Senecio peregrinus
| Light | Bright, indirect light; a few hours of gentle direct sun encourages the dolphin shape |
|---|---|
| Water | Soak-and-dry; let the mix dry out fully between waterings, ease off in winter |
| Soil | Free-draining succulent/cactus mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in USDA zones 10–11, indoors elsewhere |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings (see Propagation — cuttings) |
| Toxicity | Considered toxic if eaten; keep away from curious pets and children |
Senecio peregrinus is a trailing succulent widely grown as string of dolphins, named for its curved little leaves that look uncannily like a pod of leaping dolphins strung along the stems. It is a hybrid between Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls) and Senecio articulatus (the candle plant), and its charm lies almost entirely in that whimsical leaf shape, which shows best on healthy, well-lit plants.
Description
Senecio peregrinus is a soft-stemmed trailing succulent that spills over the rim of a pot or hanging basket in long, slender strands. Each fleshy leaf is small and curved, pinched into a pair of tiny side "flippers" and a pointed body, so that a whole stem reads as a line of dolphins caught mid-leap. Leaf colour is a fresh blue-green, often with faintly translucent "windows" inherited from its string-of-pearls parent.
The dolphin shape is at its most defined on plants grown in good light; in poor light the leaves elongate and lose the distinctive flippered outline. Mature plants can produce small, brush-like white flowers with a warm, cinnamon-like scent, though many growers keep the plant purely for its foliage.
Cultivation
As a hybrid, S. peregrinus inherits the easy-going but rot-prone nature of its parents, and the same rules apply as for Senecio rowleyanus. Grow it in a very free-draining mix in a pot with good drainage, and give it bright light with a little gentle direct sun — this is the single biggest factor in keeping the leaves plump and dolphin-shaped rather than stretched.
Water thoroughly, then let the mix dry out completely before watering again; the trailing stems store water and strongly resent sitting damp. Ease right off through winter, when the plant is resting. Like many trailing succulents it looks best in a hanging pot or on a shelf where the strands can cascade. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The plant is very easily grown from stem cuttings. Take a healthy length of trailing stem, let the cut end callous for a day or two, then lay it on or shallowly bury it in barely moist succulent mix; roots form readily along the nodes that touch the surface. Laying several strands across the top of a pot quickly builds a full, bushy plant. See Propagation — cuttings for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — the most common cause of loss, almost always from overwatering or a slow-draining mix; stems turn mushy and translucent.
- Loss of the dolphin shape — leaves stretching out and losing their flippers is a classic sign of too little light; move the plant somewhere brighter.
- Shrivelling — underwatered strands go soft and wrinkled; a good soak usually plumps them back up.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff tucked among the leaves) and aphids on new growth are the usual visitors; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Senecio — the genus overview
- Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls) — a parent species
- Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting