String of Buttons

Crassula perforata 'Pagoda', better known as the String of Buttons, is one of the most sculptural succulents you can grow. Pairs of triangular grey-green leaves clasp the stem and spiral upward like a stack of tiny pagodas, edged in pink when the light is strong. Young plants sit upright, then sprawl and trail as they lengthen.

Origins. This Crassula is native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows on rocky slopes in bright sun and sharp-draining ground. That heritage is your whole care guide: lots of light, very little water.

Care. Give it the sunniest windowsill you have to keep the leaves tightly stacked, since shade makes the stems stretch and lose their shape. Water only once the soil has dried through, then let it drain fully in a gritty succulent mix. As the stems lengthen and begin to trail it looks wonderful spilling from a shelf or among other hanging plants.