Many people mistakenly think that the jade plant is the same as purslane, just something growing by the roadside! Well, you are really wrong. No, the jade plant is also called "golden branch and jade leaf" (Portulacaria afra), a plant in the purslane family, a succulent that takes the form of a shrub! A jade plant in good condition has very thick, sturdy stems, plump leaves, and branch tips studded with tiny little heart shapes!

However, there is one thing the netizens are not wrong about: the jade plant really is inexpensive, but after you take it home you can use a certain method to turn it into a prized specimen. It is not a difficult method at all - just focus on pruning. With 2 snips, it immediately looks completely different!

The first cut

A newly purchased jade plant is bound to be thin and small, with messy branches and leaves. At this point you need to trace through it like untangling silk threads, seeing clearly the direction each branch grows, then decisively cut off the leggy branches, diseased branches and weak, spindly branches. When pruning, do not touch the main trunk; focus on trimming the side branches, keeping the strong ones and cutting the weak ones, so the strong grow stronger! Pruned this way, the stems will become stronger and stronger, and it can also speed up the lignification of the jade plant.

The second cut

The second cut is pinching out the growing tips to control its apical dominance. A bonsai does not look good just because it has grown tall - a full, compact shape is what is most perfect. After you pinch off its topmost branches, the side branches of the jade plant will grow more vigorously, making the leaves plumper and the stems thicker, and it will quickly become a very beautiful bonsai!