String of buttons

Sun

Bright light to partial sun; morning sun and afternoon shade suit hot climates. Indoors, use a bright window and introduce direct sun gradually.

Water

Low water needs. Water thoroughly, then let the potting mix dry out before watering again; water much less in cool winter conditions.

Soil

Very free-draining, gritty soil or cactus compost with added pumice, grit or perlite. Avoid heavy soil and containers without drainage holes.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Small cream to pale yellow flowers in clusters, usually in spring; flowering is less dependable indoors.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, triangular, grey-green leaves grow in opposite pairs joined around the stem. The pairs alternate direction, creating a stacked effect; leaf margins may turn pink or red in bright light.

Growth

Moderate in warm, bright conditions

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.8 ft (0.25 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.9 ft (0.28 m)

3. After 2 years

   1 ft (0.32 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

5. After 5 years

   1.4 ft (0.42 m)

About 6 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Use a pot with drainage holes and empty any saucer after watering.
• Let the mix dry out between thorough waterings; do not keep it constantly damp.
• Give bright light, but acclimatise plants gradually to stronger outdoor sun.
• Feed lightly with a diluted cactus fertiliser once or twice during active spring and summer growth.
• Move containers under cover before frost and protect outdoor plants from prolonged winter rain.

Pruning. In spring or early summer, shorten lanky stems just above a leaf pair to encourage branching. Remove dead stems and spent flower stalks with clean scissors.

Spring

Trim stretched stems and take cuttings from healthy growth.

Spring

Repot only if crowded, using a slightly larger pot and fresh, gritty succulent mix.

Late spring

Move indoor plants outside after frost risk has passed, gradually increasing their exposure to sunlight.

Summer

Water when the mix is dry and inspect leaf joints for mealybugs.

Autumn

Bring pots into a bright, frost-free position before cold nights arrive.

Winter

Keep in strong light and water sparingly, especially in cool rooms.

• Let stems spill over a shallow terracotta pot to show off the stacked leaves.
• Combine with compact aloes, haworthias and echeverias in a well-drained succulent container.
• Use at the edge of raised gravel beds in frost-free gardens, where stems can drape over stone.
• Display in a simple indoor pot near a bright window for a small-scale architectural accent.

Garden styles it suits: Desert modern, Modern Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Small-space and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Echeveria, Zebra haworthia, Lace aloe, Elephant bush and Ghost plant.

Wildlife: The small flowers may attract visiting insects outdoors, but this is primarily a foliage plant rather than a substantial wildlife resource.

• Root and stem rot: soft, dark stems usually indicate prolonged wetness. Remove rotten growth, take healthy tip cuttings if needed, and improve drainage and watering intervals.
• Mealybugs: inspect leaf joints for white cottony deposits. Isolate affected plants and remove small infestations with a cotton bud lightly moistened with rubbing alcohol, testing a small area first.
• Leggy growth: widely spaced leaves indicate insufficient light. Move to a brighter position gradually and trim stretched stems.
• Sun scorch or frost injury: sudden strong sun causes bleached patches, while freezing can leave soft, translucent tissue. Acclimatise to sun and keep frost-free.

Often listed as toxic to cats and dogs, although species-specific toxicity information is limited. Keep all parts out of their reach and seek veterinary advice if eaten. Toxicity to horses and people is not well established, so do not regard it as edible; the seriousness of poisoning from this species is uncertain.

• Baby's necklace (Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana)

  Its leaves are smaller, rounder and more tightly packed, making beadlike stems rather than the more angular, triangular stacks of string of buttons.

• Rosary vine (Crassula rupestris)

  Usually has thicker, more rounded or oval leaves and a more upright, shrubby habit. It is closely related, and nursery names are sometimes mixed.

Crassula refers to the thick, fleshy leaves, while perforata means pierced, describing the way the stems appear to pass through the joined leaf pairs.

Propagation. Take stem cuttings in spring or summer. Remove the lowest leaves, let the cut end dry and callus for several days, then insert it into a gritty propagation mix. Keep in bright, indirect light and water lightly while roots develop.

Accepted botanical name

Crassula perforata

Native range

Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.