Crassula ovata bonsai

[snagel]

I keep seeing pictures of beautiful Crassulas that appear to almost have trunks. Is there a way to get them to look like that? With mine, the leaves rise straight out of the soil. Is it a different variety or a cultivation practice that makes them tree-like?

[coldcactusmontreal]

Well if yours comes straight out of the soil, it should eventually become more bush-like with age as it gets larger and the branches grow. As for the thick trunk, I read something about giving the roots very little room to grow can cause the caudex to get larger (this was about Pachypodiums mind you). So it's possible that it would also contribute to it growing thicker. But I think it also comes down to the age of the plant, and they could also be keeping the plant from groving very large by snipping off the buds, so that it becomes bushier and puts all it's energy into caudex storage.