Curio hallianus: a blue string of beans for bright hanging positions

Your care table

Blue beans on fine strings

The slender fleshy leaves are blue-grey and slightly curved. They sit on thin shoots that trail over the pot rim. The offer lists a 14 cm hanging pot with approximately 20–25 cm trailing length. This is not total height including the hanger. The scene accordingly shows short young trailing growth. An individual product photograph may include longer example shoots; the stated delivery length determines the impression of size.

Hallianus is not the string of watermelons

The shop names Senecio hallianus or Curio hallianus. Kew accepts Curio hallianus as a distinct species from South Africa’s Cape region. It belongs to the Asteraceae family. It cannot simply be equated with Curio herreianus, which has differently shaped striped leaves. The round spheres of the classic string of pearls are another leaf shape too. These differences remain in text, search and images. The bean-like parts are leaves, not edible fruit.

The hanging pot needs light at the top too

A bright position with gentle sunshine after acclimatisation is favourable. If the plant hangs too high below a dark ceiling, the lower shoots may receive some light while the pot surface becomes bare. Position the hanger so that the entire structure receives daylight. Avoid hot, unprotected midday sun after darker transport. In summer, a warm outdoor position sheltered from rain is possible. Bring it indoors in good time before cold weather. Shoots must hang freely without rubbing against doors or furniture edges.

Read water needs from the root ball

Let the compost dry noticeably between waterings. Then water evenly and allow it to drain. A heavy hanging pot may still be moist inside even when the surface looks dry. Take it down for inspection and watering if necessary. Do not leave a permanently filled water tray under the root ball. The water-storing leaves bridge intervals, but should not regularly be deprived until they shrink severely. Water less often in winter when growth decreases.

Airy compost and gentle rejuvenation

A container with a drainage hole and a loose succulent mix supplemented with minerals help drying. Do not pre-emptively put it in a much larger hanging pot. Healthy shoot pieces can be carefully rooted after the cuts dry. This can fill out an older sparse plant. Do not forcibly untangle long shoots; leaf bases and stems are more sensitive than their firm surfaces suggest. Feed sparingly according to the label during growth. Do not polish away the blue-grey leaf coating.

Understanding bare patches and soft shoots

Bare patches at the top can relate to lack of light, ageing shoots or root problems. Check position and root ball together. Soft, dark shoot bases in wet compost argue against extra watering. Dry thin tips above completely dry compost need different treatment. Overwinter in bright, frost-free conditions and be particularly careful with water when cool. Check leaf bases for mealybugs. Small pale flower heads are possible, but are not promised as a delivery feature of this hanging plant.

One plant, several views

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