Jade Plant zoomed, with reddish pink tinge on leaves

Growing and caring for jade plants is easy. They need water only when the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry, 4-6 hours of direct sun and you can feed them with a liquid fertilizer once every 6 months. Extremely high temperatures and overwatering can cause leaves to fall, while over watering causes root rot and squishy leaves.

 

If you read this article completely,  you will be an expert in Jade plant care, how to grow and propagate, what Soil to use, Repotting, Pruning and how much Water, Sunlight and Fertilizer is needed. You will know the best and most recommended ways to care for your Jade plant.

Jade Plant General Info

 

Origin

South Africa & Mozambique

Genus

Crassula

Scientific Name

Crassula ovata

Common Names

jade plant, lucky plant, money plant or money tree, friendship tree

👪Family

Crassulaceae

🌵Type

Evergreen succulent houseplant

🌡️Temperature

50°F to 75°F (10°C to 24°C), Hardiness zones 10,11

💧Watering

Only when 1-2 inch of topsoil is dry

Soil

Sandy, any succulent mix with neutral pH

☀️Light

Full Sun or Part Sun

South or West facing window

Fertilizer

Once every 6 months with a balanced liquid fertilizer

🌼Growing season

Spring and Summer

Propagation🌱

Stem cuttings and Leaves

Height📏

2.5 m

🍃Leaf Colors

Rich jade green or yellow-green

🌼Flowers

Small pink or white flowers star-like shaped flowers in winter

 

Plant Care Problems

 

Jade Problems

Reason and Solution

Leaves turning Yellow

High exposure to sunlight causes the jade plant to create pigments like carotenoids as a protection from sunlight and UV rays. Another reason can be Overwatering.

Red tinge around leaves

When you grow Jade in direct sun, this happens. It's natural and beautiful. Nothing to worry about.

Leaves Falling off

Underwatering, too much sun or Root Rot (because of overwatering)

Leaves having spots

Underwatering

Leaves with white spots

Might be mildew or “sweating” of excess salts (rub the leaf and it will go away). If it's mildew, avoid overhead watering and spray the leaves with baking soda + vinegar mixture.

Slow Growth

Not getting enough sun or the pot is too small that is hindering the growth.

Jade plant not growing

Lack of sunlight prevents growth of the Jade plant. Give it an adequate amount of sunlight, about 4-5 hours. Another reason for stunted growth of the Jade plant is the pot. If the plant is kept in a small pot, it does not allow the jade plant to grow bigger.

How to water💧

Watering Schedule for Jade Plants:

Temperature

Watering Schedule

18°C to 25°C

Once a week

26°C to 35°C

3 times per week

36°C to 50°C

Once or twice per day

 

Overwatering = Plant dies due to root rot

Underwatering = Leaves start to fall

Water your Jade plant when the top 1-2 inches of the soil is completely dry. During summer, you may need to water Jade plants every day and keep the soil moist (but not wet) to make sure the soil does not get too dry under full sun. During spring and winter months, you may need to water the plant just once a week.

 

Since jade plants are succulents, they don’t require frequent watering. They need even less water in the winter. However, they are not as drought-tolerant as most succulents. Being too careful with watering jade plants can also damage the plant due to underwatering.

 

Jade plants are susceptible to overwatering, especially during the winter. Jade plants are extremely easy to care for but overwatering is the only one mistake that can cause the leaves to fall and cause root rot. On the contrary, 

 

During the cooler days, the plant will very likely be dormant so you will need to reduce the frequency of watering as it does not need much water (or fertilizer) when dormant. Just touch the top soil, if it is dry and doesn’t stick your fingers, water your jade plant.

Sunlight Requirements ☀️

Extreme Temperatures = Leaves start to Fall

Less Sunlight = Stunted growth

Jade plants require 4-6 hours of direct sun or medium shade, south-facing or west facing window. If they don't get enough sun, their growth can be stunted or leggy. If the heat is very harsh and the climate is very hot, keep the soil moist (but not wet) and keep the jade plant under shade or the leaves will start to shrink and fall.

 

If you give your jade plant direct sunlight, the corners of the leaves can get a red tinge. Very high exposure to sunlight can turn the leaves completely yellow.

Temperature and Humidity 🌡️

Ideal temperature for Jade plants is between 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C) which is basically room temperature. They are not frost tolerant and if the temperatures go below 50°F (10°C), bring the plant indoors during the winter. 

 

Jade plants can survive light frost if the soil is kept dry. Higher temperatures are fine for Jade plant growth as well, as long as they are getting lots of sunlight and the soil is not left to dry out completely.

Soil

Jade needs following properties in its soil

  • well-draining soil (you can use sand + perlite)
  • porous
  • pH neutral

Any standard succulent mix would be ideal for a Jade plant. Alternatively, you can use an all-purpose potting mix as well. However, make sure to add at least 25% perlite in the soil mix to ensure proper drainage.

Fertilizer

Jade plants are so easy to care for. They only need to be fertilized once every 6 months with a balanced liquid fertilizer. To fertilizer, first water your jade plant normally, and then add the fertilizer water for maximum absorption. If you add the fertilizer water directly, it may damage the roots of your Jade plant.

How to Prune✂️

Pluck the squishy or damaged leaves. Apart from that, prune as you like. Jade plants are one of the most popular choices for bonsai as they have bonsai capabilities and can form a bonsai if pruned correctly.

 

How to Propagate🌱

You can propagate Jade by stem cuttings or by Jade seeds.

Propagation Jade by Cuttings

  1. Cut a 5-6 inch long stem or even 1-2 inch of shoots will also be sufficient.

Propagation Jade by Cuttings
Cut a 5-6 inch long stem or even 1-2 inch of shoots will also be sufficient.

  1. Remove any leaves at the bottom of the cutting. You can even plant these leaves to propagate the Jade plant. Lay the leaves horizontally, covering the cut end with some soil.

Remove any leaves at the bottom of the cutting

  1. Place the stem cuttings and leaves in soil.

Jade plant propagated with stem cuttings and leaves planted in a pot

  1. Don’t water right away. Water if and only when the top soil is completely dry.
  2. After 1-2 weeks, the cuttings will start to grow roots. Once the roots have developed, transfer the plant into a new pot with soil.

Propagation by Root Division

Take the Jade Plant out of the pot and examine the roots. If you see two different root systems from the stem, divide the plant and pot them separately.

How fast does Jade grow

The roots of the jade plant grow very slowly and that is the reason why jade plants don’t require frequent repotting. Jade plants grow best when given adequate amounts of daily sunlight: either direct or shaded depending on how hot your climate is.

Pests 🐛and Diseases🦠

As all succulents, jade plants are also susceptible to mealy bugs. You can easily get rid of mealybugs by manually picking them out and power wash the plant with a spray.

Flowering🌼

Winter is the time when Jade plants bloom. Flowers of jade are small pink or white flowers that are star-shaped. These flowers are sweet-scented, hermaphroditic flowers. If you like to induce flowering, cut back on watering during the winter season

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