Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana ‘Hottentot’

A necklace-form Crassula from South Africa’s Cape

This cultivated form belongs to Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana, a South African subspecies native to the Cape Provinces. Its opposite rounded leaves clasp the slender stems in close pairs, creating the characteristic necklace-like structure.

‘Hottentot’ is a nursery name for the cultivated form and does not denote a separate wild population. The plant shares the South African origin of C. rupestris subsp. marnieriana.

Growing Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana ‘Hottentot’ indoors

Light for tightly stacked leaves

Place it at a very bright east, south or west window with several hours of gentle direct sun. Introduce ‘Hottentot’ to direct sun over several weeks, because foliage grown under cover can scorch after an abrupt move. Strong light keeps the paired, stacked leaves tight around arching stems; low light produces pale, widely spaced growth and a sparse crown. Sudden fierce midday exposure can mark the upper leaf surfaces, and red stress colouring should never be pursued through severe drought. Light changes compactness and surface colour, not the inherited leaf shape.

Watering stacked leaves along trailing stems

Allow most of the pot around ‘Hottentot’ to dry, then soak the root ball from edge to centre and drain it. Repeated small sips leave weak surface roots while the lower mix remains wet and airless. The tightly stacked succulent leaves hold a useful reserve, so wait for a enough time for the mix to dry thoroughly without leaving them wrinkled for long. Severe prolonged dryness eventually kills fine roots and drops leaves; permanent dampness is the greater threat to the narrow stems and crown. Sun, heat, active growth and a small hanging pot speed drying, while cool shade and excess pot depth slow it.

Shallow drainage beneath beaded ropes

Fine roots spread through a shallow volume, and low stems may root where they touch the mix. Pot ‘Hottentot’ in a fast-draining cactus mix with plenty of fine pumice, lava, perlite or grit. Keep enough fine cactus substrate around the roots to hold a little moisture between waterings. Keep the crown and low stems at the surface, avoid compacted peat and never leave the pot standing in water. Rinse away salt deposits before they reach the roots.

Protecting the hanging chains from damp cold

Keep ‘Hottentot’ at roughly 16–27 °C. A bright, drier position around 10–16 °C can support compact, slower growth, but protect the pot below about 7–10 °C and never combine cold with wet substrate. Hanging roots chill quickly beside glass, while heater air can dry the strand ends before the pot is dry.

Low to average household humidity suits ‘Hottentot’. Raising it offers little benefit and can slow drying where stems crowd the substrate. Leave open space around the crown, between hanging strands and below the pot. Routine misting is unnecessary; water the roots thoroughly when the mix is ready, then let room air move around the plant.

Feeding tight stacked stems

New stems and roots need only light feeding. Use cactus or succulent fertiliser at quarter strength and repeat after six to eight weeks if growth continues. Heavy feeding opens the normally tight stacks and makes the trailing stems brittle. Continue lightly outside summer if strong light and visible growth continue; pause during a cool or poorly lit rest. Rinse the mix thoroughly with plain water occasionally to protect the fine roots in the small pot.

Moving brittle trails into a wider pot

Move ‘Hottentot’ to fresh mix when roots fill the container, sections of substrate stop absorbing water, drainage slows or the trailing growth repeatedly unbalances the pot. Increase the diameter by only 2–4 cm and choose a broad shallow or secure hanging container. Let the mix become nearly dry first, support every strand and keep the fine root mat together. Rest rooted surface stems on fresh mix and wait briefly before watering deeply if anything breaks.

Shortening and rooting stacked stems

Allow mature stems to arch or trail over a broad pot; no trellis is needed. The stacked stems snap easily at bends, so lift them from underneath and use broken healthy tips as cuttings after the ends callus. Move ‘Hottentot’ with the crown supported and the strands gathered in loose coils; pulling or combing them breaks leaves and nodes. Pinch or cut above a node for branching, and place sound cuttings on open mix to repair bare areas. Remove dead sections at their base. A gentle rinse is possible only when rapid drying follows, because wiping strips bloom and snaps stems.

Problems along the stacked stems of Crassula ‘Hottentot’

Large gaps appear in the stacked leaf necklace

Healthy pairs should sit closely along the trailing stems. Long bare internodes and smaller, greener pairs are classic low-light growth. Increase light gradually and turn the pot so the rim receives light too. Prune and reroot compact tips after recovery; the stretched sections will not close up.

The bead-like leaves shrivel along a whole strand

Firm wrinkles on dry compost usually indicate depleted water stores. A strand can look equally thirsty when its roots or base have rotted, so inspect before watering: healthy stems are firm, while failed bases are brown, translucent or hollow. Water sound dry roots; propagate healthy tips above a damaged base.

Trailing stems snap where they cross the pot rim

The densely stacked stems become heavy and can kink against a sharp rim or during handling. Move the pot by its container, not its strands, and use a rounded hanger or shelf edge. A clean broken tip can be callused and rooted. Breaks that turn soft are staying too wet.

The lowest stacks become yellow and mushy

Water retained around the crowded base can start stem rot before the hanging ends show distress. Lift the strands, remove wet debris and cut every affected stem back to firm tissue. Root clean tips in a fast-draining mix. Do not wait for blackening to travel through the tightly packed leaf pairs.

Pet safety around trailing ‘Hottentot’ stems

The effects of eating Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana ‘Hottentot’ are unknown in cats and dogs. Keep its hanging stems, detached leaves and fresh cuttings beyond reach. Contact a veterinarian if a large amount is swallowed or if vomiting, drooling or unusual behaviour follows.

The botanical names behind this Crassula

Crassula refers to thick, fleshy leaves, and rupestris means growing among rocks. Marnieriana honours French plant collector Julien Marnier-Lapostolle. The nursery name ‘Hottentot’ uses an outdated and offensive colonial term historically applied to Khoekhoe people. Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana is the neutral botanical name.