If sunburn (brown/crispy), move the plant back from the window or add a sheer curtain
If cold damage, move the plant to a warmer spot (above 60 F)

Leaves falling off

Causes:

Overwatering (leaves turn mushy and fall off)
Underwatering (older leaves dry up and fall off)
Cold damage (leaves turn brown and fall off)
Natural shedding (older leaves at the base dry up and fall off, normal)

Fix:

If overwatering, let the soil dry out completely and water less frequently
If underwatering, water thoroughly and check soil moisture more frequently
If cold damage, move to a warmer spot
If natural shedding, no fix needed (older leaves eventually die)

Pests

String of Tears is pest-resistant but can attract mealybugs (white, cottony bugs that hide in leaf crevices and along vines) or spider mites (rare, only in very dry conditions).

How to treat:

Inspect the plant regularly (check along vines, under leaves, and near the soil)
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 or growing very slowly

Causes:

Not enough light (too far from a window)
Dormancy (slower growth in fall and winter is normal)
Rootbound (rare—String of Tears tolerates being rootbound)
Not enough nutrients (has not been fertilized in over a year)

Fix:

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

What To Do Next

If your String of Tears is thriving:

Propagate it and plant the cuttings back in the same pot for a fuller look
Try String of Bananas (banana-shaped leaves, similar care, just as easy)
Or try String of Dolphins (dolphin-shaped leaves, similar care, slightly slower growth)

If your String of Tears is leggy:

Move it closer to a window (within 1 to 3 feet)
Prune back the long vines and propagate the cuttings
The new growth will be more compact in brighter light

If your String of Tears 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 succulents:

String of Bananas (banana-shaped leaves, same care)
String of Dolphins (dolphin-shaped leaves, same care)
String of Nickels (round coin-shaped leaves, more forgiving)
String of Hearts (heart-shaped leaves, drought-tolerant, slightly different care)

If you killed String of Pearls and want an easier alternative:

String of Tears is the plant for you. It is so much more forgiving than String of Pearls. I have killed String of Pearls multiple times (they shrivel if you look at them wrong), but String of Tears thrives with minimal effort. If you want a trailing succulent that actually survives, this is it.

If you want a challenge after mastering String of Tears:

String of Pearls (round bead-like leaves, more finicky, more prone to rot)
String of Turtles (tiny patterned leaves, needs more humidity, not a succulent)

String of Tears is one of the easiest and most rewarding trailing succulents. If you can keep it in bright light and resist the urge to overwater, it will grow like crazy and look stunning. And if you mess up, it is very forgiving—just propagate the healthy parts and start over.