Othonna herrei is a curios a dwarf succulent shrub bonsai subshrubs 10-20(-30) cm tall with few erratic, thick forking, branches covered in knob-like woody tubercles formed from leaf bases, superficially remembering of Cotyledon wallichiana. This is one of the most fascinating species, also proving to be one of the most difficult to grow successfully. It is dormant during summer. Leaves are irregularly obovate, undulate, fleshy on short stalk, glaucous green, deciduous. Numerous small yellow flowers are produced in short panicled inflorescences.