Mini Jade (Crassula Ovata) makes a wonderful desk plant. I found this little guy several months ago while searching the Home Depot succulent section in the garden department.
Jade has many benefits when grown as a house plant. It improves indoor quality by absorbing Co2 at night. It increases humidity, and in some cultures is considered to bring good luck.
Mini Jade looks much like its larger cousin seen here. It has the same sturdy thick trunk and glossy rounded green leaves with red tinged edges. It also produces small star shaped coral pink flowers in spring. It’s easy to care for and makes a wonderful addition to any home or office. Please note that Jade plants are toxic to both cats and dogs, so keep them out of reach.
Easy to care for, Mini Jade likes well drained cactus-succulent potting mix. Let soil dry before watering, because Jade is susceptible to rot. Water more often during the spring and summer growing season, less often during winter.
It needs six hours of sun light daily, but do not place in direct sun light. They do well in pots, so are easy to move if needed.
Jade plants can live for a very long time and are sometimes passed from generation to generation.
It’s easy to start a new plant. Remove either a leaf or take a stem cutting from a well established plant. The cutting should have at least two pairs of leaves. Set the cutting or leaf aside in a warm area for several days. A callous will form over the cut area. This protects the cutting or leaf from taking up too much water when planted, which might cause rot. Don’t worry, the leaves hold plenty of water, and your leaf and cutting will be fine.
After the single leaf is ready, you simply lay it on damp soil in its new pot. Next cover the callused end with soil.
Take the stem cutting when callused, and plant upright in its new pot of damp soil, and prop up. I often use a plastic fork which I will remove later.
The last step is to place the pot in a warm spot with bright light. Do not place in direct sunlight. It is important to hold off watering at this point. After approximately two weeks, the cutting and leaf will start new roots. This does take some patience. Give your new plant at least a week or longer to securely root itself.
You may then give it a gentle watering. Make sure the water goes deep to encourage roots to grow down. Remember to let the soil dry before watering. Treat your new plant gently and avoid placing it in direct sunlight until it is more established.
I hope you will try a Jade plant, either mini or the larger variety. A friend of mine gave me a clipping from her Jade plant which was the larger variety shown above. Here in southern California we see many Jade plants grown outdoors, but I love having both mini and large Jade as house-plants. I hope you will give them a try. They are easy to grow and I believe each has its own personality. You might even give them names. I do.