Everything You Need To Know About the String of Buttons Plant
What is a String of Buttons Plant?
Its scientific name is Crassula perforata. It is also known as the Pagoda plant, Necklace Vine plant, and Stacked Crassula. The String of Buttons plant is a native succulent found in South Africa.
This succulent is a shrub-like plant that grows straight and tends to crawl or spread when it is fully grown. It has a unique appearance; its stems and leaves appear like they are stacked on top of each other. It grows extremely fast if left on its own, so proceed with caution when you are planning to grow it in your outdoor garden.
Appearance: The Spring of Buttons plant has green-gray leaves that are triangular and grows spiral on the stem of the plant. The edges of the leaves may have a rosy pink color, especially when exposed to full sun. It may also have tiny white or pink dots spread out on the margins of the leaves.
The String of Buttons succulent can form small colonies since it spreads and grows fast. It is an aggressive suckering succulent. It is capable of growing over and through other plants so you must allow space when growing it in the garden with other plants. The Crassula perforata succulent is usually described as growing in a “piling” pattern. There are a lot of Crassula species that look amazing such as Crassula deceptor and Crassula brevifolia.
Size: The String of Buttons succulent can grow up to 1-2 feet in height and can spread out to 2-3 feet. When growing it outdoors, allow at least 36 inches spacing from other plants. In the wild, its stems can grow up to 30 feet in length. This succulent has a strong root system and it is commonly grown because of its beautiful foliage that resembles small spirals and may seem like beads or buttons, hence the name “String of Buttons plant”.
Flowers: The String of Buttons plant bloom flowers, but they are tiny and do not have a scent. The tiny star-shaped pale-yellow or pink flowers may grow during springtime and will grow up to 1/4 of an inch in size. If your string of buttons plant does not bloom any flowers during springtime, do not worry, it does not mean that the plant is dying. Sometimes succulents do not bloom flowers because of its growing conditions.
Sometimes, gardeners trim the flowers because it can cause the plants stems to die-off. The String of Buttons will attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. You must trim off the dead flowers when they die. The flowers wither fast, so you can preserve the plant’s lovely appearance.
What Are Some of the Uses for the String of Buttons Succulent?
Most gardeners use this plant for different types of landscaping. It can be used as a border plant or as a ground cover if allowed to spread in a wide area. They are now commonly used in xeriscapes. When they are fully mature, the Crassula Perforata can be placed in terrariums or hanging planters.
Growing Conditions for the String of Buttons Plant
When you are growing the String of Buttons succulent, you must use well-draining soil. You can use a succulent/cactus soil mix, you can also use potting soil mixed with sand. You must use a well-draining container like this. It grows well in soil with a slightly acidic pH, around pH level 6.
You can use perlite with potting soil to allow the fast draining of water when growing the String of Buttons plant in a container.
Light – The string of buttons plant needs sunlight to grow properly. If possible, place it in an area with partial or indirect sunlight throughout the day. When growing it indoors, you can place the string of buttons in a window that receives sunlight. Make sure it is well-protected from midday heat, especially in places with hot climates. Avoid placing it in the south-facing window. If growing it outdoors, ensure that the plant gets at least 4 hours of sunlight every day.
Temperature – The string of buttons is recommended to be grown in USDA zones 9-11. It is not a frost-hardy plant; it will not survive freezing temperatures or extremely humid areas. If you live in areas outside Southwestern America, you must grow this plant indoors only. Temperatures between the 60s and 70s degrees Fahrenheit must be maintained for it to grow its best. During wintertime, the temperature must be around 50 degrees Fahrenheit for it to thrive.
Watering – The Crassula perforata is a drought-tolerant plant. It retains water so it can survive even when you forget to water it. Water the plant when the soil has dried out completely. You can water it every 7-10 days and sometimes more during the warmer months. When the weather cools down, you can water every 10-14 days. During wintertime, you can avoid watering or do it at least once a month or every 2-3 weeks.
Overwatering is a big no-no for this plant as it can die from root rot! When growing in containers, do not leave your string of buttons plant to sit in water!
Fertilizers – You can use a fertilizer for the string of buttons plant; add diluted liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks during the growing season. You must dilute the fertilizer in 1/3 strength. You can also use a 20-20-20 fertilizer. For younger succulents, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen content.
Maintenance – The string of buttons grows fast, so you have to trim it to prevent it from spreading fast in your garden. It can be trimmed any time of the year especially when the stems have grown quite long.
Repotting – Repotting of the succulent can be done every 3 years and whenever the plant has outgrown its container. When you need to repot the string of buttons plant, you must do it during early spring before the growing season occurs.
Is the String of Buttons Toxic or Non-Toxic to Pets?
How to Propagate the String of Buttons Plant
This succulent can be propagated by using side-shoot cuttings. The cuttings can be taken from stems. You can do this by removing a piece of stem 4 inches long and it must contain several leaves.
Allow the stem to dry for 2-3 days, then plant it on the same soil used for the parent plant. The soil must be well-draining. You can add sand on regular potting soil. The cuttings must be placed in an area that receives enough sunlight.
Within 1-2 months, the cuttings will grow roots and can be transplanted into individual containers. Water the plants accordingly, but do not overwater them. You can also propagate this succulent by using leaf cuttings and offsets that have grown from the parent plant.
Keep in mind that the Crassula perforata succulent develops roots slowly so you must be patient. Roots usually sprout from leaf scars, so allow some of the leaves to be bare when you plant it. The lower part of the plant is quite woody and can be quite difficult to propagate. You can use cuttings higher up the stem. Do not use a stem that is dehydrated, because new roots will only develop when the stem is well-hydrated and fleshy.
String of Buttons Plant Pests and Diseases
Insects and pests rarely attack this succulent, but you must watch out for mealybugs, aphids, and vine weevil. Fungal diseases can happen when over watering occurs. Avoid leaving the plant standing in water if growing it in containers because overwatering can cause root rot!
It commonly occurs in areas with colder climates or during wintertime when there is not much sunlight exposure. Avoid watering the plant during wintertime. Also, you must allow the soil of the plant to dry out in between watering. If rot is detected on the plant, cut it out and decrease the frequency of watering. The String of Buttons is deer-resistant.
There are a lot of different succulent types. One of them is the Strings of Buttons plant. If you are searching for information about this succulent, Eden Succulents is the right place for you!
We will share our knowledge about the Strings of Buttons plant, if you have any inquiries or questions about this succulent or you want to find out more information about other types of succulents, you can check out our website. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know. We would like to hear your thoughts!
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