How To Care For Jade Plants
HISTORY:
The Jade plant, also known as a Crassula Ovata, is a native plant from Southern Africa and is a genus in the plant family Crassulaceae. Other unique nicknames of the Jade plant are the Money Tree, Dollar Plant, Friendship Tree, or Lucky Plant. Over the past couple of years, this plant has become one of the most popular houseplants. With very minimal care, this plant can last decades in your home!
WATERING TIPS:
Jade plants are a type of succulent, so they don’t need a lot of water to survive. You should only water when the soil is completely dry. Overwatering will lead to moldy roots causing the plant to die. During the summer months you may need to water them every week and a half weeks. In winter months they can last up to a month without any water. Avoid any standing water on the leaves or in the bottom of the pot.
SUNLIGHT REQUIREMENTS:
Jade plants grow best when they receive bright, indirect sunlight. They are great plants for growing indoors if they are placed in an area with indirect sunlight! If you want to place them in direct sunlight, we recommend slowly acclimating them to the bright sunlight to prevent the leaves from getting sunburnt.
SOIL AND FERTILIZER USAGE:
The soil used for Jade plants must be soil that does not retain water very well. All fertilizers used should be diluted to at least 1/2 strength to avoid harming the plant. You should only use fertilizers during their growing season (spring and summer). It is not required to fertilize your plant, it may just grow at a slower rate.
WEATHER TOLERANCE:
Jade plants can withstand temperatures down to 32°. They must be kept indoors during the winter in climates that reach freezing temperatures. They are given a USDA Plant hardiness zone of 10-11. See the map for the plant hardiness zone regions.
INSECT PROTECTION:
For the most part, a Jade plants are bug-free plant. The most common bug is the mealybug. If your plant obtains these bugs, we recommend lightly spraying them daily with mild, soapy water until all bugs are gone. For an in depth analysis on how to prevent and care for plants with bugs click here.
OLD OR DAMAGED LEAVES:
Naturally, old leaves will wilt and die as the plant grows. You can carefully remove these leaves making sure you do not damage the rest of the plant. If a healthy leaf is broken off, the plant will naturally grow back a new leaf to replace it.
