Jade plant care guide
Crassula ovata
Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are long-lived succulents with thick, glossy leaves on woody, tree-like stems. With bright light and careful watering, a jade can live for decades and grow into a small indoor tree.
This guide covers light, watering, winter care, pruning, propagation and the most common problems, plus care for popular jade varieties.
Bright, indirect light · Direct sun
Every 2 to 3 weeks
Easy
Not pet-safe
Where to water it
Pour water slowly onto the soil around the base, not over the leaves, until it runs out of the drainage holes. Empty the saucer after 15 minutes.
When: When the soil is fully dry and the leaves feel slightly less firm.
Where to put it
A south or west window with several hours of sun.
Common mistakes
- Overwatering
- Too little light
- Pots without drainage
Jade plant care at a glance
Care tips for an indoor jade plant.
| Need | What to do |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright light with at least 4 hours of direct sun. |
| Water | When the soil is completely dry, about every 2 to 3 weeks. |
| Temperature | 65°F to 80°F. Cooler winters, 50°F to 60°F, are fine. |
| Humidity | Low. Dry indoor air is ideal. |
| Soil | Cactus or succulent mix. |
| Pot | A heavy, wide pot with drainage, like terracotta. |
| Fertilizer | Succulent fertilizer every 2 to 3 months in spring and summer. |
| Pets | Toxic to cats and dogs. |
How much light does a jade plant need?
Jade plants need bright light and at least 4 hours of direct sun a day to stay compact. A south or west window is ideal. In good sun, leaf edges blush red, which is healthy.
In low light, jades stretch, lean and drop leaves. If you don't have a sunny window, a grow light 6 to 12 inches above the plant works.
How to water a jade plant
Water deeply only when the soil is completely dry, then let the pot drain fully. That's usually every 2 to 3 weeks in spring and summer and every 4 to 6 weeks in winter.
Overwatering is the most common way to kill a jade. Mushy, yellow or translucent leaves and black stems mean rot. Wrinkled, thin or wilting leaves mean the plant is thirsty.
Jade plant winter care
In winter, jades rest. Water about once a month, stop feeding, and keep them in your sunniest window. Cool nights around 50°F to 55°F are fine and can trigger the small white or pink star-shaped flowers. Keep jades above 40°F and off frosty window glass.
Pruning and propagation
Prune in spring or summer to shape the plant and make it bushier. Cut just above a leaf pair, and two new branches usually grow from the cut. Remove branches that make the plant top-heavy.
Jades are easy to propagate. Let a stem cutting or single leaf dry for a few days until the cut end calluses, then set it on or in dry succulent mix. Water lightly once roots form in 2 to 4 weeks.
Common jade plant problems
Most jade problems come down to light and water.
- Wilting, wrinkled leaves: thirst. Water deeply.
- Soft, yellow leaves dropping: overwatering. Let it dry out and check the roots.
- Healthy-looking leaves dropping: sudden change, cold or too little light.
- Stretched, leaning stems: not enough sun.
- White cottony spots: mealybugs. Dab with rubbing alcohol.
- Brown or black spots: sunburn after a sudden move, or rot.
Jade plants and succulent groupings are a great fit for sunny reception desks and windowsills. Leafstruck maintenance waters them on the right schedule, so they never sit wet.
Plant maintenance serviceOutdoor jade plant care
Jades grow outdoors all year in USDA zones 10 to 12, where they can become 6 foot shrubs. Elsewhere, they love a summer outside in morning sun and afternoon shade. Move them in gradually to avoid sunburn, and bring them in before nights drop below 50°F.
Jade plant varieties
All share the same basic care. Note: "jade pothos" and "wandering jade" are unrelated plants.
Crassula ovata
Also sold as Money plant, friendship tree
The classic jade with oval, glossy leaves.
Care: Standard care.
Gollum jade
Tubular, finger-like leaves with suction-cup tips.
Care: Standard care. Sun turns the tips red.
Hobbit jade
Curled, spoon-shaped leaves.
Care: Standard care. A little more compact than Gollum.
Variegated jade
Also sold as Tricolor, Hummel's Sunset
Leaves striped with cream, yellow or pink.
Care: Bright light, a little less direct sun. Slower growing.
Baby jade and miniature jade
Also sold as Portulacaria afra, elephant bush
Tiny round leaves on red stems.
Care: A different plant with similar care. Tolerates more water and grows faster.
Trailing jade
Also sold as Portulacaria afra prostrata, Senecio jacobsenii
Cascading stems with small leaves.
Care: Hanging baskets in bright light. Water when dry.
Your Jade Plant watering schedule
Every 18 days · about every 3 weeks
Water the soil
Pour water slowly onto the soil around the base, not over the leaves, until it runs out of the drainage holes. Empty the saucer after 15 minutes.
Check first: When the soil is fully dry and the leaves feel slightly less firm.
Jade Plant prefers bright, indirect light or direct sun. In medium light it will struggle whatever the watering.
Schedules are a starting point. Always check the soil before you water. Full Jade Plant care guide
Too many plants to keep track of? We water them for you.
Jade Plant questions
How do you care for a jade plant?
Give it at least 4 hours of direct sun, water deeply only when the soil is completely dry, and use a cactus mix in a pot with drainage.
How often should I water a jade plant?
About every 2 to 3 weeks in spring and summer and once a month in winter.
Why is my jade plant wilting?
Wrinkled, wilting leaves usually mean it's thirsty. Soft, yellow leaves mean overwatering.
Why is my jade plant dropping leaves?
Overwatering, too little light, cold or a sudden move. Check the soil and the light first.
Can jade plants live outside?
Yes, in USDA zones 10 to 12, or outdoors in summer elsewhere. Bring them in before nights drop below 50°F.
Are jade plants toxic to pets?
Yes. Jade plants can cause vomiting and lethargy in cats and dogs.
Succulents that never sit wet
Leafstruck designs succulent and jade displays for sunny spaces and maintains them on a schedule built for each plant.
Plants that like the same light
Test what you know
Water It Right game
Ten plants, two questions each: how often, and where does the water go?
GameFind the Right Spot game
Place each plant in the room where it will thrive, from sunny windows to windowless hallways.
QuizPlant matcher quiz
Answer five questions about your light, space and style to get three plants that will thrive.