How to care for String of Dolphins
Curio × peregrinus · Asteraceae
A charming hybrid of string of pearls and candle plant whose curved leaves look like tiny leaping dolphins. It cares like a slightly tougher string of pearls, and its dolphin shape is best kept with strong light and lean watering. Overwatered or under-lit plants lose the distinctive leaf curve. Water roughly every 12 days while it's growing (about every 25 in winter), give it bright, indirect light, kept above 50°F (10°C) — dry air is fine for it.
Care at a glance
Water thoroughly once the soil is completely dry and the dolphins look slightly less plump; err drier rather than wetter.
Very bright light with a little direct morning sun keeps the dolphin shape; harsh midday sun can scorch it.
Quarter-strength balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks in the growing season.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Watering while any moisture remains deep in the pot.
- Low light, which permanently blobs out the dolphin-shaped leaves.
- Deep pots of standard potting soil around the shallow root system.
Seasonal tips
- Cooler, drier winters with bright light preserve the tight dolphin form.
- Coil a strand onto the soil surface to root and fill out the pot.
- Watch the leaf shape: fattening dolphins that lose their fins mean overwatering.
Is it safe for pets?
We have String of Dolphins recorded as toxic to cats and dogs.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your String of Dolphins on autopilot
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Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against the ASPCA's published lists, which this one is matched to, or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.