Plant Care Rattail Crassula

Rattail Crassula

4.6 out of 5 (34 experiences)

Rattail Crassula has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Rattail Crassula has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

About Rattail Crassula

Plants in the Crassula genus are amazingly diverse and come in an incredible assortment of sizes and colors. Many of the ones we grow today are native to a small region in South Africa, which makes that diversity even more amazing! They're super low maintenance plants that can handle long periods of drought, so great if you're prone to skipping waters (we won't tell). 🫢 Make sure they get plenty of sunlight and that they're planted in a pot with a drainage hole and they'll be happy as can be!

Taxonomy

Crassula muscosa
Crassula
Crassulaceae
Saxifragales

Also known as

Watch Chain, Lizard's Tail, Zipper Plant, Princess Pine and Crassula lycopodioides

How to care for Rattail Crassula

💦 Water

How often to water your Rattail Crassula

Water needs for Rattail Crassula
0.5 cups
every 12

Rattail Crassula needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Rattail Crassula

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Rattail Crassula in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Rattail Crassula: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Rattail Crassula love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Rattail Crassula does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Rattail Crassula in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Rattail Crassula

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Rattail Crassula: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Rattail Crassula after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Crassula
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Rattail Crassula is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Benefits of Growing Rattail Crassula →

Common Rattail Crassula Problems →


💦 Water Needs

Rattail Crassula thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Rattail Crassula Water Frequency →

Rattail Crassula Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Rattail Crassula requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Rattail Crassula Light Requirements →

Rattail Crassula Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Rattail Crassula is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.


💨 Humidity

Rattail Crassula enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Rattail Crassula Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Rattail Crassula is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Rattail Crassula →

When and How to Successfully Repot Rattail Crassula →


💩 Fertilizer

Rattail Crassula grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Rattail Crassula to go dormant in the summertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.


🌎 Native Region

Rattail Crassula is native to South Africa.


🌸 Flowers

Rattail Crassula produces flowers in the wild, but does not flower when kept as houseplants.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Rattail Crassula will branch off as it grows. To encourage branching, pinch off the newest growth at the tip and the stem will branch off into two.

How and When to Prune Rattail Crassula →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Rattail Crassula can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Rattail Crassula Temperature Tolerance →


🌱 Propagation

Rattail Crassula can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


😖 Common Issues

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Rattail Crassula. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


Care Summary for Rattail Crassula

Rattail Crassula

Rattail Crassula


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Rattail Crassula has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 19
Rattail Crassula has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 16
Rattail Crassula has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 8
Rattail Crassula has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 3
Rattail Crassula has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 3
Rattail Crassula has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 2
Rattail Crassula has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 1
@num1mun avatar
@@num1mun
leaf-1 9 Plants
xp 533 XP
globe Montclair, NJ
11/22/2021

Idk Mr. Pickles seems like he’s growing very slow but he’s hanging in there. Might be the soil tho

Browns easily Browns easily
@Leepa avatar
@@Leepa
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 102 XP
globe Springfield, MO
11/11/2021

So far so good in regards to how much care it needs. It’s a compact little plant.

@CellaKay avatar
@@CellaKay
leaf-1 57 Plants
xp 1,322 XP
globe Lake Stevens, WA
09/15/2021

Easy to grow -just needs good sunlight, good succulent soil and water every couple weeks.

Fast grower Fast grower
@KatieS avatar
@@KatieS
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 66 XP
globe Lake Havasu City, AZ
08/13/2021

They are fairly easy plants but they do kinda look like their dying sometimes when they’re really not. Also make sure to let the soil completely dry out before watering again!!

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@honeyyvoiced avatar
@@honeyyvoiced
leaf-1 11 Plants
xp 8,575 XP
globe Mount Prospect, IL
07/20/2021

took a tumble,, but is doing okay now!

Survivor Survivor
@czecht34gan avatar
@@czecht34gan
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 110 XP
06/30/2021

getting the watch chain plant increased the amount of gnats, hence the gnat traps. Otherwise, doesn’t require too much water as it’s a succulent.

Pest magnet Pest magnet
Fast grower Fast grower
@StringPlayer avatar
@@StringPlayer
leaf-1 81 Plants
xp 11,018 XP
globe Placerville, CA
05/24/2021

Can be propagated in soil. Happy plant that can tolerate erratic watering, but it must dry out between watering.

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@Naomihwin avatar
@@Naomihwin
leaf-1 2 Plants
xp 23 XP
globe Henrico, VA
05/03/2021

It looks like it is dying all the time, so definitely make sure you know how to take care of it.

Browns easily Browns easily
Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@christian avatar
@@christian
leaf-1 32 Plants
xp 1,086 XP
globe Kent, OH
04/07/2021

poot is my man. He just straight vibin with not a care in the world. Pretty epic

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