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Ogre’s ear is a subspecies of the jade plant native to South Africa and Mozambique.
This succulent is loved for its smooth, shiny leaves that grow in opposite pairs, creating a decent aesthetic for a simple, clean look.
Plants come in a variety of varieties, with different shades, giving you plenty of choice when it comes to what suits your interior.
It’s even better because the leaves also change depending on the environment they live in. In full sun they turn red around the edges and dark green in the shade.
Contents
types of jade plants
The jade plant has many names such as lucky plant, money tree, friendship tree, etc.
Thanks to the easy maintenance routines and the beauty of this plant, it has found its place in offices, businesses and homes.
Today we look at the Ogre’s Ear Jade Factory. But let’s talk about the other types at a glance first.
Crassula Ovata (Gollum Jade Plant)
This species is the most common and is characterized by glossy, thick, fleshy leaves that occur in pairs along the stem.
The leaves change depending on their exposure to the sun, as shown above.
This plant also has names such as finger plant, Shrek ears and ogre ears due to its leaf shape.
The leaves have tubular shapes with suction tips, much like Shrek’s ears.
golden jade plant
Instead of the typical greenish or reddish tones of ogre’s ear jade, it has greenish-yellow leaves with a golden tint.
silver jade plant
With blades that look like silver dollars, it’s not hard to see where silver jade plant receives its name. It also goes for vegetable silver and Chinese jade.
dwarf jade
Thanks to its slow, stunted growth pattern, this plant with yellow-green leaves grows much shorter than its counterparts. And it will remain so.
variegated jade plant
light green-yellowish striped The leaves have earned this plant the label “lemon and lime”.
In the sun, the leaves take on a beautiful pink hue. The aesthetic value increases even more with the appearance of star shaped flowers with white tones.
Why is my ogre ear crinkled?
Jade plant care practices are quite similar, so what works for the goose may work for the goose.
However, it always helps to be specific to your plant’s needs, especially if there are signs of trouble.
In this case, we will see why your ogre’s ear may have wrinkled leaves instead of smooth, shiny, fleshy leaves. May or may not apply to other jade species.
Of course, your jade leaves should be fleshy and thick. Otherwise, and the sole of your ogre’s ear is shrunken. you may experience one of the following:
1) Natural response to weather conditions
2) irrigation techniques
3) Pests:
4) Root-bound plant
1) Natural response to weather conditions
During wet seasons, the jade plant stores water in its leaves, hence its plump appearance.
But during dry seasons, the plant diverts water from the leaves to the roots to compensate for the lower water availability.
This change is most evident in outdoor plants that rely on rain to maintain their appearance.
The drier the soil, the more water the roots will draw from the leaves, resulting in thin, wrinkled leaves for your ogre ear.
The beauty of this process is that it keeps the root healthy so it can support the growth of new leaves when the rainy season begins.
Solution for natural climate response
Should you let your plant get to this point? Well yes and no. If the plant is outdoors, there is no reason for this to be a problem.
But indoors, it can not only be unsightly, it can also kill the plant.
After all, it won’t rain inside and it’s entirely possible that the plant will eventually die, dropping its leaves to maintain the tension.
Which brings us to the next point: water your plant.
2) Irrigation techniques
Even for a succulent, make sure the plant is getting enough water to promote healthy leaf growth.
If the plant has enough water, it will look like chubby leaves.
One look at these tubular shapes and you can see they are the picture of health; all other things were held constant.
Now, there are two ways your watering techniques can harm your plant.
One is underwater, as we have seen in the natural reactions. If the plant does not get enough water, the roots take what is available in the leaves and use it to survive.
The other is to overwater the plant by watering it more than necessary and leaving the soil damp for days.
The plant may suffer from edema, which damages its structure, making it weak and prone to infection.
Solution for irrigation techniques
On the watering side, the technique is quite simple. First, you need to make sure the soil needs water instead of adding more moisture, even when it’s not needed.
You can do this by digging a few inches into the ground and feeling the ground. If it looks wet, don’t add more water.
If it can use water, you can moisten the soil and make sure any excess water drains from the bottom of the pot.
Let the jar drain for about ten minutes before putting it back in its original position.
- The nature of your pot is also important and you need to make sure it has plenty of drainage holes.
- The soil can also be the culprit. It may not hold enough water, or it may hold so much water that the roots come in contact with the water. Root rot is real and, depending on its extent, can be irreversible and cause untold changes.
3) Pests:
If watering doesn’t seem to be the cause of the problem, consider pest control.
Try watering your plant first and see how it reacts. If the effect is not positive even after a few days, it’s time to grab gloves and magnifying glasses and play detective.
Watch out for insects on the surface of the plant or even signs of infestation, such as puncture holes.
This plant is susceptible to mealybug, mite and spider mite infestations. These creatures love the juice from the roots of the plant and may have taken up residence in the plant.
Pest control solution:
Luckily, you don’t have to go to the store for such issues.
All you need is to dip a cotton ball in vinegar or rubbing alcohol and wipe down the surface of the plant.
Cleaning the factory is not enough. You should also modify the environment by changing the potting soil and cleaning the pot.
You can also transplant it and move it to a larger container while you’re at it. And while we’re on the subject of transplanting, let’s look at one last reason why ogre cob leaves are wrinkled.
4) Root-bound plant
This condition refers to when the roots twist around each other looking for room to grow.
The larger a plant grows, the more extensive its root system becomes, to the point where it can outgrow its current pot.
Jade plants generally do well even when rooted, but they also have their limitations.
It can get to a point where there are so many roots, which increases competition for water and nutrients, which prevents the roots from getting what they need.
They wouldn’t have enough to supply the leaves with water, and you can imagine what would happen next.
Signs of a root-bound plant
How do you know if your plant’s root is attached? People often push the plant out of the pot and see how the roots have grown.
There are other ways to check without having to tilt the plant. We water the plant.
If the soil makes up most of the pot, the water will soak in fairly quickly.
If you notice that the water stays in the ground for a long time, it indicates that there is not enough medium (soil) to hold the water.
Another method is to check the direction of water flow when you water the plant.
Is the water running down the sides of the pot or sinking into the ground? If the first case is true, it’s time for you to fix this problem.
The solution of a plant with roots
As much as you want to get the biggest pot possible, you want to work with a moderately larger pot than the original.
Anything 2-3 inches above the old pot will work. Otherwise, the plant will spend more energy filling the pot instead of developing healthy leaves.
Remember when we mentioned root rot? If you move the plant, remove soft or damaged parts of the roots. Leaving them in place opens the way for infection, even in the new pot.
Final thoughts: why is the jade plant in my ogre ear wrinkled?
The surest way to keep your plant’s leaves healthy is to adopt a grooming routine by not only following grooming practices, but taking action as soon as they occur.
Happy gardening!
Before you go, here are some more related articles that I encourage you to read below to solve more of your gardening problems:
Why is my jade plant turning brown?
Jade Plant Light Requirement:
How to Fix a Leggy Jade Plant and Future Long Leg Prevention Tips
Pothos N Joy vs Pearls and Jade
How to make your own homemade fertilizer for your jade plant?
Written by: Daisy Njeric