You're walking past the floral section, trying to find the sourdough, and there they are. Those perfectly green, cascading vines spilling out of a woven basket or a ceramic pot. It's the Trader Joe's hanging succulent, and honestly, it’s a trap. A beautiful, $8.99 to $12.99 trap that finds its way into your cart before you’ve even reached the frozen dumplings.
We’ve all been there. You buy it because it looks like a Pinterest dream. You hang it in your kitchen. Then, three weeks later, it looks like a shriveled mess of sad grey beads. It’s frustrating. But the truth is, these plants aren't actually "hard" to keep alive; we just treat them like regular houseplants when they're basically camels in plant form.
The Reality of the Trader Joe’s Hanging Succulent
First off, let’s talk about what you’re actually buying. Trader Joe’s doesn’t grow these in the back of the store. They source them from massive commercial nurseries, and the varieties rotate faster than the seasonal Joe-Joe’s flavors.
Usually, you’ll find three main suspects:
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- String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus): The one that looks like tiny green peas.
- String of Bananas (Curio radicans): Looks like miniature, pointy bananas.
- Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum): Thick, braided-looking stems that drop leaves if you even look at them wrong.
The price is usually the biggest draw. Finding a fully trailing String of Pearls at a boutique plant shop could easily run you $30 or $40. At TJ’s? You’re looking at ten bucks, maybe fifteen if the pot is fancy. But there’s a catch. These plants are often "pushed" with fertilizers and high-intensity greenhouse light to make them look lush for the shelf. When you bring them into a dim apartment, they go into shock.
The "Death Trap" Container Problem
Here is the thing nobody tells you: the decorative pots they come in are often designed for aesthetics, not survival. Most of the hanging baskets at Trader Joe's come with a plastic liner that has zero drainage.
Succulents hate "wet feet." If water sits at the bottom of that pot, the roots will turn to mush in days. You won’t even see it happening because the top of the plant will look fine until the whole thing suddenly collapses. Honestly, the very first thing you should do when you get home is check for a drainage hole. If there isn't one, you've got to repot it or be extremely stingy with the watering can.
How to Actually Keep Your Succulent Alive
If you want your Trader Joe's hanging succulent to survive past the one-month mark, you have to ignore it. Seriously. Over-loving these plants is the number one cause of death.
Light is Non-Negotiable
These aren't "low light" plants. If you put a String of Pearls in a dark corner of your bathroom, it will stretch out, the "pearls" will get small and spaced apart, and eventually, it’ll just die. They need bright, indirect light. A south or west-facing window is perfect. If you’re in a basement apartment, you might need a $20 grow light from Amazon to keep it happy.
The "Burrito" Method of Watering
I call it the burrito method because you wait until the leaves look a little "deflated" or wrinkled. For a String of Bananas, the little windows on the leaves will actually close up when they're thirsty.
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- Wait for the signs: Don't water on a schedule. Check the soil. Is it bone dry? Are the leaves slightly soft?
- Drench it: If there’s drainage, take it to the sink and soak it until water runs out the bottom.
- Drain it: Let it sit in the sink for 20 minutes. Never let it sit in a saucer of standing water.
Soil Matters (More Than You Think)
The soil used by commercial growers is often heavy in peat moss because it stays moist during shipping. That’s great for the truck ride, but terrible for your living room. If your plant stays damp for more than three or four days after watering, the soil is too heavy. Mix in some perlite or coarse sand to give those roots some breathing room.
Is it Safe for Your Cat or Dog?
This is a big one. You’re at the store, the plant is cute, but will it kill Mr. Whiskers?
The String of Pearls and String of Bananas are technically toxic to pets. They contain compounds that can cause drooling, vomiting, or lethargy if ingested. Since these are "hanging" succulents, the risk is lower—unless you have a cat that thinks trailing vines are just organic cat toys.
The Burro’s Tail, on the other hand, is generally considered non-toxic. However, the leaves fall off so easily that your floor will constantly be covered in "forbidden jelly beans," which can be a choking hazard or just a mess.
Why Does My Succulent Keep Dropping Leaves?
If you bought a Burro’s Tail, you’ve probably noticed that if you sneeze near it, five leaves fall off. This is actually a survival mechanism. In the wild, those leaves fall, hit the ground, and grow into a brand-new plant.
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Don't throw those fallen leaves away! Just toss them back on top of the soil. In a few weeks, you’ll see tiny pink roots sprout. It’s basically free plants. If the stems are turning yellow and mushy, though, that’s not "propagation"—that’s rot. Cut the healthy ends off, let them dry out for a day, and stick them back in dry soil to start over.
Pro Tips for the Savvy TJ's Shopper
- Check the "Top": Look at the very top of the pot where the stems meet the soil. If it’s thinning out or looks brown, the plant is already dying from the top down. Pick the one that’s lush at the crown.
- The "Pest" Scan: Trader Joe’s plants move fast, but they can still carry mealybugs (they look like tiny bits of white cotton). Check the nooks and crannies before you buy.
- Timing: Most stores get their floral deliveries in the morning. If you want the pick of the litter, go Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Weekends are usually when the leftovers sit and get overwatered by well-meaning employees.
The Trader Joe's hanging succulent is a fantastic deal if you know what you're getting into. It's a bit of a gamble, sure, but for the price of a fancy latte, it’s a gamble worth taking. Just remember: more sun, less water, and get it out of that plastic liner as soon as you get home.
To get started with your new find, grab a bag of cactus soil and a terra cotta pot with a drainage hole. Carefully move your succulent into its new home, making sure not to bury the "strings" too deep in the dirt. Place it in a spot that gets at least six hours of bright light, and then—this is the hard part—leave it alone for at least two weeks.