Plant of the Month December 2022: Watch Chain (Crassula muscosa)

As the year comes to an end, our last Plant of the Month for 2022 is the Crassula muscosa. This succulent goes by many names colloquially: rattail crassula, lizard’s tail, zipper plant, princess pines. But the most common nickname is Watch Chain, due to its chain-like appearance. This succulent has thin long stems that are tightly-lined with very small green leaves and grows in a bush arrangement. The botanical name Crassula muscosa comes from the Latin word muscosus which means “mossy”.

The Watch Chain plant is native to South Africa and Namibia and grows best in moderate humidity and warm climates. As with many succulents, Watch Chain is not cold hardy and cannot survive in temperatures below 42°F. In the summers under more extreme heat, they require more water or they will dry and stiffen at the base upwards towards the tips. That said, Watch Chain do not like full sun and will sunburn under excessive light so be sure to place it in a spot with more indirect sunlight.

Watch Chain is incredibly easy to propagate, just don’t plant it outdoors as it is an invasive species! To propagate Watch Chain, just take stem cuttings and keep it in a warm environment with the right amount of humidity. For more information on how to propagate, check out our blog post from last month: A Beginner’s Guide to Propagation!

Watch Chain (Crassula muscosa) needs the following care:

Light ☀️ Light shade.

Water 💧Only when soil is completely dry. Do not overwater.

Grow 🌱 This is not a cold hardy plant. For best results avoid temperatures below 40 F.