Indoors, jade plants make good houseplants. They prefer bright, indirect light and can take a few hours of direct sunlight but they are also adapted to low light. In a pot, Jade stay small and can even be used for bonsai. Crassula ovata is sometimes confused with Crassula argentia, which has a similar growth habit, but has silvery grey leaves. Crassula are usually not bothered by insects or disease. The biggest problem crassulas face may come from over watering. This will result in a soggy brown, rotting trunk.

In the garden, jade plants will grow in shade to full sun. In hottest desert areas, crassula do better when they don’t have an entire day of full sun. Crassula ovata are hardy to 41 degrees (5 degrees centigrade). A light frost will show up at brown dots on leaves. Overhead protection is usually enough to protect succulents during a light frost. Heavy frost, or a deep freeze will turn leaves brown and shriveled. Frozen leaves will fall off, or you can brush them off with your hands. If the plant branch or trunk is not damaged, new sprouts will form in a few weeks.

Green jade plants are able to live off rainfall alone in many areas. In my southern California garden, crassula are happily growing in both full sun and shade, in heavy alkaline, clay soil. You can see photos of flowering jade plants at http://www.theGardenPages.com

To root cuttings like jade plant or gollum jade, start with a 5 or 6 inch cutting. Bury about half of the stalk in soil. This will give you deep roots and helps the plant withstand drought better. Keep the soil moist (like a squeezed sponge). After a month, cut back to monthly watering. The leaves will probably shrivel a bit as the plant forms roots: it is living off the stored energy in its leaves. This is normal. You may also lose a few leaves, which is also normal. The plant will start growing again and may even flower in a year.

Crassula plants are versatile and easy to grow. Their winter bloom make jade plants a great addition to any garden or home.

Laura Zinkan is a freelance writer who cultivates a gardening website at http://www.theGardenPages.com with plant profiles, growing tips and lore about succulents and California native plants. You can share her unique vision of Los Angeles and California at her regional web site http://www.AngelCityArt.com

Copyright 2007 by Laura Zinkan (LauraZinkan.com). This article may be reprinted as long as author credit is given with website. All rights reserved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Zinkan

Jade Plants Pictures

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Jade Plants Question & Answers

Jade Plants Question: 1

How do I seperate my Jade plants?

I have several jade plants growing in one pot. I got this at IKEA a while ago. the plants have been growing well, I would like to seperate them so that they can continue to grow and do well. In the past I have had bad luck with Jade, any advice would be beneficial.Thank you

Answer: 1.
If I am thinking of the same plant, I could actually get one of the leaves to root - so they are pretty hardy. I suggest just digging down to the root. If they are all connected under the soil, just break the root and pot the suckers in other pots. I do remember having to make sure that the soil was well fertilized (using your standard miracle grow solution in water) when I would re-pot them. I would fertilize once a month after that, during the spring and summer months only. Also, jade plants are succulents so they can store water well - which I think also relates to then not loving super wet soil. Make sure that the new pots for the suckers have rocks at the bottom so the soil can drain well and in between watering make sure that the soil dries out, or is only slightly moist. If they are overwatered they will rot and become limp.

If they are separate plants to begin with, then you don't have to break the roots but do fertilize the soil according to the instructions, making the soil moist but not overly wet.

Since this is the start of their growing season, this is a good time to transplant the baby jades. Also, they tend to like sun a lot BUT if they are used to more shady environments, move them into the sun in stages. I moved mine from a north facing apartment window, into a house where I put my plants in the south facing windows... Some of the jades actually got burned if they were in the direct sunlight for the entire day. OOps! Eventually they will become sun lovers and will grow like crazy in the sun but it just takes time! Oh, and remember to rotate your pots - they will grow into the sun and become unstable and you'll find the pots might tip over when they grow to be large plants!

Hope that helps!
Answer: 2.
SLICE THROUGH THE ROOTS WITH A KNFE AND PUT THEM IN POTS JUST A LITTLE BIGGER THAN THE PLANT SECTIONS YOU DIVIDE AND PUT AS LITTLE DIRT AS POSSIBLE TILL SHOCK PASSES.GOOD LUCK
Answer: 3.
The reason your jade is doing well now is because they like to have a very cramped root ball. So if you really want to split it, plant the plants in a pot a couple sizes smaller than you would logically think to use. Also, don't water too much. They like the soil dry!

Jade Plants Question: 2

How do you keep house plants dusted? Spray bottle?

My house plants (especially my Baby Jade) collect a lot of dust. I was wondering what the best way to dust them without damaging them is. Are then being harmed by having dusty leaves? Does it affect their ability to breath or photosynthesize? Also, I know that a lot of garden departments sell spray bottles for water. Is this for keeping plants dusted or watered? Is there some other function of the spray bottle that I don't know about?

Answer: 1.
The best way to keep house plants dusted is to put them out in the garden for spells most of the time and just bring them in for brief periods for a day or two. They need natural sunlight to live and without it, they will gradually wilt and die. Few plants will stay alive inside for longer, aspidistra is one, mother's in law's tongue, another, and a popular vine. Jade plants are really a weed, but still interesting. Inside is still a no-no for them, though.

You can wipe the leaves with a tissue dipped in milk to dust the leaves and leave a glossy sheen. You can also purchase a sheen solution from a plant nursery. The dust on the leaves will not hurt them. It is just that it does not fit in with a dusted interior. You can get rid of that by gently spraying with the hose and allowing the excess to run off.

The water spray is essentially for creating a micro climate that is
high in humidity for young plants or items which thrive in a rainforest's environment.
Answer: 2.
I am happy to know I am not the only one with dusty plants! LOL!
I periodically put my plants in the sink or shower and gently spray with the hand sprayer. Sometimes I will wet a paper towel and go over the leaves. A soft dry cloth will also shine some types of leaves.
Fuzzy leaves often don't like to be wet or wiped off.
Another benefit of spraying the plants is to drench and drain the plant well to rinse the soil in a way. Salts and stuff accumulate in the soil.
I heat with wood so this also helps my plants thrive and not dry out too much.
Answer: 3.
2 great answers!! You don't need anymore discussion about this ♥
Answer: 4.
I use a small feather duster for most, and a few sprays of canned error works for plants with alot of crevices in the leaves. The spray bottle is to provide water to the leaves and stem just like the rain would rather than just dumping water into the potted soil.

Jade Plants Question: 3

How do a cut my jade plant?

I have a jade plant that has grown really huge. How to I make a cutting so that I can give my friend a piece to start a plant with?

Answer: 1.
REALLY easy. Just cut off a branch, and take off the leaves on the botton inch or so. Place in soil. It'll grow roots.
Answer: 2.
Wow! We have thes all around our garden. They are very hardy!
Jade plants are primarily propagated in two ways, either by leaf cuttings or stem cuttings. Either of these can be done year round within a greenhouse setting and hormones can be applied after the cutting is taken but it is not necessary for root growth. If a hormone is to be utilized, a cytokinin should be applied in low to medium levels (500-1500 ppm) to the leaf cuttings. For the stem cuttings, an auxin can be applied but in low levels. Both of these types of cuttings require high humidity and a mist, high humidity tent, or fog system to reduce desiccation.



To take a leaf cutting of a Jade plant, the leaf blade and petiole are removed from the mother plant. The mother plant should be clean, healthy, and pest-free. It has been though that in Jade plant propagation a bud must also be present for a leaf cutting to differentiate into a new plant. Recently though, it has been shown that Jade leaves will differentiate into a new plant with or without a bud present. After the cutting has been taken, any hormones being used should be applied and then the cutting must be placed into a media. The cuttings should then be placed in an area of high humidity (Hartmann, et al 2002).



With stem cuttings, the mother plant should again be clean, healthy, and pest-free. A segment of the shoot is cut off from the mother plant and then the cutting is cleaned up by removing any excess leaves and allowing enough stem without leaves to support the cutting in the media. Once again, if hormones will be used, they would be applied before the cutting is placed in high humidity in media (Hartmann, et al 2002).



Leaf Cuttings











Stem Cuttings

Jade Plants Question: 4

Name that Succulent. It looks like Shrek's ear.?

I saw the coolest plant tonight, and couldn't buy it. I would love to know what it was, but the label only said "Succulent." it had about twenty little arms all standing at different heights, and each one looked like Shrek's ears. It was very bright green and smooth like a jade plant. That's the best I can discribe it.When I say it looked like Shrek's ear: it had a very unique shape. Each stalk was about as big around as a sharpie, but at the end, it widened into a little bulb that was sort of dented in on top. It almost looked like these super modern bar chairs (http://www.laflat.com/bar-chair-p-2529.html)I know this isn't really getting the point across, but here's a good picture of Shrek's ear:http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2007/07/18/shrek-the-fifth.jpg

Answer: 1.
Sounds like an hobbit's or Shrek's ear Crassula. I have a friend who threatens to give me one of her Shrek's ears Jade plants but it ain't happened yet.
Answer: 2.
That's not much to go on. What I would suggest to you is to go to this site an do some researh for yourself.
www.gosucculents.com
Sorry i couldn't be more help.
Answer: 3.
Could be a cactii or a fungii.
Answer: 4.
dunno what were you on at the time lol

Jade Plants Question: 5

I've an outdoor Jade plant that stands around 10 - 11 ft tall. Is there anyway I can tell its age by height?