Crassula tetragona miniature forest

Dense stands of separate Crassula tetragona plants are sometimes seen, like miniature forests of bonsai trees. The proliferation stemmed either from seed dispersal that did not work well, or small branches that broke from a plant, due to mechanical interference or weakness caused by heat or drought. Runners from a mother plant allowing new stems to emerge a short distance away is unlikely in plants of this kind.

This green gathering was seen near Caledon. The bonsai forest analogy was encountered relating to C. tetragona subsp. tetragona (Smith, et al, 2017; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iNaturalist).