Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’: How to Care for This Stacking Succulent

It does look like a tiny necklace. Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’ is a compact succulent with small leaves stacked around its stems. The leaves look almost like buttons one on top of another which is exactly where this plant gets its name.

Its leaves are typically green to a minty green with red edges. With stronger sunlight, the red can become much more noticeable. It also changes its shape as it matures. Young plants can grow straight and upright, but as they become longer, they will begin to bend and hang over. 

What Makes It Special?

Baby’s Necklace isn’t a naturally occurring species. It’s a hybrid created by renowned horticulturist Myron Kimnach in 1962. He crossed: Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana
×Crassula perforata subsp. kougaensis And then Baby’s Necklace was born. Kimnach spent decades working with succulent plants. Baby’s Necklace was later distributed through International Succulent Introductions as ISI 1073 in 1978. The original introduction noted how Baby’s Necklace differed from another hybrid called ‘Jade Necklace’: Baby’s Necklace had thinner, more pendent stems and leaves edged in red.

Key Facts

Scientific name: Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’
Common name: Baby’s Necklace
Family: Crassulaceae
Origin: Horticultural hybrid created by Myron Kimnach in 1962
Parentage: Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana × Crassula perforata subsp. kougaensis
Growth form: Clumping succulent with thin stems that begin upright and can become pendent as they get longer.
Common use: Containers, succulent arrangements and hanging pots or baskets

How to Care for Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’

Light

Give Baby’s Necklace plenty of bright sunlight. Good light helps maintain its compact growth and can help make the red coloring around the edges of its leaves. The original cultivar documentation specifically describes its leaves as brightly edged with red and recommends light shade in outdoor growing. Indoors, place it near a bright window. But don’t forget to acclimate it. If your Baby’s Necklace has been growing indoors, in a greenhouse or under shade, don’t move it directly into hours of intense afternoon sunlight instead be sure to gradually intorduce it to more sun. If the spaces between its leaves begin getting larger and the stems look thin and stretched, it may need more light.

Water

Baby’s Necklace stores water in its leaves so it doesn’t need constantly moist soil. Give it a deep watering letting the entire root ball get wet and let the excess water drain from the bottom of the pot. Then let the soil to dry before watering again. Avoid frequent little sips. Cold, wet soil can be a problem for the roots. Remember that how quickly your plant dries depends on your environment. Temperature, humidity, airflow, pot size, soil and light all affect how frequently Baby’s Necklace will need water. Check the soil and watch the leaves instead of following a fixed watering schedule.

Soil

Baby’s Necklace needs gritty, well-draining soil. A cactus or succulent mix is a good to start with. If your soil stays wet for too long, add an amendment like pumice or perlite to increase drainage and airflow around the roots. And always use a pot with a drainage hole. Your exact soil mixture should depend on your growing conditions. If you’re growing indoors with limited airflow or somewhere humid, you may need a grittier mixture. If you’re growing outside somewhere warm, dry and breezy, your soil may dry considerably faster. The goal is soil that can absorb water when you give the plant a deep drink and then dry within a reasonable amount of time (within 3-5 days). Any longer increases the chance of root rot.

Temperature

It can tolerate cool weather we don't recommend leaving it exposed to freezing weather. Also be cautious about its roots remaining cold and wet for long periods. If you grow yours outdoors in a container and freezing temperatures are coming, move it somewhere protected. Normal household temperatures work well for plants grown indoors.

Fertilizer

Baby’s Necklace doesn’t need heavy fertilizing. A diluted feeding occasionally during the growing season is plenty. Avoid fertilizing a plant that is stressed or sitting in cold, wet soil. 

Blooming

Baby’s Necklace can bloom. Mature plants can produce clusters of small white flowers at the ends of the stems commonly around late spring to early summer. The flowers are much smaller and more delicate than the leaves.

Is Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’ Pet Safe?

We recommend keeping Baby’s Necklace out of reach of pets, especially if you have a cat or dog that likes to chew on plants. Eating plant material may also cause stomach upset even when a particular plant isn’t known to cause serious problems.

Humidity

Baby’s Necklace doesn’t need high humidity. Normal household humidity is generally fine. Good airflow and well-draining soil are more important.

Propagation

Baby’s Necklace can be propagated from stem cuttings. Choose a healthy section of stem and make a clean cut. Allow the cut end to dry and callus before placing it into gritty, well-draining succulent soil. Keep the cutting in bright, protected light while it begins developing roots. Once roots establish, gradually transition the new plant into normal care. Because Baby’s Necklace naturally develops multiple stems, a mature plant can eventually give you plenty of opportunities to take cuttings.

Troubleshooting Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’

My Baby’s Necklace Is Mostly Green

The leaves are naturally green and stronger light can bring out the red edges. If yours is healthy but doesn’t have much red, look at how much light it receives.

The Stems Are Starting to Bend Over

This can be part of its normal growth habit. Young omes can be more upright, but as they become longer, they may bend and eventually trail.

My Baby’s Necklace Is Stretching

Look closely at the spacing between the leaves. Longer stems aren’t automatically a problem because they naturally develop long, eventually trailing stems. What to watch out for is increased space between the leaves. If the new growth becomes widely spaced, the plant may need more light.

The Lower Leaves Are Drying Up

A few older leaves drying out isn’t necessarily a problem. Succulents naturally reabsorb and shed older leaves as they grow. If the rest of the plant is firm and healthy, you can remove the dried leaves. But if multiple leaves are becoming soft, translucent or mushy, check the soil.

The Leaves Are Soft or Mushy

Check how long the soil has been wet. Soft or translucent leaves combined with wet soil can mean that your Baby’s Necklace is staying wet for too long. Allow the soil to dry and look at your entire setup. Does your pot drain? Is the soil gritty enough? Are you watering before the soil has dried? Pay close attention during cooler weather, when the soil may take much longer to dry.

The Stem Is Dark or Mushy

A soft, dark or mushy stem can indicate rot. Remove the stem and look at the roots and lower stem. If needed, take a healthy section above the damaged area and propagate it as a cutting. Then correct whatever caused the soil to remain wet for too long before replanting.

The Leaves Have Brown or Bleached Spots

Think about whether you recently changed the plant’s light. Baby’s Necklace likes good light but a plant that hasn’t been acclimated can still burn in intense direct sun.

My Baby’s Necklace Doesn’t Look Like a Necklace Yet

A young Baby’s Necklace can stay short and straight. Its trailing look can become more obvious as those stems get longer and the stacked leaves continue growing around them. Eventually, the stems will begin bending and trailing.

Why We Picked Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’

Because it gets more fun as it grows.

When it’s little, you get stacked leaves wrapped around the stems. Then the stems get longer. The red edges become more noticeable. More stems develop. And eventually the whole thing can start spilling over the side of its pot like strands of little succulent beads.

We also love that Baby’s Necklace has a real piece of succulent history behind it.

If this Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’ showed up in your Succly box, congratulations, those trailing necklace's are just getting started.

Snap a pic, tag @Succly, and show us where your Baby’s Necklace lives. Bonus points if it’s in bloom or trailing 🌼

Keep Learning About Succulent Care

New to succulents or want to learn even more? These guides will help you grow healthier, happier plants.

Watering Succulents
Learn why overwatering isn’t about how often you water, but how long the soil stays wet.
→ Read our Watering Guide

Find the Right Succulent Soil
There isn’t one “perfect” succulent soil. Discover how to choose or mix the best soil for your growing environment.
→ Read our Succulent Soil Guide

Succulent Care 101
Everything you need to know about light, watering, repotting, dormancy, and keeping your succulents thriving.
→ Read Succulent Care 101