Jade Plant (Jade Tree): How to Grow It, Key Points to Note, and How It Differs from the Jade Plant (Crassula ovata 'Minor')
Jade plant, also known as the jade tree, is a succulent subshrub in the Crassulaceae family, genus Crassula. Its leaves are uniquely shaped, like green jade, and in summer and autumn it blooms profusely, with green and white intermingled, making it an excellent potted plant. Below, we introduce the jade tree's growing methods and key points to note:
1. Choosing a flowerpot for growing jade plant
(1) Pot material requirements: You can use clay pots, plastic pots, porcelain pots, or ceramic pots. To coordinate with home decor, porcelain pots can be used.
(2) Pot size: Jade plant is generally grown in pots with a diameter of 16 to 28 cm.
2. Soil selection for growing jade plant
Jade plant is not cold-tolerant and requires a dry, well-ventilated environment. It is not demanding about soil, preferring loose, well-drained sandy soil. Use a potting mix of 5 parts leaf mold, 2 parts garden soil, and 3 parts river sand. It is extremely drought-tolerant and dislikes overly wet soil. Jade plant prefers dry air and somewhat dry soil, and dislikes moist soil; wet potting soil easily causes root and stem rot.
3. Watering methods for growing jade plant
During the growing period, keep the potting soil moderately moist. If the potting soil drains poorly and is watered too much, the roots will rot from waterlogging. If the potting soil is too dry, the weather is muggy, and the air is not circulating, leaf drop is easily caused. Water quantity should be controlled according to temperature; in summer, watering can be appropriately increased, and at the same time pay attention to indoor ventilation and cooling to promote growth; in winter, watering should be controlled, generally watering once every 7 to 10 days is sufficient.
When temperatures are low in late autumn, winter, and early spring, the plant is in a semi-dormant state, and watering should be strictly controlled so that the potting soil is dry but not parched; after it dries out completely, just water lightly. After temperatures rise in spring, it begins to grow, and the amount of watering can be gradually increased to keeping the soil slightly dry. It is best to water after the potting soil has dried out completely. After temperatures gradually cool in autumn, gradually reduce watering, finally bringing the potting soil to a slightly dry to dry state.
4. Fertilizing methods for growing jade plant
Jade plant grows relatively quickly. To maintain a full plant shape, do not fertilize too much; indoors, no fertilizing is needed. Applying a nitrogen-based fertilizer 2 to 3 times a year is sufficient; the fertilizer concentration must not be high, and it should be applied during the vigorous growing season.
Young plants should be repotted once a year in spring, after the dormant period ends.
Jade plant likes fertilizer but is not demanding about it. After new stems grow in spring, begin top-dressing; during the growing season, apply once a month a mix of well-rotted liquid fertilizer diluted 15 times with an equal amount of 1000-times potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, or 1000-times “Huaduoduo” general-purpose fertilizer. Do not fertilize when summer temperatures are high or winter temperatures are low.
When the jade plant is large, apply only base fertilizer and no top-dressing, in order to control its height. For base fertilizer, you can use well-rotted organic fertilizers such as soybean cake fertilizer or soybean milk residue. The application rate of base fertilizer is 1/20 to 1/10 of the potting soil. Mix the base fertilizer evenly with the soil, then pot and transplant.
5. Temperature and light requirements for growing jade plant
Jade plant is relatively shade-tolerant; for home care it can be kept year-round indoors in a place without direct light, or in a spot with bright indirect light. Keep room temperature at 6 to 10°C. Too high a temperature easily causes leggy growth, leaf drop, or pests and diseases; low winter temperatures can promote flower bud differentiation, and below 5°C the plant enters a dormant state.
6. Four-season management methods for growing jade plant
(1) Spring management
Seedlings grow relatively quickly; repot once a year, and repot established plants once every 2 to 3 years. Repot in spring when temperatures have steadily stayed above 10°C. Stop watering for several days before repotting, so the potting soil dries and the plant can be removed from the pot. Because its branches and leaves are rich in water and break easily, handle it gently to avoid breaking the plant. After removing it from the pot, trim off dead roots and broken roots, let it dry for 1 to 2 days, then plant. After planting, place it in a semi-shaded spot and do not water for the time being; after 2 to 3 days, water lightly, keeping the potting soil slightly dry.
Jade plant cultivation and management are simple; controlling potting soil moisture and ensuring sufficient light are key. Jade plant likes sunny and ventilated environments, and should not be cultivated together with other plants that like moist air.
(2) Summer management
Jade plant likes strong light; when summer temperatures are not high, no shading is needed, and an appropriate water supply should be maintained. When placed indoors, keep a certain amount of light and pay attention to indoor ventilation. When summer temperatures are high (above 35°C), growth stalls, so pay attention to controlling water to prevent root rot from too much water in high heat, and at the same time shade out the light around midday and stop fertilizing. After temperatures cool at the end of summer, fertilizing can continue.
(3) Autumn management
In autumn, place it in a spot with ample light for cultivation. Water after the potting soil has dried out completely; as the weather gradually cools, gradually reduce the amount of watering and stop fertilizing, so that the potting soil is dry but not parched. When temperatures drop to around 5°C, promptly move it to a closed balcony or room with light for cultivation.
(4) Winter management
Jade plant is not cold-tolerant; in winter, indoor temperatures should be kept above 5°C. At this time growth is at a standstill. Potted plants should be placed on a sunny windowsill or in a closed balcony for cultivation, paying attention to controlling water so that the potting soil is dry but not parched. Do not fertilize.
7. Key points to note when growing jade plant
(1) Jade plant likes warmth and ample sunlight, and can grow well under indoor indirect light. It dislikes direct strong light; in hot summer, exposure to blazing sun easily causes sunscald, leading to leaf shrinkage and yellowing.
(2) After temperatures rise in spring, it begins to resume growth; keep sufficient light and gradually increase the amount of watering. When outdoor temperatures have steadily stayed above 15°C, it can be placed on a balcony with light but no rain for cultivation. During the growing period, watering should be controlled to prevent rot from overly wet potting soil; it is best to water after the soil has dried out completely. On rainier days, reduce watering frequency.
(3) During the growing period, moderately prune overly long and overly dense branches to keep the plant shape symmetrical and the tree vigorous. Move it indoors in mid-October and place it in a warm spot with ample light; the minimum overwintering temperature must not be lower than 5°C. Strictly control watering, keeping the potting soil from drying out completely. Turn the pot once every half month to avoid leaning branches and leaves that affect appearance; if light is insufficient, pay even more attention to preventing root rot and leaf drop from damp heat.
(4) Keep water and fertilizer moderate during the jade plant's growing period. In winter, with ample indoor light, fresh air, and stable temperatures, robust old plants can produce small pinkish-white flowers in winter and spring, and they are fragrant.
[Tips]Jade plant looks very much like the jade plant (Crassula ovata 'Minor'), but the two are completely different plants. The difference is that the leaves of Crassula ovata 'Minor' have a thin red edge around the margin, while jade plant leaves have no red edge.