Baby Necklace Vine
"We were welcomed by a very civil woman in a white apron, whom I had seen curtseying at the door when I was on Ham's back, about a quarter of a mile off. Likewise by a most beautiful little girl (or I thought her so), with a necklace of blue beads on, who wouldn't let me kiss her when I offered to, but ran away & hid herself."
-Charles Dickens,
from David Copperfield, 1869
from David Copperfield, 1869
'Baby Necklace' vine is a hybrid developed by Myron Kimnach of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America, formerly of Huntington Botanical Gardens.
It is a cross of two South African succulents,Crassula perforata (aka C. nealeana) known as Jade Necklace or Necklace Plant, with C. rupestris ssp. marnierana known as 'String of Buttons' or 'Chinese Pagoda.'
It is generally regarded as at best advantage as an indoor hanging vine, because the strung-buttons appearance can hang over the pot's edge to several feet. But it is also used as a groundcover outdoors, for whoever lives in warmer climates than ours.
Our 'Baby Necklace' is growing in a tall, slender pot, with the necklace strings of succulent bead-like disc-shaped leaves spilling well over the pot's edge.
It blooms several times a year, tiny bunches of waxy yellow flowers that still look rather decorative when they dry out to brown.
It is very heat tolerant & needs little watering. It should be allowed to entirely dry out between waterings.