Plant Passport · Succulent Houseplant

Jade Plant

Crassula ovata

A classic, long-lived houseplant with thick glossy leaves and sturdy stems that become woody with age. Bright light, a small pot, and restrained watering are the keys to keeping it happy.

Young Jade Plant with glossy oval leaves in a small nursery pot

☀Light

Very bright light

◒Water

Dry well between drinks

◇Soil

Well-drained succulent mix

⌂Home

Sunny indoor container

Care

Find your brightest window

Give Jade Plant several hours of bright light. A little direct sun helps keep growth compact and may tint the leaf edges red. Rotate the pot occasionally so the plant grows evenly.

Water

Let the leaves store the drink

Water deeply, allow all excess to drain, and wait until the mix is dry before watering again. Jade stores water in its leaves and stems, so it handles a missed watering much better than constantly damp soil.

Propagation

Root a stem or leaf

Let a stem cutting or whole leaf dry for several days, then place it in fast-draining mix. Keep the soil nearly dry until roots begin to form. Stem cuttings make a substantial new plant more quickly than single leaves.

Problems

Keep the roots airy

Soft leaves and a mushy base point to excess moisture. Wrinkled leaves can mean the plant is ready for water. Watch for mealybugs around leaf joints, and remember that Jade Plant can be harmful if pets chew it.

From my garden

From one leaf to a little tree

Jade Plant leaves rooting beside several small new shoots in a nursery pot — New Jade Plants beginning beside individual rooted leaves

Established young Jade Plant growing upright in a small nursery pot — A young plant developing sturdy stems and glossy leaves