Senecio radicans - String of Bananas, Fish Hooks

String of Bananas or String of Fishhooks (now Curio radicans) (Heath): An all-star hanging plant. Its stems can hang over 3.0' long but in its native habitats through South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia, C. radicans creeps along sandy, rocky soil, putting down roots wherever it can.

String of Bananas makes a great trailing component in arrangements and provides a nice contrast to the more common rosette-shaped succulents. Its long stems are lined with banana-shaped leaves, each of which has a translucent crescent or "leaf window" to let sunlight into the leaf interior. It usually blooms between October and December with pompom-like clusters of tiny white flowers that smell like cinnamon.

C. radicans is a relatively fast grower if cared for properly. It can tolerate high heat and extended drought but not frost or full sun with high heat. To prevent rot, use well-draining pots and soil and only water when the soil is dry. Reduce watering frequency even more in winter. To grow a long, full cascade of bananas, regularly prune the stems and replant the cuttings in the same pot for easy stem propagation (). Make sure that all parts of the trailing mass get sunlight and, if possible, move the plant outdoors to a covered porch or patio in the summer.