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The jade plant, sometimes called the Money Plant,
is a green friend that just won’t die! It’s a perfect table plant or floor bush for a sunny hot location. This
succulent has numerous small fleshy leaves growing in clumps on thick stems. It is
a native of the dry hills of South Africa, so it is drought resistant and produces its tiny star shaped flowers not in the
summer but around Christmas.
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CARE OF JADE PLANTS
Light: A jade plant needs very bright light: ; it can even be gradually placed in direct sun. If leaves get burned while it is adapting to the sun there
is no permanent damage to the plant. The burnt leaves will fall off but be quickly replaced with sun tolerant ones. A jade
will not bloom unless it is in very bright light.
Water: A jade is a succulent
and all succulents store water in their thick stems, leaves, and roots. They need to completely dry out before being watered.
Lower leaves that are soft or crinkly indicate that the jade is ready for water
Temperature:
Keep your jade in an area that never goes below freezing or above 90 degrees. Cooler temperatures help a jade to bloom better.
Fertilizer: This is a slow growing
plant. Use a plant food low in nitrogen at ¼ strength only when a jade plant is producing new leaves.
Soil: A jade plant should be repotted every few years. Move it to the next size pot and use
new soil made up of good potting soil mixed with sand for drainage.
Pests:
Mealy bugs are the main pest problem for jade plants. Examine your jade every week, especially in warm weather, and spray all areas
with the green solution at the first sign of infestation.
Propagation: A jade is one of the easiest
plants to propagate. Cut off a small piece of stem, allow the cut tip to dry out for a couple of weeks; then plant it in a
very dry potting soil. Another way to propagate is to take a healthy leaf and lay it against the side of the pot with its
base touching the soil; don’t water until you see the leaf producing roots. Always use several stem cuttings or leaves
when making a new plant to insure that it looks full.
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| Jade Plant |
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| Picture by Mileto Atillio (GNU) |
| Jade Plant Flower |
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| Picture by Noodle Snacks (GNU) |
JADE PLANT FAQ’S
1. I have had my jade plant for two years and it has never flowered. What should I do?
Move
it to a really bright location, even direct sun, and cut back on your water.
2.
Can I put my jade outside in the summer?
Jades love to go outside in warm weather. Move it gradually into direct
sun or the leaves will burn and be sure to bring it inside before the temperatures go below freezing.
3. The green leaves are falling off of my jade plant.
You are over watering your plant. Let it dry out for
at least 2-3 weeks or more until the soil is totally dry.
4. My jade stems are
top heavy. There are clusters of leaves at the tips but not many leaves further down the stem. Should I cut the plant back
to make it bushy?
There is a really simple way to fix this problem Use your fingernail to make tiny slits up and
down the stem. Wherever you make a slight cut in the stem new leaves will start to grow. Your plant will be bushy in no time.
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