The Senecio peregrinus, commonly known as String of Dolphins, is a trailing succulent prized for its unique, curved leaves that resemble tiny leaping dolphins. Like many vining succulents, this plant naturally tends toward a “leggy” growth habit, focusing energy on lengthening existing stems rather than producing dense growth near the soil surface. This results in a sparse appearance, especially at the top of the pot. Achieving a lush, compact pot requires strategic intervention, redirecting the plant’s natural growth pattern and actively filling in the container’s surface.
Strategic Pruning to Encourage Branching
Pruning is the most direct method to combat legginess and encourage the plant to become bushier. Most plants exhibit apical dominance, where the hormone auxin concentrates in the tip of the main growing stem. This hormone actively suppresses the growth of side shoots, pushing the plant’s energy into vertical growth.
Removing the tip of a vine eliminates this inhibitory hormone, effectively breaking apical dominance. This signals the dormant buds located along the stem, just above a leaf node, to activate and begin growing new branches. Make the cut using a clean, sharp tool just above a dolphin-shaped node on the stem, ideally during the plant’s active growing season in spring or summer.
By consistently trimming the longest, sparsest stems, you force the plant to create multiple trailing branches from the center. The cuttings removed are the resources needed for the next step in increasing the pot’s density.
Utilizing Cuttings for Top-Pot Density
While pruning encourages new growth on existing stems, the most effective way to achieve immediate fullness is by propagating the trimmed cuttings directly back into the mother pot. The newly cut stems, which might range from four to six inches in length, need a brief period to prepare for rooting. Allow the cut end of the stem to dry out and form a protective callus, which typically takes one to two days, before placing it back in the soil. This callousing prevents the succulent stem from absorbing too much moisture and rotting.
There are two primary methods for utilizing these prepared cuttings to increase density at the top of the pot. The “tuck and anchor” method involves gently inserting the calloused stem end into the soil, ensuring at least one or two nodes are buried, as new roots will emerge from these points.
Alternatively, the “lay and pin” technique involves simply laying the entire length of the stem cutting onto the surface of the soil. The nodes along the laid stem will sense the proximity of the soil and begin to produce roots that anchor the vine to the surface. Cuttings should be placed around the sparse edges and center of the pot to maximize visual density. Keeping the top layer of soil slightly more consistently moist during this initial rooting phase encourages faster root development, after which you can return to a normal watering schedule.
Optimizing Light and Water for Compact Growth
Environmental factors must be adjusted to ensure that new growth stimulated by pruning is compact and dense, rather than stretched and sparse. Insufficient light is the primary cause of etiolation, or stretching, where the plant elongates its stems to find more sunlight. To prevent this, the String of Dolphins requires bright, indirect light for roughly six hours daily.
A south- or west-facing window is often ideal, but intense, direct afternoon sun can scorch the delicate leaves. Rotating the plant every few weeks is important maintenance, ensuring all sides of the container receive equal light exposure and preventing the vines from leaning toward a single light source.
Proper watering is equally important for maintaining plump, healthy leaves and preventing rot. The plant should be watered thoroughly using the “soak and dry” method, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Overwatering is a common mistake that leads to root rot, while underwatering can cause the dolphin leaves to shrivel. During the spring and summer active growing season, a light, balanced succulent fertilizer can be applied once a month to support the new growth stimulated by pruning and propagation.