Species account · Crassulaceae

Crassula tetragona

Crassula tetragona L.

Crassula tetragona has narrow fleshy leaves arranged in opposite pairs, with tips directed upwards. Leafy shoots of some forms resemble miniature conifer branches. [18-WWW]

1 min readUpdated 17 October 2026

Range and variation

The species is native to the Cape region of South Africa. POWO recognizes six subspecies, subsp. acutifolia, subsp. connivens, subsp. lignescens, subsp. robusta, subsp. rudis and subsp. tetragona. Synonyms include Creusa tetragona and Sedum tetragonum. [2-WWW]

Habitat and flowering

SANBI reports rocky slopes and scrub, including karoo vegetation. Habit ranges from prostrate forms to upright shrublets. Tiny creamy-white flowers form terminal clusters. [18-WWW]

Propagation

According to SANBI, stem cuttings are allowed to dry at the cut, then planted in freely draining compost and sheltered from direct sun while rooting. [18-WWW]

Crassulas under the microscope. Leaf anatomy, water storage and CAM photosynthesis

Synonyms and names in the literature

Creusa tetragona · Sedum tetragonum [2-WWW]

Sources for this account

[18-WWW]Source website

South African National Biodiversity Institute — PlantZAfrica and Biodiversity Advisor

https://pza.sanbi.org/

Descriptions of southern African plants, habitats, propagation and cultivation.

Accessed 2026-10-21.

[2-WWW]Source website

Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

https://powo.science.kew.org/

Accepted names, synonyms and distribution. A citation beside a taxon leads to its record.

Accessed 2026-10-08.

Crassula · entire genusPOWO record ↗ [2-WWW]Cactus and succulent atlas Literature list