A summary on how to care and grow Jade plant:
- Choose the right place for your Jade plant.
- Make sure you water it once the top layer of soil dries up.
- It shall get bright indirect sunlight for at-least 6 hours each day.
- Feed your Jade plant with necessary plant food.
- Fertilize your plant in every 1.5 to 2 months.
- Repot into bigger pot if the current one gets smaller.
- Cut and propagate different parts of your plant and make new Jade plant.
- Pot your new Jade plants and grow them.
Did you know that the jade plants were named after their jade like green colored leaves?
If you knew it tell us in the comments. I didn't know it till today.
By the way, jade plants are one of the most spectacular looking plants.
Though they are one of the least demanding plants out there, still they need a good look to be grown indoors.
But that doesn't mean you have to be very expert in caring.
The jade plant often makes us curious in ourselves about it's color, looks, behavior and many thing.
In this blog we are going to answer some of the most asked thing about the jade plants such as the care, watering habit and sunlight requirement and also have a look at some of the most asked questions.
Love ZZ plant? Here, check out my latest care and propagation tips on ZZ plant
Jade Plant(Crassula ovata):
Crassula ovata is a member of the genus Crassula. This genus has some of the most loved house plant species.
Jade plant (Crassula ovata) is very famous for it's very unique looks. Though it is a small houseplant, still it has looks like a well grown tree. The woody stem is what makes it look different from others.
Jade plant is most commonly known with names like Money plant & Lucky plant. It is so because of some thoughts of mid-eastern and eastern people. People believe this plant being a lucky charm and symbolizing friendship and prosperity. It is also believed to attract money.
Jade is a succulent plant and just like succulents, has thick leaves which it uses to store the water. Jade plants are not very demanding and can survive in harsh conditions as they originated from the South Africa.
types of jade plants:
Jade plant is a species (ovata) in the family of Crassula and doesn't have any types. But the genus(Crassula) has some species under it, which are very famous as house plants.
Jade plant having types is a very common misunderstanding/ myth, people nurture in mind. Jade plant doesn't actually have any types.
The genus Crassula is well known for having around 25 types of plants/ plant species under it. In these 25 species, some are very well known such as, Crassula ovata itself, Crassula argentea, Crassula arborescens(Blue bird variegata) and many other.
Choosing you a Jade Plant:
Choosing the right Jade plant is necessary. I am not talking about choosing the right Jade plant that is healthy and sound. That's pretty obvious that you'd choose one. I am talking about choosing the right Jade plant species.
While choosing the right Jade plant, make sure you house the one you like. By saying "you like", I literally mean it. The main reason why I am saying that is because, Most of the Jade plants(that are out in the market to be sold) need the same kind of care and love.
So, it completely depends on you, "which is the one that you want to have?". But before getting any species make sure to check about it thoroughly. Also, if you don't have any clue about which one to choose, you can choose the most commonly known Jade plant (Crassula ovata).
how to take care of a jade plant?
Though Jade plant is not a picky one, still needs a good attention and care. Jade plant is a very easy maintain plant and being a succulent plant, it doesn't die easily. Still there are some mistakes that people like you and me do. I am going to discuss about those and also going to share some of the Jade plant care tips with you.
Psst! Don't share these with anyone, these are secret tips...
Jade Plant soil type:
The jade plant as I said isn't a too picky one. It is ok for it to have any kind of soil. But whenever you choose the soil, make sure the one you choose is loose enough for the plant's roots to move. The reason behind choosing such a soil is also that, Plants grow better when their roots are moving freely. If the roots are unable to grow, it could cause a negative effect on the growth of the plant.
Also do make sure the soil is good in draining water cause as I said, Jade roots hate too much water.
Soil pH:
Soil pH though isn't a point of concern, but is a good step to take good care of plants. Jade plants mostly aren't that obsessed with any particular pH value of soil. But a neutral to slightly(very little) acidic pH of soil is awesome for this plant.
Where to Place Your Jade Plant?
At this point, you might think, "where on earth shall I place my Jade plant at?"
Well no one can say that without having a good look at your house. But there are tips with which you can identify the best places for you Jade plant inside your Home.
Choosing the right place for your Jade Plant is pretty easy. An ideal place should have bright indirect sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. And also should not be a cold one.
Jade plant can with a direct sunlight as well but too much of exposure to the Sun is not good for it. Indoors any place having bright indirect sunlight and a little warmth is the perfect one.
Avoid places having dim or no sunlight as it could harm your Jade plant.
How often should you water your Jade plant?
As I said, Jade plant doesn't need too much to be taken care of. But you have to be a little cautious about watering it. Watering too much is not a problem, But the stored water inside leaves is what causes the problem.
But still neither I nor you can tell whether a plant should be given 1 or 2 liters of water or watered every 1 or 2 weeks.
As I said I am going to share the tips, I will tell you a secret jade plant care tip. The trick is very easy, all you have to do is,
Whenever you go for re-watering check the first 1-2 inch of the soil, if it is dry enough, go for watering the plant a bit. If it is not dry enough or wet underneath, wait for 2-3 more days and check again.
The time period between re-watering will depend upon the environmental conditions like, Sunlight, Humidity, Temperature etc. Roughly you can look for a gap of about 2-3 weeks in winter in the low temperature conditions. In summer you can look for a gap of about 1-1.5 weeks as the conditions in summer are dry and hot.
Though this is not a fix amount of time you should give between re-watering. You will still need to check the soil before every time you re-water the plant.
That's it, here you go, this trick is pretty simple and handy. So apply this trick and don't forget to tell us the effects in the comments. And if you are sharing your plant's pics/ videos, don't forget to tag us (our social media handles are in the about us page and under the post in the authors section)
Psst! there is another tip... Always try to use a soil that drains well and a pot having an automatic drainage system. Make sure the soil is soft and is not hard, so that the roots can spread well and also the water reaches every point of the pot soil.
Jade Plant Sunlight requirement:
Directly saying that a Jade plant will need direct/indirect sunlight is not the perfect answer, cause, it depends. Young Jades should be kept in bright indirect sunlight, where as the matures ones can handle more direct sunlight.
But we would recommend you to place it at place, where it gets bright indirect sunlight and complete darkness in the night time. We won't actually recommend to expose this plant to direct sunlight, instead give it a place with bright indirect sunlight.
Want to have a long time company? Check out these plants with a very long life span
Temperature:
Money plant/Jade is pretty good in handling high temperature. It came from harsh conditions of South Africa. Thus is pretty ok with all kinds of temperature unless the temperature is very low or very much high.
Don't place the plant in places where it gets excess temperature/ heat. Places like, near the chimneys or near any electronic device or other thing that releases too much heat/ has a high temperature.
Also check out these succulent houseplant, that are worth a buy (Updated for this year)
How to feed Jade plant?
Feeding your Jade plant is one of the most important yet underestimated step of all. People forget to feed their plant, which leads to slow growth and lack of minerals in the plant.
To avoid such problem, you shall feed your Jade some Jade plant food. Yup, you can purchase it online. Feeding a little plant food every time you water the plant is amazing for the plant. By this, the plant will have a good amount of nutrients and will grow healthier.
Fertilizing Jade plant:
Fertilizing a Jade is very important. And I am very much thankful that people don't ignore this step as the feeding ones. It's very popular and people are aware about it.
You can fertilize your Jade after watering the plant. But make sure not to do so regularly, every time you water the plant. You can fertilize your plant in a 1.5 to 2 Month break. Water a bit before you fertilize the plant. Also, avoid fertilizing the plant with dry soil. Doing so could result in a damaged root.
For fertilizing the plant, you can choose any good quality fertilizer that is water soluble and is easy to use. Avoid overdose of fertilizers on your plant, it's very harmful for your plant's roots.
Repotting Jade plant:
There are some sign, may be your plant is showing, that could mean you need to repot your Jade ASAP. If you don't see any further growth of your jade plant, make sure to check the pot size. If you think it could have become small for the plant, you should change it. If your plant came in a pot that is not comfortable for the plant(I mean doesn't have draining and doesn't have good size), you should go for repotting it in another pot that has better draining and bigger size.
Repotting can be a little tough for you if you are a beginner(Just like me) but don't worry, I will help you doing it.
While repotting a Jade, first try to get the soil out of the pot completely. To do this first take something flat and insert it in the crease of soil and pot.
After that give the flat thing a good travel around the circumference of the pot. It is just to make sure that the soil in the pot doesn't stick to the pot and comes out smoothly.
To take it out smoothly and with less efforts, you can also take help from water.
After that, take the plant out by the stem and try to get the soil out of the roots. But be careful while doing so.
After getting all the soil out (that was possible to take out) of the roots, wash the roots well to avoid the left soil. We need to clean the roots because this could potentially cause it to rot.
After doing so you have options to either plant it in water or in a new pot.
In Water:
If you want to plant it in water make sure the roots are clean and apply fungicide in places where the roots have any cuts or potential cuts.(To avoid any kind of infection)
Then put it in a container filled with water. Don't forget to change the water every 1-2 weeks and if you can, I will recommend you to change the water every 1 week. And remember to check the water quality in the pot, if it starts to change color, change the water and refill it with fresh water.
Also remember to check for the quality of water you put into the container. It should be clean.
In a New Pot:
If you want to repot it, check the root. It should be clean and should not have any soil on it. Then apply fungicide on cuts and potential cuts on the root.(To avoid any kind of infection)
After this, fill the new pot with soil(new soil would be better for the plant). Don't make the soil too hard by pressing, just a little tightness (tight enough to hold the plant) is good.
Now take something long and make a hole in the middle of the soil(depth should be just to a length necessary to hold the plant straight up).
Now slowly and carefully, plant the Jade in the pot and press the soil near it's stem a bit for support. If it needs more support, you can use a stick or something to give support to it.
That's it , you are done with it. You can change the pot every 2-3 years according to your Jade. Don't forget to tell us about the changes after changing the pot in the comment section.
Pruning a Jade Plant:
This may sound crazy to you but it's very necessary for your Jade plant. If you see any dead or dry part on your Jade plant, you should prune it.
Pruning is not bad for your plant instead it helps the plant grow. Pruning is also a part of shaping and caring of your plant. So the next time you see any leaf or any other part dried or died, take a sharp thing like a scissor or a knife/blade and prune it gently.
Note: Clean the knife properly before doing so and also if available, clean the knife/scissor with rubbing alcohol/ spirit. Rubbing alcohol will prevent any potential chance of harm to the plant by microbes on the knife.
How to Propagate Jade plant? / Jade plant Propagation:
Do you think it's time to multiply your jade plants? I mean do you think it's time for the Jade plant propagation? Ok then let's both learn how to do that.
So basically, you can propagate a Jade plant by the vegetative method. And I think it is very simple to propagate Jade plant. You can perform Jade plant propagation with only two parts of it's body. You can either go for the stem vegetative propagation or the leaf propagation.
Stem propagation:
It is a very simple and effective way of propagating a jade plant. To propagate yours, follow the below steps:
Cut out a stem from a place near the ground.
Clean the new stem part with water.
Place it in a container having clean water.
After some days you will start to see new roots growing.
Now from here the decision is up to you. If you want to plant it in water, you can leave it there and if you want it to be planted in soil, you can repot it in a pot having gardening soil.
Alternate way(Only for those who want to plant it in soil)
After cutting the stem, Clean it and plant it in a new pot by digging a hole by any long object and then planting it.
In this method, you should make a hole that can hold the plant straight up or stab a long straight object for support.
That's it, you are done with it.
Leaf propagation:
Leaf propagation is very simple and effective, as it can be multiple no. of times at once.
To propagate your jade plant by leaves, follow the below steps:
In water:
If you want to plant the new one in water, cut out a leaf(whole leaf, with stalk) and wash it properly.
After washing it properly, take a small container just like a shot glass (you can also take the shot glass) and fill it with water.
Then suspend the leaf on it in such a way that only the stalk remains in water. You can also use some toothpick or something like that to suspend it.
Suspend the leaf and make sure the leaf is in a submerged state and is above water level. so that, it doesn't rot.
Now all you need to do is just wait and see the new roots and new parts of the offspring plant.
In Soil:
If you want the new plant to be planted in a pot, then just follow these steps.
cut out a leaf(whole leaf, with stalk) and wash it properly.
After cutting it, put it on the soil. Don't try to plant it, just place it on the soil and wait.
After some days, you will see new tiny Jades emerging.
For more success rate you can also try this out with multiple leaves at once.
That's it, you have done it. Propagating a Jade isn't that difficult right?
Still if you are confused or feel this data is not enough, we are going to write a post on propagating a Jade plant very soon. Till then you can subscribe to us and wait. It will be published soon.
Want to know about Jade plant care trips in short? Here watch this Youtube shorts video...
Some Of the most common problems with Jade plant/FAQs for Jade plants :
If you have planted a Jade, then you must have had some questions about it. In this section, we are going to talk about some of the FAQs about Jade plant.(If you have any questions that is not answered in this section, I am really sorry for that, but you can comment them in the comment section and we will add the questions in the blog ASAP.)
Q.1 does jade plant flower?/ Do Jade plants flower?
Yes, Jade plants do flower. Jade plant are very fragile about flowering and may take a lot of time than other plants to flower, but they do flower.
Jade plants bear very beautiful pink and white flowers. And their flowering needs a good care. They won't flower if they aren't mature enough. They need to be cared and given time to be mature enough to bear beautiful flowers.
They take time to flower but the beauty is worth waiting and caring the plant. So have patience, take care properly and wait. It will definitely flower.
Q.2 Why my Jade plant leaves falling off?
Noticing your Jade Plant leaves falling off? Then be cautious about your watering habit. Such kind of problems can occur due to either Over or Less watering.
Yes, you heard me right, this problem occurs mostly due to the above two reasons. So giving attention to the watering habit may help it. If you are not sure about how often to water a Jade plant, you can read it in this article.(Check for the heading: jade plant watering/how often to water a jade plant)
Q.3 jade plant white spots Solution?
So before the solution to jade plant white spots, we have to first take a look at the reason behind.
If you are seeing such things on your plant you need to be more cautious about it. It could be some kind of mold growth like powdery mildew on it. But not all the times the white spots are the sign of some mold growth.
It could also be the excess salt accidentally taken through water. Or some mealybugs. Jades also have a condition called Oedema which can lead to corky blisters formed on the leaves.
But don't worry as there are solutions to these problems.
If you have the salt problem, then just wiping out the leaves with a moist cloth will help.
If your plant has molds grown(powdery mildew) on the leaves then try to increase the air circulation(by a fan), Stop watering it overhead and remove the leaves affected by the molds(if not too many leaves are affected). After that spray the solution of Baking soda(sodium bicarbonate) and Vinegar(Acetic acid) on the leaves and do make sure they don't remain wet with that solution for more than a few hours.
If you have some whitish looking insects on your Jade(Mealybugs), then isolate the plant from other houseplants to avoid spreading and treat it with a 70% isopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol) solution or some insecticide formulated for houseplants.
That's it, the white spots problem is now solved and you are ready to place it in it's regular place after some days of "Plant Quarantine" .{It sounds pretty funny right? ( > . < ) }
Q.4 Is Jade Plant poisonous?
Jade plant is a poisonous plant but not much for humans. It affects to a little extent to us if eaten/ingested. I would personally not recommend to ingest/eat any kind of houseplant. Though it can't effect much still it can cause Diarrhea and vomiting.
Sadly Jade plant is toxic to animals we pet. Jade plant is toxic to cats as well as dogs and other animals. It can cause severe harm to them as it can affect their physical as well as mental health(can cause depression). It is not advised to keep a Jade plant near any Pet or other organism. For Humans it is not harmful unless eaten/ingested.
Warning: Jade plant can be very harmful for some people(very rare). But is dangerous for Pets. Keep them away from this plant.
Q.5 How long does a jade plant live?
Jade plants when taken proper care, can live for a very long time. And.... by saying can live for a very long time, I literally mean it. Jade plants (when taken good care and given a very little attention) can live for decades. Yes, you heard that very correctly, they do live for tens of years if taken proper care.
Q6. How big can Jade get?
It is like one of the most commonly asked questions about Jade. Crassula ovata AKA Jade can grow up to the height of 5 feet in it's lifetime. But it is not the accurate figure as the height depends on many factors. The height of Crassula can be affected by factors like sunlight, humidity, geolocation, temperature etc. and many more.
Q7. Why are there shriveled leaves on my Jade plant?
Jade as we know it, stores water in it's leaves. So the wrinkling or shriveling of the leaves could be an indicator of lack of watering. To avoid the problem, you need to either increase the frequency of watering the plant or increase the amount of water that you use.
In any of the ways, you can get good results but I prefer the first one as the second one could cause over watering and lead to rotten roots.
Q8. Why my Jade plant is losing leaves?
I might sound unreal, but this problem is caused by either lack of sunlight or over watering. Lack of sunlight in most cases is the main reason behind this.
To solve this problem, you can try checking some other place inside your house having brighter sunlight or for more time. If still, it doesn't show any changes, you need to change your watering style and amount.
Q9. Why are there Squishy leaves in my Jade plant?
This problem is too caused by over-watering. Over-watering the plant leads to more absorption and storage of water in the leaves of the plant. To get rid of this particular problem, try watering the plant less frequently or with lesser amount of water.
Some knowledge on Jade plants popular on internet and us:
Jade plants are more often believed as lucky charm and also known as good luck plants. Thus they make a great gifting idea. People from the Asian countries see this plant as a good sign of fortune.
Jade plants are also named money plants along with some other species of plants all over the world. Many of the Asian restaurants use them to decorate their entrance doors, so that the plant will bring luck and charm inside the hotels/restaurants(it's a belief)
Jade is one of the most popular indoor plants along with other plants like the ZZ plant, string of pearls plant and many more.
Conclusion:
Speaking honestly the jade plant is one of my most favorite plants. It is not so just because of it's looks but also because it is very less demanding and pretty easy to be cared for.
The jade plants are most popular in house plants and are very much loved by people as they have sweet and classy looks.
The best part about them is that they are really great air purifiers.
Happy Planting : )