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String of Dolphins

4.4 out of 5 (71 experiences)

Fast grower

Survivor

About String of Dolphins

The string of dolphins is a unique hybrid, and perhaps the most striking of the ‘string of’ plants. Their vines are studded with succulent leaves shaped suspiciously like Flipper. Like their relatives, the string of pearls, the dolphins evolved as an adaptation to store water in dry environments. Be sure this plant gets abundant sunlight or the dolphins may begin to unfurl and look more like a string of stingrays. 🐬

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Senecio 'Hippogriff'

Genus

Senecio

Family

Asteraceae

Order

Asterales

Also known as

Dolphin Plant

How to care for String of Dolphins

💦 Water

How often to water your String of Dolphins

String of Dolphins needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for String of Dolphins in your home

String of Dolphins may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of String of Dolphins in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize String of Dolphins

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for String of Dolphins: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your String of Dolphins after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #StringOfDolphins

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

String of Dolphins is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Benefits of Growing String of Dolphins →

Common String of Dolphins Problems →

💦 Water Needs

String of Dolphins thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

String of Dolphins Water Frequency →

String of Dolphins Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

String of Dolphins may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

String of Dolphins Light Requirements →

String of Dolphins Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

String of Dolphins is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

String of Dolphins Toxicity to Cats →

String of Dolphins Toxicity to Dogs →

String of Dolphins Toxicity to Humans →

💨 Humidity

String of Dolphins prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

String of Dolphins Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

String of Dolphins is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for String of Dolphins →

When and How to Successfully Repot String of Dolphins →

What Are Healthy String of Dolphins Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

String of Dolphins grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize String of Dolphins →

❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for String of Dolphins to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.

🌎 Native Region

String of Dolphins is native to Worldwide.

🌸 Flowers

String of Dolphins produces flowers in the wild, but does not flower when kept as houseplants.

String of Dolphins Flowers →

Common String of Dolphins Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

String of Dolphins has long, trailing foliage which makes them a great addition to a hanging planter. The newest growth will emerge from the tip of the stems.

String of Dolphins Lifecycle →

String of Dolphins Size Guide →

How and When to Prune String of Dolphins →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
String of Dolphins can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12a. Find your local hardiness zone here.

String of Dolphins Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

String of Dolphins can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate String of Dolphins →

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting String of Dolphins →

What Eats String of Dolphins? →

😖 Common Issues

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with String of Dolphins. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

Care Summary for String of Dolphins

String of Dolphins

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Fast grower 51

Survivor 32

Easy to propagate 31

Browns easily 8

Blooms easily 6

Large, lush leaves 5

Pest magnet 2

@Amanda

18 Plants

4,499 XP

12/22/2021

Growing great! I’ve already reported and propagated 🥰

Easy to propagate

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by Amanda named Fynn on Greg, the plant care app.

@@BJoyce

57 Plants

10,343 XP

Orlando, FL

12/21/2021

Doesn’t love me. I can’t find a place in my apartment with enough light but not too much. West facing windows so maybe a different direction would help

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @BJoyce named Benny on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Taytaybucks

14 Plants

1,113 XP

Knoxville, TN

11/18/2021

It’s a part of the succulent family so it’s hardy and doesn’t need much water, but you can’t just forget about it like you can a regular succulent. It requires for you to monitor it but you don’t have to water it too often. Overall, it’s a fun plant to watch grow and it’s easy to propogate

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @Taytaybucks named Dolphin on Greg, the plant care app.

@@honeyyvoiced

17 Plants

9,661 XP

Des Plaines, IL

10/10/2021

Been wanting this plant for awhile and super glad I found it. Relatively healthy and doesn’t wilt easily

Easy to propagate

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @honeyyvoiced named Dorian on Greg, the plant care app.

@@RJG

126 Plants

244,942 XP

Austin, TX

09/24/2021

we started out a little rough but now we’re thriving together!!

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @RJG named Lucky on Greg, the plant care app.

@Sophee

5 Plants

100 XP

Indianapolis, IN

09/23/2021

Beautiful and easy plant

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

String of Dolphins plant photo by Sophee named Eva on Greg, the plant care app.

@@TinaC

7 Plants

400 XP

Oswego, IL

09/05/2021

Grows like crazy!!

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @TinaC named Flipper on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Eleni

10 Plants

380 XP

Midlothian, TX

08/06/2021

Is a very touchy plant enjoys the heat of outside rather than artificial temperatures (like being inside)

String of Dolphins plant photo by @Eleni named Harry on Greg, the plant care app.

@Lisa

3 Plants

75 XP

Jonesport, ME

08/04/2021

It’s my first succulent!

@Lisa

3 Plants

75 XP

Jonesport, ME

08/04/2021

It’s my first succulent!

@@amyloudxn

57 Plants

3,018 XP

Chermside, Queensland

08/01/2021

I cannot crack this one! Had him in direct sun outside… purple, parched, burned. Had him in direct sunlight INSIDE… dolphins turned into paddles, rather than lush cascading hanging vertical vines I had a solo wirey horizontal vine reaching for the sun. They look great when thriving though! Mine just hates me 🥲.

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @amyloudxn named String of Dolphins on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Maria

74 Plants

5,697 XP

Highland, CA

07/27/2021

I don’t know what it wants. I live in the desert and it’s not happy.

Browns easily

String of Dolphins plant photo by @Maria named Flipper on Greg, the plant care app.

@Kymberlena

4 Plants

85 XP

Ceres, CA

07/10/2021

Of my plants, this one seems to be the most low maintenance…

Survivor

Fast grower

String of Dolphins plant photo by Kymberlena named Willie on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Megansjungle

22 Plants

1,372 XP

Arcola, TX

07/07/2021

Currently really struggling with both of my string of dolphins and my pearls. Think I’ve overwatered as the stems have shriveled but the dolphins/pearls were swelling. Fingers crossed that they can be salvaged! 🥲

Browns easily

String of Dolphins plant photo by @Megansjungle named Dalton on Greg, the plant care app.

@@adelle

7 Plants

246 XP

06/30/2021

very cute little leaves. hard to take care of them the way i want (cleaning each individual leaf with neem oil) but otherwise VERY cute

Easy to propagate

Survivor

String of Dolphins plant photo by @adelle named lena on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Limzatt

0 Plants

84 XP

06/30/2021

Great to share with friends!

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

String of Dolphins plant photo by @Limzatt named Einstein on Greg, the plant care app.

@@growwithme

36 Plants

3,022 XP

San Francisco, CA

06/30/2021

LOOK. IT IS LITERALLY DOLPHINS. PLANT DOLPHINS. DOLPHIN PLANT.

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

String of Dolphins plant photo by @growwithme named Delphina on Greg, the plant care app.

@Plant parent

2 Plants

48 XP

Carson City, NV

06/19/2021

I love this plant!!! So pretty!!!

Fast grower

String of Dolphins plant photo by Plant parent named String of dolphins on Greg, the plant care app.

@@taylortttt

29 Plants

1,346 XP

06/14/2021

if you live somewhere dry, senecios are going to be an aphid magnet. at least that’s been my experience with string of dolphins and pearls. they look so cool but aphids love them. they get two stars for looking cool but that’s it.

Pest magnet