Jade Plant

Scientific Name: Crassula argentea

⚠Toxicity⚠

The Jade Plant is considered 💀TOXIC💀 to both cats and dogs

Symptoms of Jade Plant ingestion include: vomiting, loss of muscle function, slow heart rate, depression, lack of grooming, increased aggression, lethargy and weakness, excessive sleeping and/or hiding, and in-coordination. Left untreated, Jade Plant poisoning can be fatal

It’s important to remember that any plant may cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs, and those with large leaves can be a choking hazard. If you believe that your pet is ill or may have ingested a poisonous substance contact either your local veterinarian or the APCC 24-hour emergency poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435

General Info

Jade Plants are easy to care for and have a tree-like appearance. Their stems are thick and woody and their waxy, oval-shaped leaves are able to store water for survival during extended droughts. Some varieties may develop red leaf tips if exposed to enough sunlight

Jade Plants are seen by some as a sign of good luck, and are easy to propagate from a leaf or stem cutting, so they make great gifts as well! Unfortunately, they are also toxic to cats and dogs

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions regarding the Jade Plant or suggestions for plants you would like me to talk about in the future

Care Instructions

🌍Soil

Jade Plants prefer a sandy, well-draining soil, like most succulents. If you use regular potting soil, be sure to water less frequently to avoid root rot

💦Water

Use filtered or “aged” water (water left in an open container for several days to remove chlorine) if possible

During spring and summer, keep the soil moist but not wet and empty the catch saucer under the plant after every watering to ensure the roots do not become too wet

Water monthly during the winter, or when the soil is dry and leaves begin to wrinkle

Be careful not to over-water to avoid murdering your Jade Plant 🔪

💩Fertilizer

In mid-spring, feed a controlled-release fertilizer. Alternatively, use a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer at 1/4 strength for adult plants about once every 6 months. Take care to water the plant before fertilizing to avoid burning the roots

🌞Environment

Place the plant in a bright area with access to around 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. You may place the plant outdoors during the summer, but be mindful of too much direct sun or heat, as well as pests

Keep room temperature between 65-70°F (18-21°C) during spring, summer, and fall with low humidity

In the winter, aim for a temperature of 50-65°F (10-18°C)

👩‍🌾Re-potting

Jade plants prefer to be a bit crowded in their containers and should only need to be transplanted to a larger one every 3-5 years.

Wait until the plant’s soil is completely dried out

Choose a container that is 1-2 inches larger than the current one and has holes for drainage in the bottom

Pour an inch of well-draining potting mix into the new container

Gently hold the plant’s as close to the soil line as possible, turn the pot sideways, and slowly pull the plant out

If desired, use sharp scissors to snip excess roots emerging from the main root mass, apply fungicide to any cuts on the plant or roots

Put the plant in the new container and fill up the area around the plant, taking care not to change how high the soil line is on the plant and gently spreading the roots out

Leave the plant dry for a week or so and then slowly resume watering to reduce the chance of root rot

✂Pruning

Pruning is generally not needed unless you wish to shape the plant.

Visualize how you’d like the plant to look in the future and select a place on the plant you wish to be thicker, as pruning will cause two new stems to sprout from the pruning site

For adult plants, prune just above one of the leaf scars (brown rings on stem) using sharp pruning shears or a blade to sprout two new stems from the pruned location

For a young plant, you can pinch off the growing end of a stem using your thumb and forefinger, and two new stems will sprout from the site

🌱Propagation

Water the day before taking a cutting to ensure proper hydration

From a branch cutting:

Select a healthy branch, 3-4 inches in length

Cut the branch off using a sharp, clean blade

If possible, dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone to encourage rooting and help fight off disease

Place the cutting in a dry, warm place for 1-2 weeks until the wound develops a callous

Place the cutting in a potting mixture of 1/2 vermiculite or perlite and 1/2 soil

Water sparingly and keep the soil damp until rooting occurs, then you may water normally

From a leaf:

If your jade plant has no branches longer than 3-4 inches, you can still propagate using only leaves

Select a healthy leaf from the plant and snip it at the base

Lay the leaf down onto a mixture of 1/2 vermiculite or perlite and 1/2 soil

Water sparingly once and then sparingly until the leaf sprouts roots

Continue to water sparingly and keep soil damp until plantlets appear, which will typically be after about 2-8 weeks

Once plantlets reach a few inches in height, treat them as you would a normal Jade Plant