String of Turtles plant (Peperomia prostrata) is a miniature type succulent plant best for decorative purposes and it was widely used as a houseplant. If you ever see a gardener ‘s room full of succulent and different types of indoor plants , String of turtles is one of them which makes a portrait photo look awesome.
String of turtles plant is easy to care and it has turtle shell-like leaves that are light green with the low green thick lines inwards. Also you may know they are slow growing succulents plants but with this kind of beauty we should wait & let them grow and when the time is come they will show us stunning vines and green foliage.
Specifications
| ATTRIBUTE | VALUE |
|---|---|
| PLANT NAME | String of Turtles |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Peperomia prostrata |
| COMMON NAMES | String of Turtles, Turtle Vine, Turtleback Plant |
| HABITAT | Trailing |
| GROWN HEIGHT | 4-6″ |
| NATIVE | South America |
| GROWN WIDTH | 4-6″ |
| USDA ZONE | 9-11 |
| FOLIAGE | Green |
| FLOWER COLOR | None |
| LIGHT | Prefers indirect sunlight |
| WATERING | Only When the Top soil Dry Completely |
| POTTING MIX | Mostly Dry, Well draining |
| FERTILIZER | Every 3-6 months |
| CLASSIFICATION | Bright Foliage |
| USES | Use to give better look on background & also in other decorative purpose. |
| TOXIC | Non-toxic to cats, non-toxic to dogs |
| GROWING CONDITIONS | Requires well-draining soil |
| TEMPERATURE | Thrives in warm temperatures |
| REPOTTING | Only when Pot is Full of Foliage |
| HUMIDITY | Prefers moderate humidity |
| PROPAGATION | Easily propagated from stem cuttings |
| CARE TIPS | Avoid overwatering, allow soil to dry out between waterings |
| PESTS | Generally resistant to pests, but may be susceptible to mealybugs or scale insects |
| PRUNING | Prune to maintain desired shape and control growth |
| MAINTENANCE | Low maintenance plant |
Here is the link to buy String of turtles plant for sale :
Table of Contents
String of Turtles plant
Also Read : Honeysuckle Problems – Pests, Diseases, No Flowers, Woody?
(Peperomia prostrata) String of Turtles Care
Peperomia prostrata are attractive looking succulent that are easy to grow and care. Those who are growing this for the first time should know about various aspects of successfully growing them.
String of turtles care is basic and they generally need very little maintenance. For Caring you should know about all the thing like how much water it has needed in every week , which is the best place to put these plant indoors. Taking Care of its Fertilizer needs and Using a Well drained soil There are many things which is why we had explained everything in detail below. Also everything is covered like pruning and propagate or you need repotting Read on about care guide.
Here are the tips on how to care string of turtles :
Water
The string of turtles plant does not require much water, you give them only 2 / 6th volume of water. Here the plant(Peperomia prostrata) does not like that if you sprinkle too much water in the soil.Due to too much water, they would become soft and pulpy which is not good for their health.Let me tell you, you can give them water in a gap of 13-14 days and this is the time they need for the soil to dry.
When you feel the soil is getting dry faster, then spray water in it within 3-5 days on the top layer.
In winters, you have to take more care that less water should be given because they fulfill their requirements with the help of moisture at that time.
It has been seen quite a few times that people give too much water that leads to roots getting rot.
Pest
String of turtles plant attracts more pests , so to avoid this issue, you should keep an eye on this plant. Many times the spider mite or Mealybugs spoils its leaves and stem system and to get rid of it you can use organic pesticide .
The names of some of the pests that directly affects the plant(Peperomia prostrata) growth are thrips, scale, whitefly, aphids, etc.
Here is the best pesticide, insecticide, fungicide(all in one) for string of turtles :
Verdana Neem Oil
Soil
Peperomia Prostrata likes well drained and fertile soil. Best potting mix is 40% perlite or peat moss and 60% sand may result in better drainage of soil. Another soil mix like 15% peat moss, 60% succulent and cacti mix and 15% perlite and 10% pebbles/small stones would accelerate aeration in potting soil. These succulents easily rot if you’re overwater and make the soil too soggy.
Make sure to always check your top layer of soil and see if it’s dry or not. Using an index finger and dipping your finger into the soil about 2 inches can tell you about its wetness. If your pot always gets too much water then move your pot to a different location with good sunlight for 3-4 hours a day, it will also help the plant grow more dark vibrant dolphin-like foliage.
Make sure that there is a hole at the bottom of the pot to make it easier to drain and sometimes these holes could able to drain out water because the lower layer of soil harden in drought season.
Good soil and proper care will do wonders to this plant.
Repot
It is easy and do you know it needs repotting every 2 to 3 years so make sure you have an extra big size pot. How do we know when it needs repotting is when they started growing more vines and roots then it means it now needs to be placed in a new container. One Positive thing about doing this is you can check the plants root conditions and see if any rotting or fungal infection present or not.
If you find any problematic root portion then simply cut that specific part and don’t worry the plant will recover itself once again. This method is given below down the article. Please read that for more clear view on how to repot it step by step method.
Flowering
You may see flowering coming in the months of May to August when the temperature is warmer, when they become quite mature.
Dormant
In Winter you will see plants going in dormant conditions(sleep) and there will be no growth in this period of time. But once the winter ends it will start to growing stage again.
This Dormant period decides how bright your flowers will become when they bloom.
Temperature
The USDA hardiness zone of string of turtles are 9 to 11 and the temperature they thrive in is between 16-26 °C (60-77 °F). Also take extra care and do not grow them in below 14 C temperature as this can stop its growth and leads to flowers turning yellow and may droop also and vines also get affected by this.
String of turtles Humidity
In winters with high humid conditions they may freeze or the flower may droop or get yellow. Keeping them inside is the best option at night and the next day gives them morning sunlight for an hour.
Location
It would be best if your string of turtles is placed in a shade area where it gets indirect sunlight and the best place is near the north facing window. Make Sure don’t place this plant(Peperomia prostrata) in shade darker area , it may lead pale leaves and eventually plant lose growth.
The more brighter an area is the better succulent growth there.
Toxic
Peperomia prostrata are non toxic to cats and dogs, it belongs to Family Piperaceae, commonly known as dolphin plant. It is a trailing succulent that is popular and used to grow in balconies with a hanging basket here in the US. There is no mention of any parts of String of dolphins being poisonous to cats or dogs.
It is not a succulent which spreads too invasily, but they do need proper water to make its soil moist. It looks beautiful and charming as all the vining floats downwards in parallel or how you want them to set for decor. These succulents are easily propagated and pruned so no issues.
NC extension site doesn’t mention any details on Peperomia prostrata being toxic but they have added them in “NON Toxic to dogs’ ‘ and “non toxic to cats’ ‘ tags which basically means they are not toxic to our pets.
Background : This Peperomia String of turtles Succulent is a hanging shoot plant has turtle shell like leaves and shows very green foliage. It is known by many names including round leaf peperomia , trailing jade, jade necklace and creeping buttons. It was discovered in a tropical rainforest and belongs to South America.
String of turtles scientific name is Peperomia rotundifolia , also known by the name Peperomia prostrata and it belongs to the Piperaceae family. These plant look wise very beautiful and anyone who sees it they definitely be impressed by the color and shape of its foliage. these plant are fast grower and once put in hanging basket these vines just look amazing in any balcony.
(Peperomia prostrata) String of Turtles Propagation
Propagation of String of Turtles Succulent is easy and first timers can easily pull this propagation technique , succulent are best plants to grow mostly are drought adaptable and cutting doesn’t harm much to them. There are 2 ways you can propagate this plant(Peperomia prostrata). I have explained each of them and you can decide which one you can try.
Here is the method on how do you propagate a string of turtles:
Seeds
You can directly purchase its seeds on offline markets near you or I have given a link to purchase it the live plant as this plant seeds is very hard to find – check the price on .
Below is how to grow string of turtles from cuttings :
Stem Cutting
It is an easy step and takes very less time. First take out the healthiest stem and see its bottom end. Check if it is disease free and also see vine leaves should be green and not pale yellow. Cutting is only done in a mature string of turtles and to propagate this plant is by cutting at least 5-6 inches of vines and removing the leaves from the bottom part.
You can also remove 60% of the leaves in the vine as they may grow again once the roots start developing. Take your cutting and put it in a potting mixture then water it. Once roots appear you may see new foliage on turtle plants(Peperomia prostrata).
(Peperomia prostrata)When to Repot String of Turtle
This question is in everyone’s mind as this succulent is new to many who just discovered in recent months. So your question on when to repot string of turtles is when it is crowded with many new stems and doesn’t have more space to grow. You will see the leaves getting pale when this happens as the whole soil mixture and pot is filled with roots and now there is no space. It was clearly noticeable that when there is no soil left for stems to cover that is the time to repot it.
Where can I buy string of turtles plant
There are many websites and stores where you can buy these plants easily, each having different prices and the time of shipping is also different. I had experience with the delivery being delayed because of a pandemic . Now there are only 2 options where I find delivery to be the best and Etsy wins the run here. You can check the prices for both eCommerce websites.
Happy Gardening : )
Here is the link to buy String of turtles for sale :
Also Read : How to Care For String of Hearts – Soil, propagation,Tuber,Problems
Repotting String of Turtles
Its very easy and beginner friendly to start repotting string of turtles plant and it can be done using hand only. You just need a pair of gloves for safety purpose. And did you know gardeners are my area just use hands to do repotting, It just make a real experience with used hands. Also using a good potting mix can boost its overall healthy so don’t use bad soil as it damages the existing plant root. When they become mature it needs repotting in every 2 years.
So Here are the instruction you can follow on how to repot string of turtles:
1 . Prepare Soil Mix.
You need to make well draining soil so that your plant doesn’t get issues like rotting. To make well draining soil you need 50% potting soil mix, 20% succulent and cactus soil mix and perlite(10%). Mix all 3 Potting mixture gently and now it’s ready ,put this mixture in a new pot.
2 . Take your Pot in One hand.
Now just turn the pot upside down and grab it with your other hand. You will see it come out easily and by chance if it hasn’t come out , hit the pot with your hand so it will lose some soil from edges then try again this by turning the pot upside down.
3 . Remove the soil from the roots.
Use your hand and gently remove soil from roots and squeeze it so more soil can be separated. Take out 60% Soil and now it’s free from old bad soil.
4 . Put string of turtles in New Potting Mix.
Now time for the plant to repot in a new pot which is having our potting mix.
5 . Water it gently.
Water it and take good care for it. Don’t give water when soil is still wet and wait for the soil to dry then give it water only.
Also Read : Sugar Baby Watermelon – What’s Special in This Variety [Growing Guide]
(Peperomia prostrata) How to Prune String of Turtles Plant
Peperomia prostrata Pruning method to starts with trimming of some bad looking leaves of our turtle plant. Also I try to locate diseased stems and dried foliage then cut down one by one to make our plant healthy. I have given full guide you can follow it. Its easy and even with mistakes this plant can tolerate that also, just don’t do heavy pruning if you made mistake. Otherwise don’t worry it not grow again. Here is the steps on How to prune string of turtles plant :
1 . Find Diseased and Pale leaves.
First you need to locate where the dead and diseased leaves are , some leaves may also be getting and many are turning yellow. Also check whether vines are good or not , there may be a case where some vines may be dead or damaged.
2 . Clean Cutting Tool.
You need to clean your tool with the sterilizing liquid , it cleans any bacteria or microbes present in the scissors so cleaning them will ensure the cutting will be healthy and the existing plant doesn’t get bacteria.
3 . Pruning with Limit.
Now you can start removing and pruning the stems and leaves which are either infected with disease or may die because of over watering. Also don’t overdo the pruning as it takes lots of time to grow the actual vines.
4 . Enjoy.
Now Enjoy, You have done a great job and made your plant health by removing infected leaves and stems.
Pruning in Peperomia prostrata helps the plant health and may encourage new growth like bringing fresh leaves and producing new stems from the base or at the side. Trimming is also helpful for limiting the overgrown succulent and making it look amazing and well shaped again. For making parallel vining in our succulent I make sure first then no vine is longer than a particular length as it helps the other vines to grow and trailing the same way the other vines do, but that’s all you need to set up. I also try to create new cuttings and let them grow more and trail outside of the basket. It’s very easy in these dolphin succulents and you can also do that. Happy gardening.
Also Read : Umbrella Plant – Care , Propagation, Pruning , Types [ Full Guide]
String of turtles Seeds
It is very hard to find the seeds anywhere including both offline plant centers , nursery and also on eCommerce website may be they not even available , String of turtles are easy to develop roots when growing using its stem that is why every cultivator or gardener use only stem propagation and not other method. You can check the heading where i explain on how you can propagate it using the stem cutting.
String of turtles plant near me
“Near me” People generally search to find the near by plant center or nursery so that they can find this plant , don’t worry you can easily buy it from online most of the time it was available but very far from home. You can get it from , I have provided links to buy it.
Lotusmagus is a website about plants and flowers by Amelia Clark. Copyright Marked]
Variegated String of turtles
Many people have search on internet about Variegated String of Turtles is not available and but what we have found is they may lose the bright color if it was placed in low light area as they may require more light.
Variegated type of string of turtles needs more care and good fertilizer for the care.
Blooming string of turtles
String of turtles is a great succulent having unique foliage that is different from other such plants, They are easy to grow and look beautiful, even it has a name called magic marmer that comes from brazil. It is similarly unique to its friend succulents like pearls and hearts. Peperomia prostrata is the other name it is known by.
String of Turtles toxic
According to ASPCA , These are non toxic plants to cats, dogs. So it is safe around pets. Also I Checked in one of educational website called NC Extension Gardener, they Tag this plant in “Non toxic for cats” , “Non toxic for dogs”. So if 2 websites were claiming then it would be true that these are safe nearby pets. Even if you see any sign of infection please contact your nearby pet center.
String of turtles Price
It was sold around $7 to $30+ from many online stores, It’s rare to find them in offline store so I suggest to buy from any good online store or I have also given links from ETSY which is known for largest plant website and they do have many other things , delivery is also amazing there.
String of turtles vs string of hearts
String of turtles has turtle like leaves while string of heart has heart shaped foliage, both are succulent and fast growing plant. Both plant loves bright light and it affect the leaves if you put them in sunlight area. watering should be in limit and caring of both turtle and heart is same. Soil should be well drained and use sufficient hole pot.
String of turtles leaf propagation
Generally there is a debate on this topic that if it is possible or not. lets me answer here.
String of turtles leaf propagation is possible , yes but with leaf stalks the only basic method what you need to do it bury the leaf stalk inside the damp soil (wet soil ), It can take a week or 3 to sprout some rooting. As Stalks are just like stems but they do follow the stem characteristics that is the reason it would why it will grow. You can still try it as experiment but the successful and most used method can be using its main stem which is powerful enough to grow roots early.
FAQ’s
Is string of turtles rare?
Yes it is difficult to get one near from nursery so if you have one that’s great. String of turtles have long stems that are compact with each other , very tiny leaves that is why it is either on a hanging pot where its trailing stem falls on the ground. It was also showcased on Plantation garden.
Is string of turtles a succulent?
String of turtles is not a succulent but yes it is semi-succulent which means it has both characteristics of a succulent and a growing plant. It was highly adapted to various climatic environments, But it is always advised to be grown in part to filter light so that it can thrive better and doesn’t harm its tiny leaves. Also take good care of its water needs.
They are easily grown and require very minimum care , even they can be put in anywhere indoors where it can get some bright light and they can thrive there peacefully. It Requires very less water and they are one of the gorgeous looking plant we can ever see.
How much light do string of turtles need?
String of turtles prefers filtered light or indirectly coming toward the succulent otherwise you may hurt the plant. It is not good for them to stay in full sun for too many hours and yes they can tolerate morning sun, that is good but only for 1-2 hours every 2-3 days. Indoor, it can be placed in an area where bright light appears but not directly, indirectly reaches to the location.
How do you make a turtle string grow faster?
You can use fertilizer for that, but I don’t advise using it at an early stage. Turtle strings can grow faster with little bit of sunlight but you have to make sure it doesn’t get over the minimum safe hours. If you desire to grow long stems then prune the shorter ones growing from the base soil.
How long does it take for string of turtles to grow?
Newly string of turtles can grow and take 50-60 days of time to sprout any root growth, once rooting starts to appear it will fast forward the process of developing the stems and making it longer and after some months you will find more such stems growing from base.
How do you take care of a turtle string?
Turtle sting succulent care is easy and they require moist soil to grow and don’t put too much water as this may make problems like root rot and disease formation. Water only when the soil seems to dry. they hate being waterlogged so keep the watering at scale. If overwatering happens there you may see the leaves getting pale and wilted might see them drop after some days.
Conclusion
Its very beautiful miniature plant , If you love gardening and keeping the unique of plants then I suggest you buy this one. This requires less care and looks very beautiful and charming best for home decoration.
Also See:
String of Dolphins – How to Grow, Care, Propagate, Repot [Full Guide]
Lotus Plant for Sale – Also Tips on How to Grow and Care [ Step by Step]
Water Lily Characteristics – Flower, Information, Seeds, Drawing(SALE)
