Hottentot Care

The structure of Crassula marnieriana makes it a standout plant for a collection. The succulent is known by many names, among them Worm plant, Chinese jade, Jade necklace vine and Baby necklace. It is native to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

The genus Crassula may exceed 200 species. Many of them are notable for their strange shapes and unusual stacked leaves. Crassula worm plants exemplify the fantastical structure of a living necklace, with stacked leaves placed perfectly one on top of the other. Words almost fail when trying to describe Crassula worm plants. Smaller specimens have erect, slender branches decorated with tiles of succulent leaves growing right on top of each other. Stems will rarely get longer than 8 inches, but the longer sections tend to droop and hang or even simply trail along the ground. Leaves are green with pink to rose edges, plump and tightly stacked on the stem much like beads on a string.