Jade Plant

The Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) is the succulent that forgives almost everything except overwatering. It builds a thick woody trunk and fleshy, glossy leaves, reaching about 1m tall and 0.8m wide over many years, and mature plants carry clusters of small white to pink flowers in the cooler months. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and happy in poor soil, it is a long lived plant that often outlasts the pot it came in.

Why you'll love it

• It survives being forgotten. The leaves store water, so a missed fortnight does no harm. More jade plants are killed by kindness than by neglect.
• A living sculpture. Older plants thicken into a gnarled miniature tree, so a single specimen in a good pot works as a feature on its own.
• Coastal and hot climate proof. Salt and heat tolerant, so it holds up on an exposed balcony or a beach house courtyard where softer plants crisp.
• Winter flowers. Established plants in a sunny position carry small white to pale pink starry flowers when little else is out.
• Easy to multiply. A leaf or a broken stem laid on dry mix will root, so one plant becomes a row of gifts.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. This is the jade plant's natural home. A wide, shallow terracotta pot suits the root system, and terracotta helps the mix dry between waterings.

Rockeries and dry gardens. Planted among stone in free draining ground it needs no irrigation once established, which suits a hot bank or a driveway strip.

Coastal and small gardens. Salt spray does not mark the leaves, so it works on exposed decks, and at around a metre it fills a corner without needing to be cut back.

Growing Jade Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to bright light gives compact growth and the red leaf edges that appear when a plant is properly lit. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and being frost tender it needs a pot under cover in frosty districts.

Soil and pots. Free draining is the only real requirement. Use a cactus and succulent mix in containers, and on heavy garden soil plant on a raised mound. Always choose a pot with drainage holes.

Water. Soak thoroughly, then wait until the mix is completely dry before watering again. That usually means every two to three weeks in summer and much less in winter. Soft, yellowing, dropping leaves mean too much water, not too little.

Feed, shape and one caution. A weak dose of controlled release fertiliser in early spring is enough for the season, and pinching stem tips encourages branching. Crassula ovata is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so keep it out of reach where there are pets.

What to expect when it arrives

Jade plants are supplied in tube, 140mm, 200mm, 300mm and 400mm sizes, with the smaller sizes sold in packs. Tube and 140mm plants are young and single stemmed, and the value option for filling several pots. The 300mm and 400mm plants already carry branching and a woody trunk, so buy those for an instant feature.

Succulents travel well because they carry their own water. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Leave a new plant dry for its first week, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full succulent range
• Compare plants for bright indoor positions
• Design ideas for courtyards and balconies

Common questions

Can I grow a jade plant indoors?

Yes, provided you give it the brightest position in the house, ideally a north or east facing window. It is not a low light plant: in a dim corner the stems stretch and the leaves thin out.

Why are the leaves dropping?

Overwatering is the usual cause, particularly in winter. Let the mix dry out completely between waterings, and do not leave the pot sitting in a saucer of water.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Jade plant is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, so keep it somewhere animals cannot reach it.