Crassula ovata

jade plant
Super tough, easy-to-grow succulent mini-tree makes starry winter flowers. Fantastic in a pot, great in the ground, too.
Crassula ovata
height 2–5ft
width 2–3ft
tolerates Coast, Cool Summers, Drought, Deer , Fog, Gophers, Heat, Pots, Rooftops, Neglect, Salt, Wind
water
needs		 Lowest
water
info		 Crassulas in general are quite drought tolerant, and these larger ones with tree-like form are extremely drought tolerant. They store water in their thick succulent stems, so in coastal California, they won’t need supplemental irrigation once established. To keep them looking lush during summer, water them every two weeks to a month, or whenever the leaves start to shrivel up and fall off.
hardy
to		 30F
exposure Full Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
origin NE South Africa
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 12, 13, 15–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

Tree-like crassulas make excellent bonsai-style succulents in even very small pots. Prune them back hard at least once a year to keep a squat form.
Summer color is part of the natural beauty of these plants and is not a sign of trouble.
They can grow in full dry shade, but will not want any supplemental water.
Often when a plant runs totally dry it will shed some branches, these branches then land on the soil and root. In this way this plant makes shrubby patches over many years.

Special Interest

A staple of coastal California gardens for over a hundred years.

These crassulas are easy to propagate from cuttings, but they must be completely dry and calloused over before planting. Often they will scab and then the scab can be removed, exposing a sealed smooth skin where the cut was. They can also be propagated by simply laying cuttings on the ground, where they root through the sides of the branch. The leaves are also easy to propagate and will root easily.