Jade Plant Care

Jade plants (Crassula ovata or C. argentea), also known as lucky plants or money plants, are a favorite houseplant thanks to their adaptability and attractive, gem-like green leaves. With a bonsai tree-like growth habit, these charming and easy-to-propagate plants can grow well in any area of your home with bright, indirect light. Jade plants can beautify your space for years with the right conditions and a little routine care. If you have pets in the household, be careful to keep your jade plant out of their reach, as the entirety of the plant (both leaves and stem) is toxic to pets.

Botanical Name: Crassula ovata or C. argentea
Common Name: Jade plant, lucky plant, money plant
Plant Type: Succulent
Mature Size: 5 feet tall
Sun Exposure: Bright, direct light
Soil Type: Fast-draining soil
Soil pH: 6.1 to 6.3
Toxicity: Toxic to pets1

Plant Care

Jade plants are some of the hardiest succulents available. With the right care and growing conditions, your plant can live a long, flourishing life. While some varieties are dwarf types, others can grow up to five feet tall when mature.

Allow your jade plant’s soil to nearly dry out between watering, but always be sure to water thoroughly. When displayed in areas with less light, it will need watering less frequently. During the summer months, when your plant is in growth mode, keep the soil slightly moist. Fertilize your jade plant every four months or so. Road side trees are especially prone to abiotic stress by exhaust fumes, toxic road debris, soil compaction, and drought which makes them susceptible to fungal infections and various plant pests. When tree removal is not an option, because of road ecology considerations, the main challenge is to achieve road safety (visibility of road signs, blockage-free lanes, etc.) while maintaining tree health.

These comprehensive care tips will guide you through the process of selecting, planting, and caring for the right tree for your space.

It’s important to remember that proper tree care starts when you select a tree. And what you do to your tree in its first few years of life will affect its shape, strength, and even its lifespan. Following these steps will make sure your tree gets a good start for a healthy life.

Jade Plant Care: Best Growing Conditions for Jade Plants

Jade plants are succulents that grow best in dry conditions with bright light, low humidity, and cool temperatures. Plant your jade in fast-draining soil like a potting mix formulated for cacti or succulents.

Choose a spot in a south-facing window: Aim for at least four hours of direct sunlight each day to give your jade plant the brightest light possible. To create that signature reddish tinge on its paddle-shaped leaves, display you’re jade in a spot with more light.

If you plan to move your jade plant outside for the summer, let it acclimate gradually. Start with a shady spot, then slowly move it to sunnier areas until it’s in full sun.

When it comes to watering, if you start noticing yellow or drooping leaves, your plant likely needs water. Conversely, waterlogged soil or root rot are signs you need to scale back the watering.

On the hottest days of the year (above 90 degrees), move your jades into the shade to avoid sunburn. Check soil moisture levels during this time, and water accordingly so the plant doesn’t dry out.

Despite the fact that they’re sun-loving succulents, jade plants grow well indoors thanks to their adaptability to temperature. While temps between 50 degrees and 70 degrees are preferred, jade plants can tolerate temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees without damage. Especially for variegated species, moderate temperature by placing your jade plant further away from windows during extreme temperatures outside.

Types of Jade Plants

While there are over 1,400 types of jade plants, some of the most common variants include ‘Tricolor’ (pink flowers at certain times of the year), ‘Variegata’ (ivory leaves streaked with green), ‘Sunset’ (yellow leaves with red tips), ‘Red’ (reddish-purple leaves), ‘Monstruosa Hobbit’ (curled yellow-green leaves), ‘Monstruosa Gollum’ (elongated leaves), ‘Copper’ (green leaves with bronze edges), ‘Bluebird’ (gray-blue leaves with red tips), and ‘Ripple Leaf’ (wavy-edged leaves).

How to Propagate Jade Plants

The jade plant is one of the easiest plants to propagate by stem or leaf cuttings, although the latter takes longer to show new growth. Here are the best ways to propagate your jade plant:

How to Propagate Jade Plants via Stem Cuttings

Step 1: Use clean, sharp gardening shears to cut a thick stem (3 to 5 inches long) with healthy leaves. Remove the lower leaves, then set the cutting in a sunny spot for a few days until the cut end forms a callus that’s lighter in color and feels firm.
Step 2: Fill a small pot with succulent soil and create a long, thin hole in the center. To help roots grow faster, apply rooting hormone (powdered or liquid) to the bottom inch of the callused stem. Gently place the stem into the pot, then pat down the soil until the cutting stands up on its own.

Step 3: Keep the cutting out of direct sunlight for three to four weeks. Once new growth appears, gradually move it closer to a window with bright sunlight. Water sparingly during this time.

How to Propagate Jade Plants via Leaf Cuttings

Step 1: Using a clean, sharp blade, remove a large, healthy-looking leaf.

Step 2: Place the leaf onto dry succulent soil away from direct sunlight until roots begin to grow. Rooting hormone can be applied to the cut end of the leaf, and a mix of equal parts succulent soil and perlite or vermiculite can lighten the soil texture to encourage growth.

Step 3: Look for tiny roots to sprout from the cut end of the leaf, which can take several weeks. Place the leaf in a small pot of fast-draining soil mix such as a perlite-sand blend. New growth will appear, and the original leaf will shrivel completely as the roots are established.

Jade succulent plant: Potting and Repotting

Since jade plants are so slow-growing, it’s not urgent to repot your plant on a regular basis—they can live happily in a too-small container for years. Jades should be repotted every few years as a matter of routine, and they can be safely repotted any time of year. Choose a pot no more than two sizes larger than the current vessel. The best option is a ceramic pot with ample drainage.

Common Problems With Jade Plants

Jade plants are relatively easy to care for, but there are a few common problems you may encounter. When you’re growing your plant, watch out for these signs that it needs extra care:

Root Rot

Since jade plants store water in their fleshy leaves, it’s important to avoid overwatering or poorly-drained soil, which can cause root rot. Dropping leaves, dark or soft stems or leaves, and mushy brown roots are all common signs. Treat this by taking the plant out of the pot, then removing as much soil as possible. Allow the plant to air out for a few days, then repot it in fresh succulent mix once the roots are dry.

Spotty, discolored, or dropping leaves on a jade plant that hasn’t been watered in a while can indicate the opposite problem: drought stress. If you see these signs, water the plant and monitor the soil moisture going forward.

Mealybugs

Watch out for mealybugs, which can infest your jade plant with a white cotton-like substance. Treat mealybugs by swabbing the entire plant with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then rinse the leaves and stems with water or insecticidal soap.
Continue treatment until the infestation has disappeared. Mealybugs nestle in the space where leaves and stems meet, so check those crevices when treating the plant.

How to Get Jade Plants to Bloom

Some specimens, particularly those that are pot-bound or mature, will sprout small white or pink flowers in winter. If your jade is in a space with lights on overnight, moving it to a place that’s dark at night in the fall can help to promote blooming, which is triggered by the longer nights in winter.

FAQs

Are Jade Plants Easy to Care for?

Jade plants are especially easy to care for when it comes to common houseplants. They are very adaptable to temperature and can thrive in any space with bright, direct light.

How Fast do Jade Plants Grow?

An indoor jade plant typically grows about 2 inches each year but may grow faster in a very sunny area.

How Long Can Jade Plants Live?

Species like jade plants in the Crassula ovata family can live for several decades, with some variants surviving upwards of 100 years.

What’s the Difference Between Jade Plants and Elephant Bush?

Although they look similar, elephant bush (Portulacaria afra) is not related to jade plants. Native to South Africa, elephant bush has darker stems and grows less upright than jade plants.

Can Jade Plants Grow Indoors?

While they don’t grow as fast as they do outside, jade plants are hardy houseplants that can thrive indoors with simple care steps.

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Bamboo Plants Care

Care of Your Bamboo Plants

Bamboo is a very easy plant to care for, follow these tips and the planting guide and you will see the true beauty of what a bamboo grove can provide. New plants require some care to get established, but overtime can typically take care of itself.

Watering

This is the most important part. Watering will help establish your planting and produce better results. Over the next couple of weeks, daily watering is recommended. If your plant does begin to loose leaves, it may be just adjusting to its new home and sunlight conditions. Even under most all conditions, the bamboo will retain 70% of its leaves. After a period of time, it should put on new leaves to replace the ones it dropped during the transition. If any stress like defoliation is noticed increase watering times. Water is the key for health bamboo. During the hot summertime even established bamboo will roll their leaves to prevent transpiration. This is a neat characteristic of bamboo so, do not be alarmed to see your bamboo roll up its leaves. If you water it during very hot times that is great and will assist the bamboo during its growth. Once established, bamboo needs little care and normal rainfall is generally all that is needed. Watering daily if you have well drained soil is great! The only time you should not water, is when the bamboo is sitting in standing water. Remember the bamboo canes on your existing division are through growing. Most all the growth now will be under ground. Each spring new canes will emerge taller and larger in diameter each year until mature size for your species and climate zone are reached.

Fertilizers

The three numbers on fertilizers are important factors. The first number represents nitrogen. Nitrogen is the element for growth. The second number is phosphorus and it has to do with the transfer of carbohydrates. Carbs are essential for the bamboo to store nourishment in the rhizomes. The last number represents potassium and is necessary for photosynthesis. This is very important for the plant’s metabolism. Extra amounts of this element helps the bamboo to withstand drought, heat and cold.

Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo has been a staple in homes and Feng Shui for years. It’s a symbol of luck and prosperity making it a common gift and the perfect small house plant. Learn more about why this plant is so popular and how you can grow one of your own.
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) – 2.5 suns out of 5. Three water drops out of five, temperature 65–95 degrees farenheit. Toxicity: harmful to cats and dogs.

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is surprisingly not actually bamboo as its scientific name suggests: It’s part of the Dracaena genus. The lucky bamboo plant is from Southeast Asia and is well-known for its use in Feng Shui for over 5,000 years. In these practices, it is said to represent good luck and happiness, making it an ideal and popular gift in business and personal matters. Another factor that makes lucky bamboo so popular is its ability to be trained into shapes like a swirl, heart, braid and other designs. See the sections below for a more in-depth look at the symbolism of lucky bamboo and how to create different bamboo designs.
Lucky bamboo is an easy plant to care for which makes it great for offices and homes alike. It’s happy growing in soil or water but has the longest life when grown in soil. Because it’s a Dracaena, lucky bamboo care is more in line with Dracaena care as opposed to bamboo. If growing in water, it should be replaced every week. If planted in soil, the soil should be kept slightly damp, so don’t overwater or let it get dry. Lucky bamboo does best in indirect light and in the temperature range of 65–95°F (18–35°C). It loves these somewhat tropical conditions and is considered to be in the hardiness zones of 10–11.

Lucky Bamboo Care Tips

A shelving unit with a marble pot and bamboo inside and a white decorative jar and two dried flowers. The bottom shelf has two glass jars.

It’s fairly simple to learn how to care for lucky bamboo. We’ve included in-depth information on sunlight, water, temperature, toxicity, potting, propagation needs and common pests and problems. Our quick step-by-step bamboo care guide can be seen below:

Carefully remove any packaging and add rocks to your container to act as an anchor.

Place your bamboo in indirect sunlight.

Fill your container with enough water to cover the roots.

Lucky bamboo prefers a temperature range of 65–95°F (18–35°C).

Optional: use a liquid houseplant fertilizer every three to four weeks.

Remove any yellow leaves.

Repot the bamboo as its roots outgrow the container.

Sunlight With A Sun Symbol

Sunlight: Lucky bamboo requires moderate or indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves, so avoid placing your plant in front of a bright window. Scorched leaves look like how they sound: The edges of the leaves will have a brown tinge to them almost like they were burned by fire. If your leaves look a little scorched, move your bamboo to an area with less light.

Water With A Symbol Of A Water Drop

Water: If growing your plant in soil, make sure it’s kept slightly damp. Don’t let the soil get too dry and don’t overwater since that can lead to root rot. Bamboo does not need much water to survive, but it can be grown in water as well. If you choose to grow your bamboo in water, make sure the roots always stay covered with water. Replenish your lucky bamboo with fresh water every seven to 10 days to keep it happy and healthy.

Algae can form in the water, so try to clean out the container and change the water regularly (about once a week). Tap water is okay for the bamboo plant to drink, as long as chlorine levels are low. To be safe, leave tap water out overnight so the chlorine can evaporate before you use it to water your lucky bamboo.

If you have high levels of fluoride in your tap water, we recommend using filtered water, such as bottled water. Fluoride will not evaporate and is toxic to plants like lucky bamboo.

Temperature With A Thermometer Symbol

Temperatures: Lucky bamboo thrives in temperatures anywhere from 65–95°F (18–35°C), so it makes a great office or house plant. During colder months, be wary about leaving your plant near windows or other places with a cold draft.

Twisted bamboo in a glass jar on a living room coffee tablecopy: toxicity with a skull and cross bones symbol
Toxicity: Lucky bamboo is toxic for cats and dogs, so make sure to keep it out of reach. If consumed by your fur babies it can cause incoordination, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, drooling and dilated pupils. Lucky bamboo is not toxic to humans, however.

Pests And Problems With A Symbol Of A Bug

Pests: Some common pests that affect lucky bamboo include mealybugs, mites and fungal infections. If you notice grey fuzz on your plant it could be a fungal infection, so remove the infected growth, keep the stalk and leaves dry, and increase air circulation. Mealybugs are small white insects that should be removed manually and with rubbing alcohol. Although mites (presented as white webbing or fuzz) don’t typically affect lucky bamboo, they can be caught by other household plants. They need to be eradicated with water and dish detergent.
Problems: Your lucky bamboo should be green, but if any part of the stem or leaves are yellow, this indicates your plant could be sick. Remove the yellow part of the stem or the leaves completely so it doesn’t spread to the rest of the plant.

Repotting And Propagation With A Symbol Of A Potted Plant

Repotting: How do you know when to repot your bamboo? You should repot once the roots become too tight in the container. Once you see the roots crowding, move the bamboo to a larger container. If your plant is growing in just water, simply move it to a new vase. If you’re using rocks, dump them out, place your plant in the new container (or trim back the roots to use the same container) and replace the rocks. If you’re using soil, dampen the soil, flip the plant with your hand on the stalks and soil to remove the plant, and move it to a larger pot.

Propagation: To propagate a lucky bamboo plant, first identify a healthy parent stalk (should have more than two bamboo segments) with an offshoot. Clip the offshoot from where it connects to the parent plant stalk and remove its bottom layer of leaves to create a new independent stalk. Place the new stalk in a small container of water and nurture the plant as you would a larger one. Repot as needed.

Lucky Bamboo Symbolism

Traditional Chinese bamboo in a gold pot with a red ribbon and a metal coin.

Lucky bamboo is a perfect option if you’re looking for a Feng Shui compatible plant. According to the Chinese practice, lucky bamboo is related to the five elements: Earth (pebbles in the container), wood (the plant itself), water (the water in the container), fire (the red ribbon often tied on the plant) and metal (the metal coin attached to the ribbon). Since the bamboo is hollow it’s said to be a great conductor of Chi energy. This allows wisdom and prosperity to flow through. The amount of stalks also has a big effect on the meaning of a particular lucky bamboo plant. They all have positive meanings except for four-stalk lucky bamboo, which is one you should avoid.
One stalk: represents unity and unobstructed flow of energy.

Two stalks: represents good luck in love (a great gift for a partner).

Three stalks: represents continued growth, birth and family.

Four stalks: represents death (avoid this plant, it is also considered a rude gift).

Five stalks: represents wealth, longevity, luck, happiness and prosperity.

Six stalks: represents wealth through opportunity and luck (great for businesses).

Seven stalks: represents health and personal growth.

Eight stalks: represents infinite energy and many blessings.

Nine stalks: represents success and gratitude.

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