Crassula ovate, also known as the jade plant, lucky plant, money plant, or money tree, is a succulent plant with tiny pink or white flowers indigenous to the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape as well as Mozambique. It is widely grown as a houseplant all over the world. The jade plant’s popularity is mostly due to the low maintenance requirements; it requires little water and can thrive in most indoor environments. Pachira Aquatica also goes by the moniker “money tree,” which is another name for it.
FEATURES OF THE JADE PLANT-
- Appearance- It has robust branches and is an evergreen. Its branches are covered in thick, smooth, lustrous leaves that develop in opposite pairs. While some leaves could appear to be more yellow-green, most are deep jade green. When subjected to intense sunshine, some cultivars may develop a reddish tinge on the edges of their leaves. Age causes the new stem growth to turn brown and woody while maintaining the same color and texture as the leaves. It can grow to a height of up to 2.5 meters and takes the form of an erect, rounded, thick-stemmed, heavily branching shrub. Normal branching at the base is sparse. Up to 6 centimeters in diameter, single main trunks can occasionally emerge. Gray-green branches protrude from the succulents.
- Inflorescence- When fully grown, it produces tiny, star-shaped flowers in the winter that are either pink or white. A top spherical thyrsus with many dichasia makes up the terminal inflorescence. Its length is around 5 centimeters, and its diameter is the same. The inflorescence stem measures between 15 and 18 millimeters in length and 2 millimeters in diameter. The hermaphrodite flowers contain multiple perianths and radial symmetry. They have a nice smell. Each of the five sepals, which measure around 2 millimeters in length, is united with the others at the base. The star-shaped pink or white flower crown measures 15 millimeters in diameter. 7 millimeters long and 2.5 millimeters wide, its petals are lance-shaped. 5 millimeters is the length of the stamens.
- Cultivation- Summer and winter water requirements for Crassula ovata are both minimal. During the colder months, in particular, it is prone to overwatering. Root rot and leaf fall are two effects of over-irrigation. But it can also be harmed by a water shortage. Depending on the climate it is grown in, it should be cultivated on a porous substrate with good drainage. It must be exposed to bright light for four to six hours in the sun or medium shade. If the substrate is kept dry, it can tolerate a little light frost in climates with milder weather.
- Propagation- The jade plant is renowned for its simplicity in propagation, which can be done with cuttings or even stray leaves that fall from the plant. With success rates higher than cuttings, jade plants can easily propagate from both. The jade plant reproduces mostly through vegetative propagation in the wild. Trees frequently fall off natural jade plants, and some branches may take root and produce new plants. The inflated leaves that develop in pairs on the stems of jade plants, like many succulents, can be used for propagation. While there are other ways to propagate, most use the same procedures. The sores on the leaves are typically left untreated so they can heal and callus.
Types of Jade Plants and their features
Crassula Arborescens
Flowers – During the Autumn and Winter seasons, long-lasting white-pink flowers sprout atop the foliage. Height- 60 cm is tall. The containerization process and container size have a height limit. A succulent shrub that forms slow-growing clumps. This striking contrast plant is distinguished by its distinctive blue-grey foliage and burgundy edging.
Crassula Arborescens Blue Bird Variegata
Size: 50 cm. Containerization and container size limit height. A slow-growing succulent shrub that forms clumps and has unusually colored leaves in shades of aqua, cream, green, and red. A fascinating and satisfying succulent grown for the color of its leaf all year long.
Crassula Arborescens Undulatifolia
Blooms: During the winter, the plant’s top will develop whitish-pink star-shaped flowers. Height- 1 meter tall The containerization process and size have a height limit.
Undulatifolia, or ripple jade, was first discovered in 1974 and was recently widely available. It adds architectural interest to the landscape and beautiful containers. The waxy leaves make for a striking contrast plant, growing in a tight, compact manner in a bonsai-like aspect of nature. Any planting gains special attention from the foliage’s year-round color.
Crassula Argentea Gollum
Flowers: Tiny pinkish-white flowers will bloom in late autumn to early winter, adding to the interest. A beautiful variety of Gollum with long, finger-like leaves that are glossy green. Fingers with a tip made of red windows. Succulent shrub with slow growth that is compact.
Crassula Ovata Red Coral
Flowers: Tiny pink-white blooms will start to appear in the spring, adding to the allure.
90 cm in height. The use of containers and their sizes places height restrictions.
The plant’s bright to dark green leaves, shaped strangely to give it a distinctive appearance, is its most prominent feature.
Crassula Ovata
Flowers: Tiny pinkish-white flowers will bloom in the late autumn to early winter, adding to the scene and generating more interest. Height: 2 m tall. The containerization process and container size have a height limit. Trimming regularly is another way to manage height.
The original Jade is a classic, one of the most widely grown Jade plants, and a very resilient variety. The ovata selection grows the fastest and responds to trimming.
Crassula Ovata Botany Bay
Flowers: Tiny pinkish-white flowers will bloom in late autumn to early winter, adding to the appeal. Height: 1 m tall and older than 5 years. The small area limits height. Created and released to the market in 2011 by Garden Gate Nursery in Dural. Excellent plant from a grower’s perspective because of its compact, bushy character. Its habit or shape is well-preserved when used in a landscape or pot. Due to a close internode spacing, the foliage will not expand as much in poor light. A crimson blush forms on foliage throughout the year when it is dry or under stress.
Crassula Ovata Crosby Red
Flowers: Typically, jade plants bloom in the late autumn to early winter, with tiny, pinkish-white flowers emerging from the top of the plant. Compared to the common Crassula Ovata or Jade, Crosby Red does not flower as frequently. It might grow to a height of 80 cm if planted in the ground. The containerization process and container size have a height limit.
A particular cultivar of Crassula ovata, the common jade plant. The branches and leaves are smaller than those of the Crassula Ovata. Its structure and habit remain compact and grow more slowly than other varieties.
Crassula Ovata Harbour Lights
Flowers: Tiny pinkish-white flowers will bloom in the late autumn to early winter, adding to the scene and generating more interest. A specific variety of Crassula ovata that Glenfield Wholesale Nursery first offered for sale in 2014. Excellent Jade with an excellent marijuana habit. Smaller leaves compared to the typical Crassula ovata. Over the winter, the plant’s foliage turns an intense shade of red.
Crassula Ovata Hobbit
Flowers: Tiny pinkish-white flowers bloom above the foliage in late autumn to early January. Height: 30 cm. The container size determines how tall this plant will grow.
A very little and compact variety that comes from Victoria’s Paradisia Nursery. A particular kind of Crassula ovata Hobbit sold under the brand name “Bonsai Jade Tree” in the market. This succulent species is ideal for container gardening. It can be grown alone as a single planting or combined with other succulents in tiny combination bowls. Due to its moderate growth rate, the plant is perfect for indoor use. Under stressful conditions, the foliage develops a crimson blush throughout the year.
Crassula Ovata Hummel’s Sunset
Blooms: In cultivation, tiny, starry white or pink flowers are rare. The Hummel’s Sunset Crassula, with its stunning foliage color, is a Jade that has won honors. In 1993, it was given the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Perfect in containers for an endless amount of time. When the plant matures inside the pot, it offers a thick trunk like a bonsai. As winter progresses, the foliage’s deepening gold, red, and green tones make it even more striking.
Crassula Ovata Little Jade Tree
Flowers: Uneven blossoming and a shy attitude toward them. 40 cm tall Height is restricted because of the small area. Jan Morgan unintentionally came across a seedling at Glenfield Wholesale Nursery’s site in Picton. Tiny. Created in 2015 and released to the market.
Crassula Ovata Minima
Flowers: Over autumn and winter, showy clusters of small white and pink flowers appear above the foliage. Height: 60cm. Height is controlled by container size and trimming. A selected form of Crassula ovata. It has a compact habit and the growing tips tend to branch and cluster creating a fuller appearance in smaller containers.
Crassula Ovata Pink
Flowers: Throughout autumn and winter, showy clusters of pink, tiny flowers emerge above the foliage. 1 m tall and older. Height is limited because of the small area.
A specially chosen variety of Crassula ovata grown for its compact, bushy habit, flowers, and exceptional pot performance over an extended period. Under dry or stressed conditions, the foliage develops a crimson blush throughout the year.
Crassula Ovata Pixie
Flowers: Above the foliage in the autumn and winter, magnificent clusters of tiny white and pink flowers appear. 60 cm in height. Container size and trimming determine how tall a container will be. An extraordinary kind of Crassula ovata grown for its pot performance and compact habit. Under dry or demanding conditions, the foliage develops a crimson leaf border throughout the year. Choosing the right plant for long-term use becomes essential to success as gardens are smaller and more people use pots in the home environment. By Glenfield Wholesale Nursery in 2014, it was released to the market in. a sport that develops organically for a variety inside.
Benefits of the Jade Plant
- Due to the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, jade plants absorb carbon dioxide at night (CAM).
- Jade plants contribute to raising the humidity in your home because they use the same CAM process.
- Jade plants aid in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be found in insect repellents and wall paints.
- Warts can be cured by applying the juice of the jade plant to the skin.
- Jade leaf tea aids in the battle against diabetes.
How to plant Jade Plants at home?
- Take a pot and make a small hole at the bottom for the water to drain before you place your jade plants in it.
- Place the jade plant in the container, leaving some space between the roots and the pot’s base.
- Water the pot after adding manure and mud to it.
- Place the pot in a space with lots of light.
- When you notice any dried leaves or stems on the jade plant, prune them sometimes.
- Jade plant cuttings can be kept in a pot and grown on. Before planting the cutting, remove leaves from their lowest half.
In their leaves, jade plants store water. They, therefore, do not require frequent irrigation.
Just the right amount of water, neither too little nor too much, is needed for jade plants. Therefore, avoid giving the plant regular watering because doing so risks the roots rotting. Similarly, avoid letting it dry out since this could prevent the plant from growing and cause it to perish eventually. Watering your jade plant is necessary when the dirt is dry.
Recommended Articles:
