Jade plants are really nice houseplants that you’ll see in many peoples’ homes. They’ve become ubiquitous because of how easy they are to take care of.
This doesn’t mean that you’re going to feel confident taking care of one if you got one as a gift suddenly. Many people worry about whether they’re going to kill plants when they don’t have experience taking care of them.
You might be caring for a jade plant and wondering why it doesn’t appear to be flowering. The lack of blooms might make you think that you’re doing something terribly wrong.
Are you killing the plant that’s supposed to be painfully simple to care for? Or is there something that you need to do to get a jade plant to flower?
Keep reading to learn more about jade plants. The flowering advice below should make a big difference, and you’ll be able to feel proud of how pretty your plant looks before too long.
Getting a Jade Plant to Bloom Is Tricky
The first thing to understand right away is that getting a jade plant to bloom is tricky. You aren’t necessarily doing anything wrong if your plant isn’t flowering.
You see, these plants are mostly known for their thick leaf pads. This is a succulent plant that looks very glossy and green.
There are a few different types of jade plants out there as well. They’re all mostly known for being green succulent plants, but they can flower under the right conditions.
In the wild, you’ll sometimes see jade plants producing small white flowers. These flowers will be in the shape of a star, and they’re actually quite pretty.
Sadly, you might need to be patient if you want to see a jade plant bloom. It’s totally normal for these plants to grow for years without ever producing any blooms.
A jade plant needs to mature before it will even be capable of producing flowers. This means that the jade plant that you’re caring for might not even be able to flower right now.
If you were just given a jade plant as a gift, then it’s likely that the plant is still young. You can get it to produce blooms if you’re willing to wait while you keep caring for the plant.
That isn’t all that will be required to make this plant bloom, though. You’ll also need to care for it in a very specific way that mimics the natural environment that these plants grow in.
Sunlight Is Crucial
Sunlight is probably the most important factor when you’re trying to get a jade plant to flower. These plants need quite a bit of sun or they simply won’t be able to produce blooms.
In fact, many people say that it’s rare for jade plants to flower when they’re being cared for indoors. This is because it’s hard to give the plants as much sun as they need to flower.
If you want to get the best results, then you should find a good spot for the jade plant outside. A location where the plant can get six hours or more of full sunlight would be ideal.
It might also be acceptable for the plant to get four hours of full sunlight. Any less than that and it won’t likely be possible to make the plant flower.
Sadly, it might not be possible to keep a jade plant outdoors in certain regions. If you live in an area that’s too cool, then you might have a very tough time getting the plant to flower.
These plants won’t tolerate frost at all. If you live in a region that gets cold during the winter, then you’re going to have to overwinter the plant indoors at the very least.
Caring for a jade plant indoors is very easy, but it isn’t easy to get it to bloom. The best thing to try will be to place the plant in the sunniest indoor location you can find.
You could technically try moving the plant multiple times so that it can get more sun. Do what you can to give the plant access to sunlight.
After overwintering the jade plant, it’s best to return the plant to the sunny spot where it thrived outdoors once the spring comes. If all goes well, you should see the plant produce pretty white or pink flowers.
Watering the Jade Plant
You need to be particular about how you approach watering these plants, too. They actively grow during the spring and summer, and it’s essential to water the plants more during these seasons.
To get the best results, you’ll want to water the plant deeply during the spring and summer. Then you wait until the soil becomes mostly dry before watering the plant again.
You always want to check the condition of the soil before watering the plant. It’s not possible to water it on a standard schedule because you won’t always know when the soil is going to dry out.
During the autumn and winter, you’re not supposed to water the plant much. You’re supposed to let the soil dry out fully between watering sessions.
When you know that the weather is starting to get cooler, it’s important to stop watering the plant so much. This helps to mimic what the jade plant would experience naturally.
These plants will bloom in the late days of winter or in the very early days of spring. If you keep the plant at a temperature of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the fall and winter, then you might be able to see it produce blooms.
The blooms are really nice and they resemble tiny stars. Just know that the flowers will be short-lived, and this means that you’ll just have to appreciate them while they’re around.
Final Thoughts
Now that you understand a bit more about what you need to do to make jade plants flower it’ll be easier to take action. Depending on your situation, it might not be easy to get good results, though.
For the most part, jade plants have the best luck flowering when you’re able to keep them outdoors. It’s fine to overwinter the plant so that it won’t be exposed to frost, but it’d be better to keep the plant outside so that it can get enough sun.
These plants do best when they get six hours of full sun or more. It might be possible to get decent results so long as you can give the plant four hours of sunlight or more.
Watering the plant is another essential element when you want it to flower. You need to water the plant thoroughly during the spring and summer.
Always water the plant deeply during the warm seasons. Touch the soil to confirm that it is mostly dry before giving the plant water again.
During the autumn and winter, you’ll be watering the plant far less frequently. You want the soil to be fully dry before you water the jade plant.
At some point during the late days of winter or the early days of spring, you might notice flowers blooming. They’ll be tiny white or pink star-shaped flowers if all goes well.
Jade plants won’t even be able to flower if they aren’t mature enough. If you have a young plant, then you might need to wait several years to have a chance to see it flower.
There are also jade plants that are quite stubborn and won’t flower much at all. Just try to be patient and care for the plant the right way to see if you can coax it to bloom.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.