Chapter 90 Crassula ovata
90.1 Jade tree
A jade grove planting. The wide basal tapers indicate the jades in this grouping are quite old. Link to original image.
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90.2 Soil: Lean Conifer/Succulent Mix
Ratio: 2 parts bark, 1 part grit
Add-ins: dolomitic limestone (~5 lbs/yd); Tree-Tone (15 lbs/yd)
pH: ~6.5 (slightly below neutral)
Moisture: Fast draining
I think limestone is optional in this case because jades are less fussy about pH.
90.3 Light
Routine: Full sun to part sun. They tolerate less light but become leggy.
Summer: Jades love the sun, and develop red colored leaf edges when grown in full-day sun.
90.4 Cultivation Notes
Jade tree is a succulent shrub or small tree that is native to the Cape region of South Africa, and Mozambique. They are very low maintenance, and tolerate a range of conditions. Given a little care, they can grow to large, showy specimens. That said, they don’t follow a lot of rules that apply to other trees.
Jades thrive outdoors in summer here, especially during dry weather. They prefer mostly to full sun, and need very little water.
They can tolerate near-freezing temperatures, but do better if they come indoors when autumn temperatures fall below 40oF. When jades are exposed to shorter days and chilly nights, they often produce clusters of small pink or white flowers.
90.4.1 Potting and Pruning
Root pruning: jades can be repotted most anytime. They have very a small root mass for the size of the tops, so most jades will not need to be repotted very often.
Top & branch management: single-trunk trees can reach up to 2.5 inches in diameter at the base, but do not form significant nebari. Large trunks tend to have few or no branches near the base; most branches will be in the top half of the tree.
Like pines, jades need 1-2 pad-like leaves to maintain a branch. Do not remove all of the foliage from branches that are being grown out.
Jades are shaped entirely by pinch pruning. They have naturally segmented branches that should NOT be pruned using scissor or pruners. Instead, bend a branch at the point where it needs to be removed, and snap off the extra growth. Save the pruning debris; each piece can be rooted to produce new plants.
When branches die back, they will either shrivel up, or the outer bark will form a hollow cover while the inner core turns black. Usually the dead portion will snap off cleanly at a segment. DO NOT seal the open ends of broken segments. They form a corky scar on their own within a few days.
90.4.2 Feeding
Use slow-release fertilizer pellets such as 18% N, 6% P, 12% K, at half normal rate, or feed biweekly with inorganic, water soluble fertilizers at half strength. Controlled release granules on the top of the soil may not maintain a constant moisture level inside the pellet, resulting in sporadic feeding. Try to incorporate them just below the soil surface.
90.4.3 Pests & Problems
My biggest pest has been squirrels and chipmunks that gnaw on the trunks and branches. While they are outdoors, I keep all of my jades in a wire mesh cage. Indoors I have occasional problems with mealybugs, but usually can control them by washing them away with a garden hose.
90.4.4 Winter Storage
Bring indoors before the first frost. They will die if left outside.
90.5 Propagation Notes
In the wild, jades drop branches that get washed to new locations by seasonal rains. As part of their adaptation to this habit, jade branches need to dry out for a few days before being potted up. To produce new trees, leave pruning debris spread out in a shady dry spot for 2-3 days until the green ends begin to curl under and shrink. Sink the open end into regular soil mix (no rooting hormone is needed) and water in. Keep the soil barely moistened; excessive moisture can make the cuttings rot. New roots will emerge within a few weeks.
90.6 Artistic & Styling Notes
This is a textbook example of the difference between a tree in a pot and a bonsai. This enormous jade is something its caretaker should be rightly proud of, but the structure of the branches is hidden in too much random foliage. With a few years of work this tree could be pruned and trained into an exceptional Imperial size bonsai. This begs the question though; would that give the owner as much joy in their connection to nature? Link to original image.
Jades do not tolerate being wired. The bark is a very thin corky layer, and breaks easily. Let the tree tell you what shape it will take, and encourage growth in the desired directions by regularly pinching back growing tips.