(above) Jade plants elegant tree like appearance and easy care has made them a popular house plant around the world.
JADE PLANTS (Crassula)
Crassula, pronounced ‘Krass-ew-la’ is a large order of over 300 succulent plants native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa and Mozambique, and the KwaZulu-Natal province.
Jade plants are one of the most popular members of the Crassula family worldwide. Also called money plants, jade plants have a miniature, tree like appearance. They have thick, woody stems and oval-shaped leaves that makes them very appealing for use as a decorative houseplant. In some cultures, Jades are a sign of good luck and prosperity.
While traveling in warmer climates you will see them growing in landscaped areas around hotels and in gardens. Jades are very susceptible to cold damage, so in locations where temperatures dip to freezing or below, it’s best to grow jades in containers and take them indoors when it gets below 50°F. Jade plants adapt well to the warm, dry conditions found in most homes and office windows. Jades require bight light and do best with four hours of direct sunlight every day. The edges of the leaves turn red in direct sunlight which adds interest to the plant.
Jades are easy to care for when given their proper required conditions. They live for a very long time, often being passed down from generation to generation and reaching heights of three feet or more when grown indoors.
Proper watering is the key to a happy, healthy jade plant. Allsucculents prefer drier conditions and are prone to root rot when overwatered. It is important to keep the plant watered during the growing season, spring and summer, but allow the soil to dry out between watering. During the dormant season, fall and winter, the plant may go latent, causing it to slow or pause growth entirely. The soil should be allowed to dry out fully before watering again. Try to avoid splashing water on the leaves while watering, as this can expose them to rot in a humid environment.
Jade plants can be sensitive to salts in tap water, so water with filtered or distilled water if your tap water is not ideal.
Planting or repotting jade is an easy project, but if the plant is large you may need a helping hand to keep it steady. Choose a wide and sturdy pot with a moderate depth, as jade plants have a tendency to grow top-heavy and fall over. Clay pots are perfect for jade plants root development.
Use a soil based* potting mix that will drain thoroughly, as excessive moisture may promote fungal diseases like root rot. Avoid popular mixes that contain fertilizer. An all-purpose potting mix will work, though you will want to mix in additional perlite or sand to improve drainage. A 2:1 ratio of potting mix to perlite, is ideal. Alternatively, use a pre-made succulent or cacti potting mix.
After planting a jade plant, don’t water it right away. Waiting anywhere from several days to a week before watering lets the roots settle and recover from any damage.
To persuade a jade plant to flower, keep it root-bound in a small pot and hold back water. Cooler temperatures in the winter promote blooming, too. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, but any flower during the winter is a delight.
Enjoy Gardening All Year Long,
James
*Finding the proper soil may be the hardest part of planting jades. Many popular name brand potting soils contain fertilizers which promote leaf growth rather than roots.
Soilless potting mixes are very popular now but the soil is replaced with peat which is lighter but has no nutritional value for the plant.
**Information in this article is from:
‘The Farmer’s Almanac’ & Wyman’s Gardening Encyclopedia
