Jade plant

Sun

Full sun to partial shade outdoors; bright light with several hours of direct sun indoors. Introduce strong sun gradually, and provide afternoon shade in very hot climates.

Water

Low water needs. Water thoroughly, let excess drain away, then allow the potting mix to dry before watering again. Water much less in winter.

Soil

Sharply drained, sandy or gritty soil. In containers, use a free-draining cactus mix and a pot with drainage holes.

Height

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Spread

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Flowers

Small clusters of white to pale pink, star-shaped flowers in late winter to spring, mainly on mature plants. Indoor plants may not flower.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, glossy green, oval leaves held in opposite pairs; leaf edges may turn red in strong light.

Growth

Slow to moderate in warm, bright conditions.

Care needed

Low

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.8 ft (0.25 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.3 ft (0.39 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.2 ft (0.67 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (0.96 m)

About 8 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Slow

• Check that the potting mix has dried before watering; never leave the pot standing in water.
• Feed lightly with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength once or twice during spring and summer.
• Move plants under cover before frost; a bright, cool, frost-free room suits winter growth.
• Acclimatise indoor plants to outdoor sun over one to two weeks to prevent scorched leaves.
• Repot in spring only when crowded, using a stable pot and fresh, free-draining mix.

Pruning. Prune in spring or early summer, cutting leggy stems just above a pair of leaves to encourage branching. Remove dead or damaged growth with clean tools and avoid taking off large amounts at once.

Spring

Check roots and repot if crowded; begin watering more often as active growth resumes.

Late spring

Once frost risk has passed, gradually introduce container plants to outdoor light.

Early summer

Prune long stems and take cuttings; give a light feed if growth is healthy.

Summer

Check soil moisture regularly, but let it dry between waterings; watch for sun scorch during heatwaves.

Autumn

Stop feeding, reduce watering as growth slows, and bring pots indoors before frost.

Winter

Keep in bright, frost-free conditions and water sparingly; inspect leaf joints for mealybugs.

• Use a mature specimen in a heavy container beside a sunny entrance for a small, tree-like focal point.
• Group with aloes and echeverias in a frost-free gravel bed for contrasting leaf shapes.
• Place in simple terracotta or plain contemporary pots on a sheltered courtyard terrace.
• Grow on a bright windowsill or in a conservatory where its branching outline can be seen clearly.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, Modern courtyard, Desert modern, Mediterranean, Desert / xeriscape and Small-space.

Plant it with: Aloe vera, Echeveria, Zebra haworthia, Elephant bush and Blue chalksticks.

Wildlife: Outdoor flowers can attract bees and other small insects. It offers little wildlife value when grown indoors.

• Root and stem rot: soft stems, yellowing leaves and collapse usually follow prolonged wetness. Remove rotten tissue, retain healthy cuttings if necessary, and improve drainage and watering intervals.
• Mealybugs: inspect leaf joints and stems for white cottony clusters. Isolate affected plants, remove small infestations by hand, and use a labelled treatment suitable for succulents if needed.
• Sun scorch: pale or brown patches can develop after a sudden move into strong sun. Provide temporary shade and increase exposure gradually; damaged leaves will not recover.
• Leggy growth and leaf drop: improve light if stems stretch; also check for overwatering, severe drought or cold draughts before changing care.

Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten; leaves and stems can cause vomiting, lethargy and poor coordination. Seek veterinary advice after ingestion. Reliable information on horse toxicity is limited, so prevent access. In people, ingestion may cause stomach upset and sap may irritate skin; keep away from young children and do not eat any part.

• Elephant bush (Portulacaria afra)

  Usually has smaller, rounder leaves and slender reddish stems; jade plant has larger, thicker, oval leaves and heavier branches.

• Silver jade plant (Crassula arborescens)

  Has rounder, blue-grey leaves, often with red margins, rather than the usually glossy green, oval leaves of jade plant.

• Baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia)

  Has flatter, less fleshy leaves arranged alternately along softer stems, and produces thin flower spikes rather than clusters of star-shaped flowers.

Crassula comes from the Latin for thick, referring to the fleshy leaves, ovata means egg-shaped, and jade refers to the green leaf colour.

Propagation. Take stem or individual leaf cuttings in spring or summer. Let cut surfaces dry and callus for several days, then place in a gritty propagation mix and water sparingly until rooted. Stem cuttings produce a substantial plant sooner.

Accepted botanical name

Crassula ovata

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii.

Native range

Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.