Jade plant care guide, Benefits & growing tips.

Crassula ovata, or Jade plant, is a popular and unique houseplant that thrives in dry conditions and has minimal watering requirements. With thick, fleshy, oval-shaped leaves on a sturdy stem, this succulent botanical wonder from Africa is relatively easy to care for, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced plant lovers. This simple yet detailed guide will take you through the optimal Crassula ovata care routine, including its best watering schedule, sunlight needs, soil requirements, and more.

So, let’s get started, and learn more about how to care for your Jade plant.
Botanical name: Crassula ovata
Common names: Jade Plant, Money Plant, Money Tree, Lucky Plant, Friendship Tree
Family: Crassulaceae
Type: Evergreen succulent
Flower colour: White or pale pink
Height: Max. 1.5 - 2.5 meters
Spread: Max. 1 meter
Time to reach ultimate height: 10-15 years

Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun
Water: Little
Temperature: Not frost tolerant. Min. 5ºC
Soil: Free-draining sandy or loamy
Aspect: South, east or west-facing

 

Jade plant

My first Jade Plant was a housewarming gift from a friend of mine. At the time I didn’t associate that specific plant to its meaning. I didn’t know Jade Plants were typically gifted to friends moving to a new house as a symbol of prosperity and friendship. I had no idea!

Only recently, as I adopted a big and troubled Jade Plant from a garage sale, I learned more about its meaning and benefits.

Then, three months ago I became completely fascinated by Jade Plants; I went to visit a friend of mine and I noticed she had a new massive Jade Plant in her Dining Room corner. She told me she had inherited it from her mom moving to a smaller home. It used to be her grandma’s…That Jade Plant was 60 years old! (That’s the plant in this article feature picture). It looked stunning to me! I had never seen such an old houseplant before!

So, I started digging for more information on Jade Plants. Not so much on how to care for them, (as it is very easy to do), but more about their symbolism and benefits.

Its scientific name is Crassula Ovata, but it’s commonly known as Jade Plant, Lucky Plant, Money Plant, Money Tree, Friendship Tree and other similar “nick names”, depending on the specific variety of the plant, (there are several different varieties and cultivars of Crassula).
How to Care for Jade Plant
The jade plant, lucky plant, or the money plant is an all-time favorite of mine and is so easy to take care of!

 

Watering Your Jade Plant

An important part of caring for your jade plant is to make sure that it gets enough water, but not too much water. A quick water tip is to stick your finger in the soil and if the soil is dry to your knuckle...give her a good water shower.

Make sure you allow the soil to dry before watering again as these plants will die from overwatering. If you see leaves suddenly drop or you notice distorted growth, you have probably overwatered. If you are a forgetful plant parent, this is the perfect house plant for you.

Light Requirements for a Jade Plant

Jade plants are succulents, but they aren't too fussy about the amount of light it gets. It does grow best with bright indirect light.

If your jade plant is not getting enough sun they will let you know. They will start to stretch their little plant bodies looking for any morsel of sunlight they can find. They will become stunted and leggy or in technical terms, etiolated, for all my plant nerds out there.

Propagating Your Jade Plant
Propagating a jade plant is probably the easiest, and I mean the easiest, thing you can learn how to do. My girl, Jade, is actually what got me hooked on making more plants from the plants that I already had. I mean who doesn't like free plants. My grandma would just pinch the mother plant with her fingers and throw the cutting into the backyard. I went down to see the area where she was throwing the cuttings and there was a whole sea of jade thriving.

There are two basic ways you can propagate a jade plant: leaf propagation or trimming a cutting.
Ideal conditions
Overwatering is probably the most common issue people have with jade plants (and all succulents for that matter). Plants with fleshy leaves use them to store water and therefore require less water in general. It is important to let succulents dry out in between watering. Stick your finger in the soil before watering and only water if it feels bone dry. Also, the leaves will take on a slightly shriveled look when the plant needs water, but if the leaves are turning yellow and falling off, it is likely that the plant is being overwatered.

Jade plants don’t require a lot of soil to thrive and do well in shallow containers. For larger plants, be sure to use heavy containers since jade plants tend to be top heavy. Drainage holes are crucial for these and all other container-grown succulents. They only need to be repotted every few years and are easily propagated from leaf and stem cuttings. Just let the cutting dry out for a few days and then insert the bottom into fresh, barely moist soil. Also, don’t be afraid to prune your jade plant, they will quickly push out new growth when a stem is cut back.

With proper care, jade plants can outlive their human owners and mature to the size of a small tree, so be prepared to have this plant for the long-haul. And who knows, maybe your luck will improve when you add one to your home!