Othonna capensis (String of Rubies Plant) Care Indoors; Watering, Light, Propagation, Problems

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Othonna capensis also called String of Pickles Plant, Little Pickles Plant or Ruby Necklace Plant is one of the popular string of plants and is characterized by thin, oval-shaped leaves and reddish-purple stems. The bean-shaped leaves turn a bright ruby red when the plant is grown under bright sunshine giving it the common name, Ruby Necklace. The flowers are a bright yellow color.

In its natural habitat, String of Pickles Plant grows as a trailer, with stems trailing on the ground, rooting where they touch and forming dense mats. The trailing stems are spectacular when they cascade downwards beautifully in a hanging basket, on a pedestal or tabletop..

The odd shaped leaves is an adaptation to arid conditions and allows for the storage of water while exposing minimum surface area to the dry desert air which greatly reduces water loss. The fleshy leaves and stems store water, which allows the plant to go for a considerably long period without being watered. Ruby Necklace Plant is one of the drought-tolerant plants for the home, office and other spaces.

Botanical name: Othonna capensis
Synonmy: Othonna crassifolia
Family: Asteraceae
Common names: Ruby Necklace Plant, String of Rubies Plant, String of Pickles, Little Pickles

Origin

Othonna capensis is a trailing, perennial, succulent vine native to the drier parts of Southwest Africa.

Is Othonna capensis poisonous?

No. String of Rubies Plant is non-toxic to both humans and pets. Othonna capensis is safe for children, cats, dogs and other pets in the home.

Where to Buy

If you are looking to add String of Pickles Plant to your collection, you may obtain thse plants online from Etsy (Link to Etsy).

How to care for Othonna capensis indoors?

To care for Othonna capensis indoors, give it very bright light with at least 6 hours of sunlight, warmth of 20-27⁰C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with two feedings during the growing season.

String of Rubies Plant requires regular pruning to keep it neat as well as rejuvenate growth. Frequent repotting is not needed as it has a small root system. Keep reading for more on the best growing conditions and how to achieve them.

Watering

How often should you water a Ruby Necklace Plant?

Do not water Othonna capensis on a schedule to avoid either underwatering or overwatering which is detrimental to the growth of the plant.

Water Ruby Necklace Plant thoroughly in spring and summer until water comes out through the drainage hole. Allow the top 2-3 inches of the soil to dry out between waterings. Keep the soil moderately moist but not soggy to avoid rotting, yellowing and leaf loss.

Significantly decrease watering in fall and winter to maintain the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time. Do not allow the soil to dry out completely for too long to prevent wilting, yellowing and leaf drop.

Use room temperature water to prevent cold shock which can result in stunted growth and leaf drop. Only use chlorine-free water like rain water to avoid staining and browning.

Make sure the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining to avoid waterlogging which can lead to rotting. Avoid wetting the foliage to prevent fungal diseases; you may water from the bottom.

Light Requirements

How much light does String of Rubies Plant need?

String of Rubies Plant grows best in bright light with at least 6 hours of morning or late afternoon sunlight per day. Keep it away from hot midday sunshine to avoid scorching.

Bright sunshine enhances a bright, ruby-red color on the leaves and stems. Low light results in a leggy growth with wide spaces btween the leaf nodes and undersized leaves. Therefore, where the natural lighting is not adequate, use a grow light to increase it.

Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant receives enough light on all sides for uniform growth and to prevent legginess.

Temperature & Humidity

Othonna capensis prefers a warmth of 20-27⁰C in the growing season to thrive. Keep it away from drafts to prevent temperature flactuations as they can cause reduced growth and leaf drop.

Ruby Necklace Plant has no need for extra humidity; a humidity of 50-55% is ideal for this plant. Ensure good air flow to reduce fungal diseases.

Potting Soil

The best soil for Othonna capensis is a rich, loose and free-draining to avoid waterlogging and root-rot. A Cactus and succulents potting mix is ideal for this plant.

Fertilizer

Feed your String of Rubies Plant with a balanced, liquid fertilizer twice during the growing season (spring and summer). The plant is not a heavy feeder so be careful when feeding; too much fertilizer may result in leggy growth.

Do not feed in the cold season (fall and winter) as growth is minimal at this time. Feeding at this time can lead to fertilizer burn and death of the plant.

Repotting

Othonna capensis has a small root system so frequent repotting is not necessary. Repot the plant at the beginning of the growing season only when it becomes crowded in its current pot.

Use a pot 1 size larger than the current one that has a drainage hole to prevent waterlogging which can lead to rotting.

A shallow pot is ideal for this plant as it has a small root system. Be careful not to bury the stems to prevent rotting. Take a look at these succulents pots available on Amazon.

Pruning

Pruning Ruby Necklace Plant involves:

• Removal of dead leaves and stems to keep it neat as well as minimize diseases and pests.


• Trimming the stems at the beginning of the growing season if they become straggly to rejuvenate growth.

Othonna capensis Propagation

String of Rubies Plant propagation is done at the beginning of the growing season from stem cuttings.

Propagating String of Rubies Plant from stem cuttings

1. Take 4-6 inches stem cuttings from a healthy plant. Ensure each cutting has 2-3 leaf nodes as this is where rooting will occur.


2. Allow the cuttings to dry (callus) for about 5-7 days to avoid rotting.


3. Fill the rooting cointainer or pot with quality succulents soil and moisten it moderately.


4. Once callused, press the cut end of the cutting into the soil or lay the cuttings on top of the soil and lightly press the leaf nodes into the soil.


5. Place the set-up in a brightly-lit, warm place away from direct sunlight.


6. Maintain the soil moist until the cuttings are well rooted. Roots develop in 3-4 weeks.


7. Allow substancial growth before transplanting the new plants to individual pots after which you can begin routine care.

Othonna capensis Problems & Solutions

String of Rubies Plant problems are plant dying, dropping leaves, wilted leaves, leggy stems, brown and dry leaf spots, pests and diseases among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and their remedies.

Plant dying

Why is my String of Rubies Plant dying?

Your String of Rubies Plant is dying due to inconsistent watering, too little light, root-rot, nutrients deficiency, salts buildup, temperature stress among others. Check out these 11 reasons why String of Rubies Plant is dying and how to fix it.

Dropping leaves

Ruby Necklace Plant may lose it leaves due to inconsistent watering, soggy soil, temperature stress, too little light, being pot-bound, nutrients deficiency, pests infestations, root-rot among others. Here are 12 reasons String of Rubies Plant is dropping leaves and their remedies.

Wilted leaves

Wilted leaves on Othonna capensis is caused by inconsistent watering and temperature stress.

How to fix it

Inconsistent watering: Water when the top 2-3 inches of soil feel dry to touch but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.

Temperature stress: Keep the plant away from drafts coming from AC units, heat sources, windy doors and others.

Leggy stems

Leggy stems on Ruby Necklace Plant are due to too little light and overfeeding.

Too little light: Move the plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight or instal grow light if the natural lighting is not adequate.

Overfeeding: The plant is a light feeder; feed it twice in spring and summer.

Brown, dry leaf spots

Brown, dry leaf spots on String of Rubies Plant are caused by underwatering. Water the plant when the top 2-3 inches of the soil to dry out and do not allow the soil to dry out completely.

Pests

Common pests of Othonna capensis are mealybugs, aphids, scale insects and spider mites infestations. These sap-sucking insects attack the new growth from where they suck the plant sap, causing wilting, yellowing and leaf drop.

How to fix it

Isolate the affected plant and treat it with neem oil and insecticidal soap as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Diseases

String of Rubies Plant is prone to powdery mildew, leaf spot disease and basal stem-rot disease.

1. Powdery mildew which is characterized by spotting or coating of the leaf surface with a white powdery deposit.

How to fix it

1. Remove the badly affected parts and discard or burn to reduce spread to other parts of the plant.


2. Spray the plant with a systemic fungicide or lightly dust the leaves with a sulphur compound. Ensure to follow the manufacturers instructions.


3. Improve the air circulation for the plant to minimize the disease infestation.

2. Leaf spot disease which is characterized by brown, moist spots on the leaves. In a serious attack the spots can enlarge and merge, killing the whole leaf.

How to fix it

1. Remove and burn the affected parts to reduce the risk of spread to the rest of the plants.


2. Spray the affected plant with Neem oil and ensure to cover all the parts.


3. Keep the plant on the dry side, do not mist it and ensure good air flow.

3. Basal stem-rot disease which is promoted by overwet conditions and is indicated by a rotting base and stem collapse.

How to fix it

1. Use the upper stem to propagate new plants and discard the infected parts.


2. Reduce frequency of watering in fall and winter to reduce occurence of the disease.

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