How to Grow and Care For String of Bananas

String of Bananas Care

String of bananas are easy to care for and grow quickly. Here are the main care requirements:

• Position in full sun.
• Pot in well-drained succulent or cacti mix.
• Water immediately after the soil fully dries out.
• Fertilize lightly in the growing season or not at all—these plants are not heavy feeders.

Light

These trailing succulents require bright, direct light when grown indoors. Choose a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight throughout the day. They will do well under grow lights if needed.

When growing outdoors, a partial shade position is acceptable, particularly if you have a south-facing yard in a region that experiences high temperatures.

Soil

String of bananas requires a well-draining soil mix to help prevent root rot. You can purchase premixed cactus or succulent soil or mix your own at home.

A simple mixture of two parts potting soil, one part perlite, and one part pumice or sand will provide your string of bananas with adequate drainage.

Water

This hardy succulent is drought-tolerant with low water needs. There is no universal schedule for how often a string of bananas will need to be watered as this depends on various factors.

As a general rule, the soil should be allowed to dry out completely between waterings without leaving it dry for too long. You can use a moisture meter to help you confirm when the soil has dried out completely.

Water deeply to moisten all the soil without leaving the soil soggy or the plant sitting in standing water. Reduce the watering frequency significantly during their dormant winter phase.

Temperature and Humidity

While string of bananas are native to the dry and hot climates of South Africa, they do well in normal household temperatures and humidity levels. Keep this plant away from heat or air conditioning vents and from drafty or cold windows to avoid exposure to extreme temperatures.

String of bananas can also be grown successfully outdoors in succulent gardens. However, they are not frost-tolerant. Growth will slow considerably in low temperatures, and anything below 32°F can kill the plant.

Fertilizer

As with most succulents, string of bananas does not require regular fertilizing. However, because they are fast growers, they can benefit from a light feeding in the spring or summer months. Organic fertilizers, such as worm compost, liquid kelp, or fish emulsion, are recommended.

Pruning

String of bananas is a trailing succulent, so it will not need much pruning. Encourage tidy growth by moving the trails where you want them placed in the pot. When the succulent’s trails become too long, use a sharp pair of scissors or knife to cut back stems as desired.

Propagating String of Bananas

Propagating string of bananas via stem cuttings in the spring or summer is simple. It’s the perfect option for adding to your succulent collection or gifting plants to others. Here’s how:

1. Start by taking 4- to 6-inch healthy stem cuttings using sterile, sharp pruning shears or scissors. Cut just below a leaf node.
2. Remove the bottom two to three leaves at the base of the stem.
3. Allow the cutting base to dry out and callus over before potting. This typically takes 24 to 48 hours, and the cutting should be left flat in a warm, dry spot.
4. Transfer the cutting to a well-drained potting mix, covering the bottom leafless nodes so the base of the stem sits in at least an inch of soil.
5. Ensure the soil is packed secure against the stem to avoid it toppling over.
6. Pick a warm indoor spot in bright sunlight. Your new string of bananas plant can take up to a month to fully take root.
7. Wait around 48 hours before watering. When you do, water deeply, but avoid soggy conditions and standing water.

Potting and Repotting String of Bananas

String of bananas don’t mind being root-bound and do not need to be repotted regularly as a result. Moving to a bigger pot once every couple of years to refresh the soil is usually enough.

Picking a pot that is too large and deep makes it difficult for the plant to absorb the moisture in potting mix and can lead to root rot. The spring and summer months are the best time for repotting, because the plant should be actively growing at this time.

Take care during repotting to ensure you don’t break any delicate stems. If you lose a couple of strands, simply pop the end of the broken stems back in the pot, and they will eventually grow their own roots.

Overwintering

When winter comes, this plant must be kept indoors once temperatures dip below 65°F, or they won’t survive. During this dormant season, reduce watering. Plant in a pot with drainage holes and cactus soil with perlite to promote drainage.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

String of bananas succulents are not prone to any particularly serious problems, but they can be susceptible to many common houseplant pests and diseases.

Keep an eye out for aphids, mealybugs, scale, and spider mites. Early detection and proper treatment can help control these pesky insects and prevent a full-blown infestation. Most notably, watch out for signs of root rot, which can result from overwatering.

How to Get String of Bananas to Bloom

In healthy conditions, string of bananas plants can bloom, offering lovely clusters of white flowers.

Bloom Months

String of bananas usually bloom between late winter and early spring.

How Long Does String of Bananas Bloom?

This plant’s blooms will last up to six weeks before fading.

What Do String of Bananas Flowers Look and Smell Like?

This plant’s flowers are white or pale blush and smell like cinnamon.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Give the plant plenty of sunlight to achieve more blooms. Place in full direct light and make sure to fertilize regularly.

Caring for String of Bananas After it Blooms

When the flowering season has come to an end, you can prepare the plant for dormancy by trimming back leggy vines and deadheading blooms.

Deadheading String of Bananas Flowers

Deadheading spent blooms will encourage more flowering.

Common Problems With String of Bananas

String of bananas might be an ideal houseplants for beginners, but that doesn’t mean you can completely neglect them. Here are some early warning signs you might need to tweak their low-maintenance care regime.

Wrinkly Leaves

Withering leaves starting to pucker is typically a sign you are over- or under-watering your plant. Check your potting mix and see if the soil feels soggy. If so, you are watering too often or you may want to repot in a better-draining succulent mix.

Alternatively, if the soil is too dry and leaves flat and wrinkly you may not be watering enough. Regularly checking the soil is the best strategy.

Mushy Stems

Another sign you are going overboard with watering is the leaves and stems turning from solid to squidgy. You want to lay off watering to let the soil dry out quickly.

Sometimes, root rot might have already set in, and you might be unable to salvage your plant. In this case, look for non-mushy stems and take cuttings to propagate new plants. Keeping the succulent planted in well-draining soil and in a pot with adequate drainage will help prevent root rot.

Leafless Plant Base

If you spot the leaves dropping at the base of the plant stems, this can be another sign of over- or under-watering. Check the soil more regularly and water generously if it’s fully dry.

If your plant loses a lot of leaves at the base and doesn’t look its best, this is an occasion when propagating a new plant from healthy upper stems may be a solution. Unfortunately, the lost lower leaves won’t grow back.

Leggy Growth

If your string of bananas plant is leggy with weak, spindly stems, this is a sign your plant isn’t getting enough sun. The technical term for this phenomenon is etiolation, and it happens when the plant is stretching to try to reach the available light. The leaves can also turn yellow and be smaller than normal.

Pick a spot next to a window that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight. Again, starting a new plant from a healthy leaf cutting might be a better strategy if the leggy growth is significant and unsightly.