Belongs to the Asteraceae family, scientifically called Senecio Peregrinus, ‘String of Dolphin’ is a plant type that is also popular by different names like Dolphin Necklace, Flying Dolphin, and Dolphin Plant. People who love plants and gardening can’t miss having this one in their small home gardens. So, the most important question arises is how to propagate string of dolphins? Get all your unanswered questions about the Dolphin plant here.
About String of Dolphins
The shape of the leaves of the String of dolphins, as the name suggests, is identical to that of Dolphins. Their long-hanging tendrils make them an attractive element of your garden. Although they can grow on the ground also, their beauty is more enhanced in a vertical garden. If space is not a problem, it also looks enchanting if it grows upwards on Espalier supported by lattice.
The string of Dolphins can bloom also but more than flowers they are loved for their interesting foliage. These plants grow well in indoor weather and hence form a refreshing plant for your terrace garden or Balcony. However, if the weather outside is warm all around the year, Dolphin Necklace can grow outdoors as well. It is to be noted that this plant cannot survive in temperatures below 36°F.
Why Propagate String of Dolphins?
The signature foliage of the Dolphin Plant makes it a delightful plant to have in your home or office. It is a cool and refreshing plant that can not be less than a treat for your tired eyes all day. Dolphin propagation is easy, whether you are an expert gardener or just picked up a new hobby of gardening. All these amazing succulent needs well-drained soil, proper rooting, and a place to get enough sunlight. And as a result, you will witness an interesting plant growing to beautify your place.
Having said that, it is crucial to know the reason behind why propagate string of dolphins. Here are the most relevant reasons.
Rescue a Failing Plant
Salvage string of dolphins is possible and easy from a failing plant. To propagate a string of dolphins in a new pot, all you need is a healthy tendril of it. Once it is potted, sunlight and a little care are enough.
Rich and Beautiful Look
There is no second thought to the fact that all plants look beautiful but the string of dolphins looks attractive to the eyes. Small dolphin-like leaves seem as if they are dancing when a cool breeze blows. They can bloom also. Moreover, they can be kept inside the house, terrace, balcony, or even in the living room.
Easy To Maintain
This is the prominent reason that a lot of greenery-loving people prefer to have this one in their home. In today’s hard and fast life, it is very difficult to find time to water and care for plants regularly. But if you take home a string of dolphinss, they won’t be affected even if you forget to water them. Plus, no fertilizer and no frequent repotting are needed. Maintenance cost is also negligible.
Make As Many Copies As You Want
Propagation of the string of dolphins is straightforward. The plant has no tantrums in the form of either cost or maintenance. All you need to make a copy of this plant is a tendril of it. And you can see it growing soon.
When to Propagate String of Dolphins?
Mainly the right time to propagate the dolphin plant is early summer or spring season. This is the peak time for the plant to prosper well. Also, the main plant will not succumb due to distress caused by cutting down the tendril.
However, this could happen when the propagation is planned. But in case of propagation has to be done out of a failing plant, it should be started as early as possible or immediately. Because out of the failing plant, propagation must begin from a healthy part (only healthy) of the strand.
How Long Does It Take to Propagate String of Dolphins?
Another significant question that needs to be answered is how fast does string of dolphins grow? Well, The string of Dolphins grows at a slow rate as compared to other indoor plants. Initially, a gardener has to keep patience for 2 weeks or even longer period. Some gardeners to speed up the growth, applied rooting hormone while cutting and use fertilizer also. However, this should also be kept in mind that if the plant grows unnaturally fast, it looks baldy and lost its beauty. It is therefore recommended no fertilizing or if required, very light fertilizing and proper soil mixture.
Best Favourable Conditions for Propagating String of Dolphins
| General Plant Name | The string of Dolphins or Dolphin Plant |
| Botanical Name | Senecio peregrinus |
| Type of the Plant | Succulent |
| Size Upon Maturity | Up to 6 – 7 inches tall |
| Sun Exposure | Full or Partial Sun |
| Soil Type & pH | Succulent Soil, 6 6.5 – 7.5 pH |
| Bloom Time | Spring Season |
| Color of Flowers | White |
| Native Area | South West Africa |
| Toxicity | Toxic to Dogs and Cats |
How To Take Care Of String of Dolphins?
Plants need maintenance, care, and a little affection to grow. The string of Dolphins does not ask for much to get them maintained. They are drought-tolerant because their rounded leaves easily sustain water. The string of Dolphins light requirements are high. They need full Sunlight for healthy growth and propagation. So, it would not be wrong if we call the string of dolphins a low-maintenance plant that you can keep near an open window facing indirect bright sunlight. Let us talk in more detail to find an exact answer to how to take care of String of Dolphins.
LIGHT
The String of Dolphins light requirements is more than other household plants. When kept indoors, gardening experts prefer 6 to 7 hours of sunlight. However, the number of hours may reduce if the location is outdoor. You should make sure that even when growing as a houseplant, excessive sunlight may hamper its growth instead. So quantifying the right amount of sunlight is very imperative.
Avoid too much exposure to direct sunlight because its cuttings are prone to dehydration in the scorching heat. The ill effect of improper lighting (more or less), appears in the form of spots and discoloring. It will appear more like a sardine fish than a dolphin.
If the source of light is too bright or you can’t help it to stop the direct sunlight, you may alternatively use a net or some cloth to cover the plant. This will save the plant from the harmful effect of direct sunlight.
SOIL
The type of soil for the healthful growth of Dolphin plants is well-drained and arid like most of the succulent types needed. You may find such soil commercially available in the market. Also, nothing could be better than mixing soil at home. We are revealing a secret formula of experts. Mix 2 portions of potting soil, 1 portion of Pumice, and 1 portion of sand.
Many Gardners also add some organic substances into the soil for better growth of the plant. Coco coir, bark, and perlite can be added to the soil for better aeration and to manage the level of water requirement in the plant.
WATER
This plant can easily survive in the water-scarce area or in cases of water scarcity. These plants can retain water for a long time. This is the reason it is called a drought-tolerant plant. Now the question arises is how often to water string of dolphins? So watering them once every 2 – 3 days is enough. Technically, gardening experts suggest that let the soil dry properly between two waterings otherwise it may result in root rot due to overwatering. Further, reduce the amount of water in the Winter season due to Dormancy.
TEMPERATURE
Just like they can survive without water for long, they are also sturdy in low temperatures. They can grow well at usual indoor temperatures and humidity levels. These plants can easily survive and grow in temperatures as low as 4°C. So, in areas where winters are very cold, it would not much affect the growth of these plants.
REPOTTING
This plant does not need repotting now and then. This trailing succulent is a root-bound plant and is the main cause of blooming. It is recommended to keep it maintained, in every few years, change the potting to one size larger pot. Make sure that the pot has proper drainage holes, to avoid water-logged soil and root rot.
When selecting the material of the pot, experts prefer terracotta pots instead of plastic because terracotta pots easily absorb excess moisture out of the soil. Alternatively, one may also make use of clay pots. Clay pots are also a good home for succulent plants because they are porous and keep the soil drained. Whatever be the potting material you choose, it needs to be ensured that it has proper holes to drain the excessive watering.
FERTILIZER
A string of Dolphin plants does not need any kind of fertilizers. If you wish, light feeding can help the growth and bloom of the plant at the early stage. Any kind of extra manure or fertilizer may spoil the plant and damage its center of attraction i.e. dolphin-shaped leaves. Still, if required, prefer organic fertilizers like worm compost or fish emulsion.
CLEANLINESS
Cleanliness is not a healthy thumb rule for us only, plants’ hygiene is equally important. Sterile all the tools, pots, and other things you are going to use in the potting and propagation of the plant. The space must be clean. If you are propagating from the soil, make sure it is free from any bacteria or fungus. If you are propagating from water, use distilled or filtered water. Tap water is not recommended due to the presence of harsh chemicals like chlorine and fluoride.
Methods Of Propagating String of Dolphins
Propagating a string of dolphins sounds complicated and professional task but it is very easy and simple. There are primary 2 ways to propagate a string of dolphins. Propagation in water and Propagation in soil.
Before you check both the methods, tick the checklist of all you need to kick start dolphin plant propagation.
- A clean knife or scissors.
- Right size pot/glass jar. (Preferable Terracota pot)
- Use distilled water.
- Well-draining soil for potting
- Root hormone (If you are going to apply, it is not necessary though)
Propagation in Water
Propagation of the string of dolphins in water does not need any professional specialization. All you need is a few things and most importantly, a healthy strand of dolphin plant. Water propagation is good as you can check the growth of the roots which is visible. Plus, the chances of fungi and bacteria are also low as compared to soil propagation. Rest is guided step by step below:
- Find a healthy and fresh strand from a grown-up dolphin plant. The length of the strand must be 3 to 5 inches long.
- Use a clean and sterile knife or scissors.
- Before you start propagating, remove inactive or dead foliage, especially from the bottom to prevent rotting.
- Get a glass jar ready, filled with distilled or filtered water, not tap water. Put the strand into the jar.
- Keep the jar near a window sourcing indirect sunlight or natural light.
- To freshen the nutrients and oxygen of the plant, replace the water once a week.
- Soon within a week, you will observe that thin long roots start developing.
Propagation in Soil
When you choose propagation through the soil, taking care of the ‘Callus’ is crucial. A callus is a tissue developed from the cut wound and is responsible for the roots to develop. The soil so used must be free from bacteria and fungus. Here is what you need to do.
- Find a healthy and fresh strand from a grown-up dolphin plant. The length of the strand must be 3 to 5 inches long.
- Let the Callus develop. It takes 2 to 3 days.
- Get a glass jar ready, filled with the suggested mixture of soil. Put the strand into the jar.
- Keep the jar near a window sourcing indirect sunlight or natural light. You can also add root hormones to accelerate growth.
Conclusion
Plants around us keep our environment clean, green, and beautiful. In this compilation, we tried to add everything that one needs to know about the propagation of the strings of dolphins. We hope that this guide will help you to add another wonderful plant to your home nursery. So keep planting, and keep the environment fresh.