Found in the grasslands of Southern Africa are strings of vining plants studded in glossy, banana shaped leaves that cover the rocky terrain in matted, green tendrils. These are Curio radicans, or String of Bananas! Though the String of Bananas is a succulent, it also belongs to the same family as Asters! This may seem bizarre when looking at the foliage, but when they bloom, the parallel is a little more clear. Their flower structure is arranged in the same way as Aster blooms; the ‘petals’ surrounding the head are actually individual flowers themselves, that, clustered together, form one whole, complete flower. String of Banana flowers are considerably less showy than Aster flowers, but they make up for it with their surprising cinnamon scent!
These little S.O.B.s do best in hanging pots, as their vines can trail up to 6 feet long! If it starts to get out of control, the stems can be cut, left to callus for a few days, and then potted in soil to root again. They can also be propagated by the bananas themselves, though stem cuttings are the preferred method. Propagation is an especially handy technique to master when it comes to vining plants, as they are susceptible to thinning out on top as they reallocate energy to growing long stems. Stick your callused cuttings right back into the bare spots and they’ll fill in in no time!
Bright light, low humidity and warm temperatures keep S.O.B.s vibing and thriving. Insufficient light will cause them to get leggy and fail to produce bananas. And a String of Bananas without bananas is just a silly old string! On the other hand, intense direct sunlight will create bleached or browned leaves. We keep ours in a Southern window where they stay warm and bright. Make sure you provide a well-draining potting soil with equal parts sand and perlite. We carry an organic cactus/succulent mix that’s ready to go for easy potting!
Because S.O.B.s are succulents, they are particularly unforgiving towards overwatering. It’s in their nature to store water in their chunky leaves and grow roots that are shallow and delicate. Give them a good drink only when their soil has dried out completely, about every 2 weeks. It’s not uncommon for this to fluctuate, as it’s based on environmental factors like temperature, humidity, light, etc. that vary from house to house, month to month, etc. Just keep an eye on your bananas to tell you when it’s time, which won’t be hard because they’re too cute to ignore!
