How to Grow the Jade Plant and Key Flower-Growing Tips

The jade plant, also known as the jade tree, glass plant, and succulent evergreen, is a multi-fleshy subshrub of the genus Crassula in the family Crassulaceae. Its crown is upright and elegant, its stems and leaves are emerald green, and it bears white flowers at the tips, making it very refined and distinctive. If matched with a pot stand and gravel and fashioned into a small bonsai, it looks even more beautiful. If well cared for, it blooms every year; if not, it may not bloom even once in 20 years. Let us take a look below at "Flower Growing" Jade Plant, How to Grow the Jade Plant.

The Growth Habits of the Jade Plant

The jade plant is native to southern Africa and likes a warm, dry natural environment with abundant sunlight. It fears strong light, tolerates slight shade, and is not cold-hardy; the winter temperature must not fall below 7°C. The growing soil is best as a fertile, well-drained sandy loam. Its flowering period is late spring to early summer, with tubular flowers 2 cm in diameter, white or pale pink, but the sap of the leaves is toxic.

Propagation Methods for the Jade Plant

The jade plant is usually propagated by cuttings, using either young branches or leaves, and this can be done during the growing season, but the cuttings must be dried in the shade before insertion. For young-branch cuttings, cut vigorous young branches during the growing season, let them dry slightly, then insert them into plain sand or sandy soil; after insertion, maintain a certain humidity, and they will root in 20-30 days. For leaf cuttings, during the growing season, twist off 1-2-year-old leaves from the base, dry them for 8-10 hours, and insert them into plain sand or sandy soil, preferably at a slant, to a depth of 1/4-1/3 of the leaf length. After insertion, spray a little clear water, place in a shaded, ventilated spot, and keep slightly moist; they will root in about 30 days and produce young shoots.

How to Grow the Jade Plant

1. Flower pot: The jade plant can use clay pots, plastic pots, porcelain pots, or ceramic pots. To coordinate with home decor, porcelain pots can be used; generally, pots with a diameter of 16-28 cm are chosen. The north is usually rather dry, so porcelain pots work very well; in the south, earthen pots are recommended, because the jade plant is a succulent and too much accumulated water easily causes black rot.

2. Soil: The jade plant is not demanding about soil and does best in loose, well-drained sandy soil. Prepare the potting soil with 5 parts leaf mold, 2 parts garden soil, and 3 parts river sand. It is extremely drought-tolerant and hates overly wet soil. It likes dry air and somewhat dry soil, and hates moist soil; wet potting soil easily causes root and stem rot.

3. Watering: During the growing period of the jade plant, keep the potting soil moderately moist. If the potting soil drains poorly and is watered too much, the roots will rot from water accumulation. If the potting soil is too dry, the weather is muggy, and the air is not circulating, leaves easily drop. 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 7-10 days is enough.

4. Fertilizing: The jade plant is not demanding about fertilizer. Topdressing begins after new stems grow in spring; during the growing season, apply once a month a mix of decomposed 15-fold liquid fertilizer with an equal amount of 1000-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, or 1000-fold "Huaduoduo" general-purpose fertilizer. Do not fertilize when summer temperatures are high or winter temperatures are low. When the plant is large, apply only base fertilizer and no topdressing, to control height; the base fertilizer can be decomposed soybean cake fertilizer, soybean milk residue, or other organic fertilizers.

5. Temperature and light: The jade plant is relatively shade-tolerant; for home care it can be kept year-round in a place indoors without direct light, or in a spot with bright scattered light. Keep room temperature at 6-10°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.

Four-Season Care for the Jade Plant

1. Spring: Jade plant seedlings grow quickly; repot once a year, and repot mature plants once every 2-3 years. Repot when spring temperatures stabilize 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 and avoid breaking the plant. After removing it from the pot, prune away dead roots and broken roots, let it dry for 1-2 days, then plant it. After planting, place it in semi-shade and do not water for the time being; after 2-3 days, water lightly and keep the potting soil on the dry side.

2. Summer: The jade plant likes strong light; when summer temperatures are not high, shading is unnecessary, and an appropriate water supply should be maintained. When placed indoors, it should receive a certain amount of light and attention should be paid to indoor ventilation. When summer temperatures are high (above 35°C), growth stagnates; attention should be paid to controlling water to prevent root rot from high temperature and excess water, while also shading from the light around midday and stopping fertilization. After temperatures cool in late summer, fertilization can continue.

3. Autumn: In autumn, the jade plant should be placed in a spot with ample light for cultivation. Water after the potting soil has dried through; as the weather gradually cools, gradually reduce the amount of watering and stop fertilizing, so the potting soil is dry but not parched. When the temperature drops to around 5°C, it should promptly be moved to a closed balcony or room with light for cultivation.

4. Winter: In winter, the indoor temperature for the jade plant should be kept above 5°C, at which time growth is in a stagnant state. Potted plants should be placed on a windowsill with ample light or in a closed balcony for cultivation, with attention to controlling water so the potting soil is dry but not parched, and no fertilizing. If conditions permit, the pot can be moved into a warm shed; if not, a plastic film cover can also be used, but attention must be paid to the humidity inside the cover, and when excessive moisture is found, the cover should be promptly uncovered for ventilation to prevent leaf rot.

Precautions for the Jade Plant

1. The jade plant likes a warm environment with ample sunlight; under indoor scattered-light conditions it can grow well. It hates direct strong light; in hot summer, exposure to the sun easily causes sunscald, leading to leaf shrinkage and yellowing.

2. The jade plant begins to resume growth after spring temperatures rise; it should maintain ample light, and the amount of watering should be gradually increased. When outdoor temperatures stabilize above 15°C, it can be placed on a balcony with light but no rain for cultivation.

3. During the growing period of the jade plant, watering should be controlled to prevent rot from overly wet potting soil; it is best to water after the soil has dried through. On days with more rain, the frequency of watering should be reduced.

5. During the growing period of the jade plant, moderately prune overly long and overly dense branches to keep the plant's shape well-proportioned and the tree vigorous.

6. The jade plant is usually moved indoors in mid-October and placed in a warm spot with ample light; the minimum overwintering temperature must not be below 5°C, watering should be strictly controlled, and it is enough to keep the potting soil from drying through completely.

7. Turn the jade plant's pot once every half month to avoid leaning branches and leaves that affect its appearance. If light is insufficient, even more attention should be paid to preventing root rot and leaf drop from damp heat.

8. The sap of the jade plant is toxic; do not let young children accidentally ingest the sap, otherwise it will cause skin redness, swelling, pain, and blistering. If it accidentally splashes into the eyes, it can cause blindness.