The jade tree (Crassula Ovata) is a famous plant with fleshy, oval-shaped, light green leaves and thick, woody stems. Indoor jade tree care is easy if you know its requirements. This is one of the best low maintenance indoor succulents you can grow. Here’s everything you need to know about how to grow the jade tree indoors and how to care for it.
Contents
Basic data
- Botanical name: Crassula oval
- Common names: Jade tree, jade plant, money plant, friendship plant
How to Propagate a Jade Tree
The jade tree is super easy to propagate and you can grow it from a leaf cutting.
Take healthy leaves from a mature plant, twist them gently and turn them by hand without damaging them.
Let the leaves settle for 2-3 days. Once done, place them on a shallow tray filled with any light potting soil.
Cover only the part where the callus has formed and water gently without puddles, leave the container in the shade and keep the soil always moist, once they start to grow you can give them more sun and reduce watering.
You can also grow a jade tree from a stem cutting. Just cut the stem about 10 or 15 centimeters long from the plant and bury them a few centimeters in a pot with soil rich in organic matter.
The soil should always be kept moist until new shoots start to grow and should not be given a lot of sun. Once new leaves form, you can care for them as described below.
Grow the Jade Tree Indoors
Pot size for a jade tree
As it is a slow growing plant, you can start a new one in a pot 4 to 6 inches in diameter and depth, then repot it in a larger pot once the plant has outgrown your current container. .
It will grow fast if you keep it in a lightly rooted state, which you can do by avoiding planting it in a very large pot, so it’s good to start small and then after a year or two repot it , the ideal pot size for a jade tree is 30 cm in diameter and depth or more.
Location
To successfully grow a jade tree indoors, find a location that receives indirect light but also isn’t in complete shade. Ideally, it should receive direct sun in the morning or afternoon and indirect light at noon.
To avoid leaf burn, do not expose your indoor jade tree to direct sunlight suddenly, without acclimatizing it.
Usually I
When growing jade trees indoors, soil is important, it must have good drainage, as excess moisture causes rot. Use a mix for succulents or cacti with a pH between slightly acidic and neutral; you can also mix in some perlite. To look at: How to make a substrate (soil) for succulents and cacti
If you’re using regular potting soil, make a combination of two parts soil, one part coarse sand, and one part perlite with a little bone meal to make it more potent.
Irrigation
Watering an indoor jade tree isn’t complicated, but it is tricky. It should never be too much or too little. Always water abundantly but wait a few days for the soil to dry before starting again.
Do not grow this succulent in constantly wet soil and avoid overhead watering, always water at ground level.
In winter and in wet weather, be extra careful and reduce watering. The plant will show blisters on its leaves if overwatered. If you notice them popping up, it’s time to narrow it down.
If you notice that the leaves are wrinkled, small and dry, it may be due to overwatering. This indicates that your plant requires a good dose of water. To look at: How and when to water succulents and cacti
Indoor Jade Tree Care
Fertilizer
The jade tree will be fine even if you don’t pay for it, unless you deem it necessary. This succulent does not need a fixed fertilization schedule like other houseplants.
It is sufficient to feed once every 20-60 days during active growth with a liquid fertilizer (such as 20-20-20 or 10-20-10) diluted to 1/4 (25%) of its recommended strength.
To note: if you live in a cold climate, stop fertilizing from mid-fall through winter.
Cut
The plant is not an aggressive grower, so regular pruning is not necessary to keep it in shape.
It is enough to prune from time to time the branches and the dying or wrinkled leaves. This will keep the plant healthy.
winter care
Move your plant away if it is in contact with window panes or anywhere it may be exposed to cold drafts.
Another thing to keep in mind if you live in a temperate region is that the growth of the jade tree slows down in the winter, so you don’t need to water it very often, once a month is plenty. sufficient.
Keep this plant in a warm room in the winter, as temperatures below 5°C are detrimental to this succulent.
Plagues and diseases
Watch out for mites and scale insects. A strong stream of water or insecticidal soap solution will take care of them.
As for diseases, it is necessary to pay attention to powdery mildew. Quickly remove the affected parts of the plant with sharp scissors and discard them. To look at: How to Fight and Prevent Powdery Mildew Naturally
Share it on the networks: