String of Bananas Houseplant Guide and Caring Tips
String of bananas, which is an easy-to-grow houseplant, was formerly recognized as Senecio radicans. String of bananas is one of the nicest types of trailing succulents. Burro’s tail succulent plants are different from the string of pearls plant that is often used as a popular home décor feature. They are known to grow well with little care and can look great in any environment. This article will be discussing how they grow and live, as well as how to take care of them.
What is Senecio Radicans?
The Senecio radicans or string of bananas is a vine composed of banana-shaped leaves, not a fruit. It is a native succulent to southern Africa. Plants in the Asteraceae family have white flowers that bloom during early spring.
String of Bananas is generally great plants to hang in your home because they have long, hanging leaves and work well as houseplants. Succulents can also be cultivated outside in gardens for succulents, provided you have the best conditions for them.
These plants are not tolerant to frost. It is best to plant it outdoors if your region has warm weather most of the year.
The Differences Between String of Bananas and String of Pearls
A string of pearls, also known as Curio rowleyanus, are succulent plants that trail down on bushes. The plant is similar to a string of bananas in the sense that both need to be placed with other plants that can tolerate drought from time to time (crassula, echeveria, and sedum).
The string of pearls is in the form of pea-shaped leaves, unlike the string of bananas with oblong shaped leaves. They are also different in structure.
Similarly, strings of bananas have thicker stems, making it more durable. Similarly, these succulents grow quicker, leading to a higher propagation rate.
How to Care for a String of Bananas Plant
People grow string of bananas because they have great-looking leaves and are low-maintenance.
There are four main things you can do to care for these plants:
Light
A string of bananas care is about the light it needs. If you are growing a string of bananas indoors, it needs bright and direct light without interruption for a minimum of 6-hour periods.
It is also possible to grow this succulent well beneath a grow light. Ensure your plant receives sufficient light because if it does not, its leaves will become spaced out and leggy.
Water
The plant is less demanding than others in terms of water. They can survive with watering every week or longer during the summer.
In winter these plants require watering every 2 weeks. The roots of these plants can rot if they’re overwatered during dormancy, so pay careful attention to how much you water them. These plants should be grown in pots with drainage holes, but overwatering them can cause their roots to rot.
Soil
Damp soil can cause root rot and would be a bad option for those planting succulents or cacti. To avoid this, purchase premix succulent or cactus soil or create your own. To create a mixture of potting soil and other materials, you can use two parts potting soil and one part sand or pumice.
Humidity and temperature
A string of bananas can withstand normal levels of humidity and temperatures, as it comes from a hot, dry climate. Just make sure not to put it near the vents of your air conditioning or heating units.
Cradle your guitar where it is shielded from drafts and cold. If your guitar will be in warmer temperatures, you should use a plastic zip-lock bag to humidify the inside. In an extreme situation, take a block of dry ice and wrap it in newspaper and place it next to the instrument.
With a high tolerance for heat, you don’t need to move this plant indoors unless the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fertilizer
It is not necessary to fertilize the string of bananas regularly, but feeding it lightly with nitrogen-rich fertilizer during summer and spring can benefit banana growth. New organic fertilizers to make your garden flourish.
Steps in Propagating String of Bananas
All you have to do is take a cutting off of a banana tree and put it in some soil. And then, follow these easy steps:
- Cut off a vine – Two inches above the stem should be the cutting point.
- Prune, which is the act of removing leaves from the branches.
- Cutting- It should take around 3 to 7 days for them to dry out, and you will know they are dry when they form a hard callus.
- Plant them again – Place them in a pot with good drainage and use succulent soil or cactus soil.
- Water the soil – Keep it damp until there is already new growth or roots emerging.
After the roots have grown, you should follow typical watering requirements. Wait for the soil to dry before you water it.
How to repot a string of bananas
The string of bananas can live with being bound by the roots. They don’t need to be repotted often, as they can stay healthy by refreshing the soil every two years or so. String of pearls trees should be repotted during the summer or spring. Compared to string of oranges, string of pearls is much easier to do and requires less care because it does not easily lose leaves.
You should still care for your plant when changing potting soil, as some of the delicate stems may break off. If this happens, don’t worry- you can just pop back the broken stem end into its new pot. Eventually, you can expect its roots to grow again.
What to watch out for in your garden and how to protect it from pests.
The string of bananas is not prone to serious problems. Even so, these can still include diseases or insect infestations. One problem that may arise is root rot due to overwatering.
Search for signs that your plant is infested with pests so you can treat and handle them right away. You should also search for pests that suck sap, like mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, and scale insects as they may be more common than you think.
STRING OF BANANAS OUTDOORS
If you live in a cold climate, your String of Bananas (frozen bananas on a stick) would greatly appreciate a summer vacation if left outside. Everything I’ve written above applies, except for 3 things:
Ensure that the area where you keep your herb is not in direct sunlight.
If your patio is constantly wet from rain, consider placing it under protection. If too much water gets on the String Of Bananas and doesn’t dry out, the plant will rot with mushy stems and banana leaves.
You should follow the steps of hosing down your banana tree and then knocking off any hitchhiking pests and their eggs
With too little light or overwatering, your succulent will die.
String Of Pearls and Burro’s Tail Sedums are more commonly found for sale, although String Of Bananas is also a very popular succulent.
Conclusion
When you take care of the string of bananas, they will grow as a succulent and have vibrant colors. They are easy to grow indoors, and it is common for gardeners to want them because they want to try a new plant or have experience with gardening.
How much sun does string of bananas need?
String of bananas requires sunlight but needs protection from intense heat and full sunlight. String of bananas thrives in a bright area with partial shade.
For the most part, you can keep bananas under the shade of other plants since they prefer to be in the sunlight rather than in intense heat.
How do you take care of a banana string plant?
The string of bananas is a low-maintenance plant that does not need regular trimming. It does not require much water and will grow easily for beginners.
Succulents need to receive lots of light or else, they won’t grow well. Try putting them in a sunny, bright window and the plant will have a chance of growing healthy and happy.
Is string of bananas poisonous?
String of bananas contains toxins in the flowers and bracts, so it is especially toxic to your pets.
Should I bottom water string of bananas?
One crucial point when growing your banana plant is that it needs very few resources. The best thing to do is make sure the soil has been a drought of water before you water for the first time.
Take note that you should avoid overwatering this Variegata plant because its roots can become deformed and prone to rotting.
What to do when bananas turn brown?
If a bunch of bananas turns brown and dry, you may have overexposed them to sunlight. You can move plants to sunnier areas and they will change back to normal.
