A recent study showed that spending time in a room with some houseplants boosts mood and relieves stress.
As a homeowner, there are several plants to choose from for your indoor garden. Yet, you need to do a little research to guarantee that they can thrive and fill your home with positive vibes.
So, is a jade plant a succulent? How can you grow it at home?
This article will answer these questions, so keep reading.
Is a Jade Plant a Succulent?
Succulent plants have fleshy leaves that hold water, enabling the plant to withstand arid weather and soil conditions. Jade plant is one of those plants, making it an excellent choice for a busy homeowner who doesn’t want to water their plants daily.
The jade plant stores water in its roots, stems, and leaves, and you can go for two or three weeks without watering it, and the plant would still survive.
It’s a slow grower, adding only two inches to its yearly height, eventually reaching a maximum height between three and six feet tall.
This beautiful plant is a popular indoor landscaping plant because it thrives in dry conditions, so you don’t have to mist it or use a humidifier to ensure it stays healthy.
It can withstand some neglect, and grows slowly, so it’s an excellent choice for a container plant.
Moreover, the jade plant is one of the longest-living houseplants, often passed on from generation to generation. Some plants can live for up to 100 years when properly cared for.
Are Crassula and Jade Plant the Same?
Crassula is the botanical name of the family to which the Crassula ovata or jade plant belongs. The name refers to the oval-shaped leaves that characterize this plant.
People also call this plant the silver dollar plant, friendship plant, and money plant.
There are several cultivars in this plant family, including the skinny fingers, lemon & lime, and hobbit. The shape of the foliage sets these different plants apart.
How Do You Take Care of a Jade Plant?
With a little bit of care, your jade plant will thrive at home, adding a positive vibe wherever you grow it. This plant is native to South Africa and is often linked to good luck and prosperity, so it’s a popular gift for homeowners.
The jade plant can grow outside in hot and dry weather. Yet, unless the average temperatures are high, it’s best to grow it inside. Here are the best care tips for your jade plant.
Sunlight
The jade plant thrives in full sun, which keeps the plant healthy and allows for successful propagation. This will give you an opportunity to spread the plant in different rooms or send several gifts to your friends.
Protecting the plant from the harsh afternoon sunlight is crucial, especially when the plant is too young.
If you’re growing the plant indoors, place it near a west or south-facing window. This will provide it with several hours of indirect sunlight.
Too little light can make the plant too leggy and might not grow the white blooms in spring.
Soil
Growing your jade plant in a succulent-specific potting mix is recommended, as this plant doesn’t tolerate wet soil. In addition, a succulent potting mix allows for good draining protecting this plant from root rot.
If you grow it in natural soil, it’s best to pick slightly acidic to neutral soil. Adding some perlite to the soil or potting mix will improve drainage.
You can also grow your indoor jade plant in a terracotta pot to absorb some moisture and keep the plant healthy.
Water
Jade plants are more tolerant of underwatering than overwatering. This is why you should allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
You can water this plant once or twice a month in summer but only once in winter. You can also fill a saucer with water and put it under the pot, but get rid of the excess water as this plant doesn’t like sitting in water.
Temperature
The jade plant thrives in average home temperatures. It can handle cool temperatures up to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, although it won’t tolerate this for long.
This plant isn’t frost-tolerant, so if the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it won’t survive.
Fertilizing
The jade plant isn’t a heavy feeder, but it is recommended to be fertilized during the growing season. A controlled-release low-nitrogen fertilizer will work for this plant, but don’t overfeed your plant.
Final Thoughts
A jade plant is a succulent with fleshy, thick leaves that store water. So, it can withstand growing in dry conditions and tolerate some neglect.
This beautiful plant is popular as an indoor houseplant because it can tolerate infrequent watering. You can water it once or twice monthly in summer and only once in winter as this plant doesn’t like sitting in wet soil.
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.