Jade plant care has its tricks: lush branches and leaves, plus flowers, and one pot can yield many plants

The jade plant (Crassula ovata) originates from Africa and is a succulent. Both its flowers and leaves are attractive, and it can grow to over two meters tall, with pale pink or white flowers. The jade plant is easy to care for and especially easy to propagate: a single branch or a single leaf can grow into a whole plant. During the jade plant's growth, it needs timely pruning so it grows more attractive, fuller and sturdier.

Pruning methods and techniques for the jade plant

Generally, jade plants that have grown for more than three years all need pruning to grow more vigorously. How should a jade plant be pruned? Once the jade plant reaches a certain height, you can prune it. If there are not many branches, you can keep about five branches and cut off the thin, weak side branches and the leggy side branches.

If the branches have grown rather tall, it is best to pinch them back, that is, cut off the branches at the top of the jade plant to encourage it to grow fuller side branches. For a jade plant that has already been grown for three years, you need to cut off some of the branches and leaves at the bottom, so the main trunk can grow sturdier.

Using the methods above for pruning and pinching back makes the jade plant's shape more beautiful and attractive, and at the same time it can also be pruned into a bonsai.

The jade plant needs shade in summer, but in the other seasons it needs to be placed in a spot with plenty of light. It cannot be kept indoors where light is insufficient and ventilation is poor, as this will affect its growth, making its leaves grow thin and small, with fewer leaves.

At the same time, a jade plant kept indoors should not be watered too much. If the potting soil becomes waterlogged, together with high temperatures and stuffy humidity, it will easily drop leaves. So when the temperature is below 28°C, promptly put the indoor jade plant outside to get some air. The temperature difference outdoors, ample sunlight and fresh air will make it grow like crazy, and it may even bloom.

If you want to grow a jade plant, it is very easy. Just stick the pruned branches into soil as cuttings, or even just a few leaves, and they can take root and survive.

From one jade plant, the pruned branches alone can easily grow into many pots of jade plants.