Jade Plant

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Crassula ovata

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Jade Plant showing woody stems and thick leaves — Whole plant in South Africa. Photograph: Abu Shawka, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

Plant typeWoody succulent shrub

LightBright light; some sun

WaterSoak, then dry well

EdibilityNot edible

U.S. nativeNo

Native to LafayetteNo

InvasiveNot persistent outdoors in Indiana

Self-seedingRare indoors

Identification and care

Opposite pairs of thick oval leaves grow on branching stems that become woody with age. Give very bright light and acclimate gradually to direct sun. Water deeply, drain, and let the mix dry before watering again. Protect from frost.

Standard soil mix

Use two parts coarse mineral aggregate, one part potting mix, and one part coarse sand or fine gravel in a pot with an open drainage hole.

Flowering and propagation

Small star-shaped Jade Plant flowers — Flowers. Photograph: creator listed on source page, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

Mature plants may produce clusters of small star-shaped flowers after bright summers and cool, dry nights. Stem cuttings root reliably after the cut surface has dried.

Environment and native habitat

Crassula ovata growing in Camdeboo National Park — Native habitat, Eastern Cape. Photograph: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Jade Plant among dry rocky Eastern Cape vegetation — Rocky native setting. Photograph: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Rocky South African habitats combine strong light with rapid drainage and seasonal dry periods. Thick leaves store water; continuously wet roots defeat that adaptation.

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Jade Plant

Identification and care

Standard soil mix

Flowering and propagation

Environment and native habitat

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