1/10

String of Turtles

4.7 out of 5 (52 experiences)

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

About String of Turtles

This unqiue Peperomia species has taken the plant world by storm! Its trailing vines support tiny leaves that look just like a turtle shell 🐢 ! Peperomia fruits and seeds have traveled one of the longest distances ever recorded, over 3000 miles to an island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, while stuck to a bird's feet! 🦅

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Peperomia prostrata

Genus

Peperomia

Family

Piperaceae

Order

Piperales

Also known as

Creeping Peperomia, Pepperspot and Peperomia Dragon Skin

How to care for String of Turtles

💦 Water

How often to water your String of Turtles

String of Turtles needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 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
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for String of Turtles in your home

String of Turtles 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 Turtles in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize String of Turtles

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for String of Turtles: 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 Turtles after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Peperomia

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

String of Turtles 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!

How to Grow String of Turtles →

Benefits of Growing String of Turtles →

Common String of Turtles Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for String of Turtles →

Outdoor Care Guide for String of Turtles →

💦 Water Needs

String of Turtles prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. 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 Turtles Water Frequency →

String of Turtles Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

String of Turtles 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 Turtles Light Requirements →

String of Turtles Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

String of Turtles is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

💨 Humidity

String of Turtles 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 Turtles Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

String of Turtles does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for String of Turtles →

Best Pots for String of Turtles →

When and How to Successfully Repot String of Turtles →

What Are Healthy String of Turtles Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

String of Turtles should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize String of Turtles →

❄️ Dormancy

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

🌎 Native Region

String of Turtles is native to Worldwide.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your String of Turtles bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

String of Turtles Flowers →

Is String of Turtles an Annual Plant? →

Is String of Turtles a Perennial Plant? →

String of Turtles Pollination Guide →

Common String of Turtles Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

String of Turtles 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 Turtles Lifecycle →

String of Turtles Size Guide →

How and When to Prune String of Turtles →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

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

String of Turtles Temperature Tolerance →

String of Turtles Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with String of Turtles →

When to Plant String of Turtles →

How to Plant String of Turtles →

Where to Plant String of Turtles →

Winter Care for String of Turtles →

Best Companion Plants for String of Turtles →

Is String of Turtles a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

The seeds of String of Turtles can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.

How to Propagate String of Turtles →

🧐 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 Turtles →

What Eats String of Turtles? →

Care Summary for String of Turtles

String of Turtles

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 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 28

Easy to propagate 19

Survivor 16

Blooms easily 4

Large, lush leaves 3

Browns easily 1

@@mirandaaplanet

119 Plants

8,391 XP

04/03/2022

I put this baby in the wrong conditions and it tolerated me somehow. Now it’s in an east facing window above the shower so it gets sun and humidity.

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @mirandaaplanet named Yertle on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Mabes

85 Plants

5,189 XP

Los Angeles, CA

02/27/2022

I am struggling to keep my string of turtles alive. I bought 3 and 2 of them are dead :(
Guess I couldn’t give these babies what they needed.

Leaves fall off super easily :(

String of Turtles plant photo by @Mabes named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@geemcolo

11 Plants

1,471 XP

02/10/2022

Very sensitive!!! Super pretty when taken care of well but it can lose leaves pretty easily.

String of Turtles plant photo by @geemcolo named Delilah on Greg, the plant care app.

@@FestiveCorncob

27 Plants

669 XP

Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui

01/25/2022

Definitely put this plant in the bathroom as it lovesssss moisture

Fast grower

Blooms easily

String of Turtles plant photo by @FestiveCorncob named Maya on Greg, the plant care app.

@@silverlinings

59 Plants

9,882 XP

Angus, Ontario

01/11/2022

Nearly killed this poor baby but after moving pots and propagating her fallen babies, she’s coming back quickly and beautifully💕

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @silverlinings named (01) Hesper on Greg, the plant care app.

@@thesmilingplantco

4 Plants

249 XP

12/28/2021

so cute !!!!!

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @thesmilingplantco named frankie on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Riggsbaby

4 Plants

110 XP

Lethbridge, Alberta

11/29/2021

Just a cute little plant, grows easy and very little care needed! Plus it’s good for your pets tummies !

String of Turtles plant photo by @Riggsbaby named Pepper on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Megan

29 Plants

14,740 XP

Washington, DC

11/28/2021

Super cute plant. Don’t over water - personally I like to squeeze the leaves and if they’re still really plump I wait to water it.

Easy to propagate

String of Turtles plant photo by @Megan named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Willisjanne

56 Plants

7,817 XP

Sherbrooke, Québec

09/04/2021

Itsjust adorable

Fast grower

String of Turtles plant photo by @Willisjanne named Donatello on Greg, the plant care app.

@@patiovert

22 Plants

671 XP

08/18/2021

So gorgeous and adorable simultaneously due to all of the tiny perfect turtle shell leaves! If you love hanging plants, please look into this little friend :) working on upping the humidity in my home, hopefully more growth to come!

Fast grower

String of Turtles plant photo by @patiovert named Oogway on Greg, the plant care app.

@@honeyyvoiced

25 Plants

9,959 XP

Des Plaines, IL

08/14/2021

Beautiful variegated leaves; functions better as an indoor plant

Easy to propagate

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @honeyyvoiced named Sigmund on Greg, the plant care app.

@@angiez

26 Plants

1,708 XP

08/01/2021

This plant is adorable. I would recommend to give it a ton of humidity. The more the better! I put in a bag and it works great! Grows super fast too

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

String of Turtles plant photo by @angiez named Michelangelo on Greg, the plant care app.

@@zoimks

4 Plants

66 XP

Blairsville, GA

07/19/2021

I need to repot it and it still spits out new growth, crazy man!

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @zoimks named Turtlebois on Greg, the plant care app.

@@ashleighrobb

22 Plants

544 XP

Providence, RI

06/18/2021

Cool plant! Took me awhile to find the right spot but it loves my South window with bright direct light 🌞 and now it is sprouting like crazy 🪴

String of Turtles plant photo by @ashleighrobb named Shelly on Greg, the plant care app.

@@growwithme

36 Plants

3,022 XP

San Francisco, CA

06/17/2021

The cutest “string of” plants in my opinion. It’s like having a bajillion pet turtles 🥺

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

String of Turtles plant photo by @growwithme named Tortellini on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Sassmansgotitgood

5 Plants

108 XP

06/03/2021

So super pretty

String of Turtles plant photo by @Sassmansgotitgood named Inki on Greg, the plant care app.

@@sarahnotsara

30 Plants

999 XP

White Lake charter Township, MI

05/17/2021

A little tricky in my experience, but easy to propagate if you need to start over!

Easy to propagate

String of Turtles plant photo by @sarahnotsara named string of turtles on Greg, the plant care app.

@@NormaTu545

3 Plants

613 XP

San Diego, CA

04/30/2021

I left it on my windowsill and it burned in a few days. Half the foliage turned black. The other half only lived for a month. This feels like an intermediate plant. Too sensitive for me. Not beginner friendly, I feel.

Browns easily

String of Turtles plant photo by @NormaTu545 named Mikey on Greg, the plant care app.

@@CarleyGoshaw28

34 Plants

593 XP

04/08/2021

Bought this beautiful full pot a few months ago, it has done nothing but prosper!

Fast grower

Survivor

String of Turtles plant photo by @CarleyGoshaw28 named Crush on Greg, the plant care app.

@@christian

32 Plants

1,086 XP

Kent, OH

04/07/2021

These plants make me want to shrink down and saddle up on the leaves and pretend I’m mounted on the shell of a massive majestic tortoise. They are cuties and great lil pals. Very much recommend

Fast grower

Easy to propagate