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Care of the Jade Plant or Blue Bird Jade (Crassula arborescens), the most common form of Jade plant is a relatively easy plant to grow. They are succulents, much like portulaca (Moss Rose) or Sedum. Their native home is in Argentina, and they prefer a hot, dry climate. They do bloom, but rarely as an indoor plant, and then only after they’re eight years old, or older. People don’t usually buy them for their flowers anyway, they love the thick, sturdy bluish green foliage. Under the right conditions, they grow up to ten feet tall, but I wouldn’t worry about that happening with your little hot-house baby.
The Jade plant prefers a sandy loam or a professional cactus medium. If they are watered too much, their roots rot, so a well-drained soil is important. If you let the soil dry out completely, the leaves will fall and you’ll have a leggy, scraggly mess. You can fix this by watering it and pruning it back - it may be salvageable. The best way to make sure your Jade plant avoids either fate is to place the pot (the pot must have a drainage hole in the bottom) in the shower, or sink, let the water sort of rain on it. This washes the leaves which gather dust and lets the soil get a nice even soaking without sitting in water. I do this in the evening and let the plants drip dry overnight. Water droplets can burn the leaves if you put a wet plant into harsh sunlight. Then you can place the pot into a decorative planter.
If you water them less frequently, without letting the soil dry completely, your Jade plant will grow very slowly. So, if you have limited space, this is a plus.
Jade plants need a lot of light, so a south-facing window is best, or a southeastern window. They need at least four to five hours of sunlight or bright light a day. There was one in an office where I worked in a south-facing window that rarely was watered, and I’m fairly certain was watered with cold coffee. It grew from a foot tall to three feet within a couple of years! I think they thrive more on neglect than too much attention, as long as they have enough light.
I suggest that you start small, with a houseplant from a reputable grower. Be careful if you buy plants from a home improvement store or a discount store. If you get them right off of the truck, you’re probably safe, but otherwise those places just don’t tend their plants very well, if at all. The plants get dusty, which means their leaves can’t breathe, and the soil dries out. They are nearly dead, then some kind employee comes by and waters them. You take them home not knowing they’re about to keel over. Call your local nursery and tell them what you want, there’s a better chance they’ll have healthy ones, or will order one for you.
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Author Bio Box: Pat Merewether
Experience
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