''Curio citriformis'', syn. ''Senecio citriformisis'', also known as string of tears, is a trailing succulent plant in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

native to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

that grows in rocky outcrops in clay soils.

Description

It is a scrambling plant with perpendicular-oriented, waxy and veined leaves that are spindle-shaped and small, which would somewhat resemble a

lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...

in outline. It is similar in appearance, in addition to being closely related, to

Curio herreanus ''Curio herreanus'', syn. ''Senecio herreanus'', which is also known as string of watermelons, string of beads, gooseberry plant and string of raindrops, is a flowering succulent plant in the daisy family Asteraceae that is native to South Afric ...

. This succulent plant has soft roots that can’t penetrate deep. This plant has white trumpet-shaped flowers that smell like cinnamon. Variegated species of String of Tears have leaves that are mixed light and dark green. It prefers bright indirect sunlight or partial shade. Sandy soil with irrigation once a week is ideal. The plant can be propagated by stem cuttings or divisions in the spring and summer seasons.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15592989 citriformis Flora of Southern Africa Garden plants of Southern Africa