The Jade Plant – Undemanding and Easy to Grow

Three and a half years ago I was sitting in a Master Gardeners class about plant propagation. The jade plant was one of the plants chosen to propagate. I will never forget the instructor clipping off stems of a jade plant and sticking those stems directly into soil. Propagation was that easy.

Now, three and a half years later that tiny clipping from the propagation class has grown into a vigorous healthy plant about 1 foot tall. Did I do anything special for this plant? Well, the answer is no. Of course, I transplanted it a couple of times, kept it watered, and placed it in a sunny location. The jade plant is undemanding and easy to grow as a house plant.

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Caring for and growing jade plants

The jade plants can be grown outdoors in USDA Gardening Zones 11-12. In other zones, the jade plant is a house plant. In this article, I focus on caring for the jade plant as a house plant.

I particularly love the fleshy and shiny evergreen leaves of the jade plant. The leaves can have a tint of red along the edges when exposed to bright sun. In addition, as the plant grows, its stem can take on the appearance of a tree trunk. Further, the lower leaves of the jade plant will naturally fall off. No need for concern if you see this happening.

Jade plants are succulents that store water in their leaves, stems, and roots. Of all the succulents that I have grown, the jade plant is my favorite. It’s easy to grow and doesn’t get leggy like other succulents.

Jade plants like warm, dry conditions and tolerate neglect. Every few years, jade plants need to be repotted. Your cue to re-pot may be when the stem begins to topple over. The plant becomes too heavy for the size of the pot.

Jade Plant Characteristics and Care

Botanical Name:  Crassula ovata 

Native: South Africa

Sun: Bright Light 4 or more hours

Water: Medium (are drought tolerant). Allow soil to dry out between waterings. In the fall/winter reduce watering frequency.

Height: 18-30 Inches as a houseplant

Spread: 1 foot

Maintenance: Low

Soil: Well-draining soil. It’s best to look for a soil mixture that does not contain peat moss, such as a cactus mix. Peat moss tends to hold moisture.

Fertilization: Every 3-4 months during the spring/summer growing season. Look for a house plant fertilizer with an NPK (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium) ratio of 10-20-10. The higher percentage of phosphorous helps with root formation. Dilute liquid fertilizers to half strength. A cactus or succulent fertilizer is a good choice.

Pests: I have not had any problems with my jade plants. However, be on the lookout for aphids, spider mites, and mealy bugs. Is seen, wipe off insects with a cotton ball that has been dipped in rubbing alcohol. Continue this process for a few days until bugs are no longer visible.

Propagating Jade Plants

As I mentioned in the beginning, jade plants are easy to propagate. There are two primary methods:

• Via stem cuttings – Cut a 3-4 inch lateral stem (branch). Optionally, you can dip the end of the stem in a rooting hormone. The rooting harmone encourages growth and will increase the propagation success. Place the stem in soil that has been moistened (see above for the best type of soil). Follow othe care instructions above. While this is best done in summer, it can be done any time of year.
• Leaf – Like most succulents, a new plant will begin to grow at the cut end of a leaf. I place the jade leaves on top of the soil of its mother plant. Within a few weeks, a new plant will begin to grow at the end of the leaf. Once this happens, place the entire leaf in a container with potting soil. Watch as your new plantlet begins to grow. Leaf propagation takes longer than stem propagation.

Yes, it is that easy! However, to ensure success take multiple cuttings or leaves. Sometimes a particular cutting simply won’t root. Remember, the jade plant is undemanding and easy to grow as a house plant.

Additional Information

Here are a few other posts that you may enjoy.

• Four simple steps to transition houseplants indoors
• The complete guide to caring for African Violets
• How to care for indoor houseplants
• Five great indoor plants to give as a gift
• The complete guide to caring for spider plants
• Growing and caring for ferns as houseplants, the complete guide
• Why growing geraniums brings me happiness  

References

• University of Wisconsin
• Clemson Cooperative Extension
• Missouri Botanical Garden