Crassula Ovata (Jade) #1

[Orion_metalhead]

Picked up these cuttings at Home Depot while looking for trim for the spice rack I built my wife. As a thank you, she hid them from me for 3hrs because I have too many plants.



When I found them hidden behind another plant in the bedroom, I smuggled them downstairs so I could repot them into a better substrate for the winter.

I raked out the mess of soil they were in and picked them apart to find four plants with somewhat radial root planes.




I decided this one was my favorite from the bunch at the moment...



I started preparing a pot but realized I had my drainage screen in the shed so improvised by notching the lid to a container I found in the basement to act as a cover.




I used some of the soil from the original pot but added a bit of 8822 for airation and water retention. I like how quickly it dries for my succulents because I can water them more without worrying about root rot.



I also potted the others into spare pots. Now I have four of these things! I lightly watered after planting to settle them in the pot. Will leave em for a couple weeks unwatered now.

 

[Carol 83]

Fun little project. I did something similar with a grocery store jade a few years ago. The leaves will actually reduce.

 

[AlainK]

It's fun to take cuttings from Crassula, even one leaf left on the soil of a pot will root, like this one made years ago. I moved it inside a couple of days ago because the temps here went down to 1.5°C (33.8F).

I might remove the small branch on the right and plant it again slightly moved to the right :



Next time you go to a garden center, just take a leaf or two from any Crassula species, let it dry for 24hrs (or more), then put in in a pot, there's a 99% chance it will root. I have others, like 'Hobbit', or 'Compacta' (very small leaves).

 

[AlainK]

Talking about cuttings, I had these Crassula ovata, 'Hobbit' that needed repotting. My son had already sold some for pocket money at his school, we had so many

November 2018 :



To save space, I decided to tie them together (though it might take a long time for the trunks to fuse) because they're more "tree-like" like the plain species.

Today, Nov. 14th :



It's fun. It's fun...

 

[AJL]

Fun little project. I did something similar with a grocery store jade a few years ago. The leaves will actually reduce. View attachment 271087View attachment 271088View attachment 271089

The variegated plant here looks like a Portulaca. Hows this looking now?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Alain, I was undecided between this crassula and the one with the tubular leaves. Ill pick a few leaves from that next time.

 

[AlainK]

the one with the tubular leaves

The one I got had no label, but it's either 'Hobbit' or 'Gollum'. Since I don't know, I chose 'Hobbit'

There's a nursery that provides various succulents, here's the page for "Crassula" :

Rechercher

www.arreesucculentes.com

Cuttings from the wee one ('compacta'):

 

[canoeguide]

To save space, I decided to tie them together (though it might take a long time for the trunks to fuse) because they're more "tree-like" like the plain species.

Wait, what? Will C. ovata actually fuse (like a ficus will)?

 

[Colorado]

Flowers are nice, too.

 

[AlainK]

Wait, what? Will C. ovata actually fuse (like a ficus will)?

I'm not sure at all : I'm just experimenting

 

[Carol 83]

The variegated plant here looks like a Portulaca. Hows this looking now?

Yep, it's a mixed bag of jade and p. afra in the big pot. Looks about the same, it's a pretty recent picture.

 

[AlainK]

It's incredible how resistant they are when placed in good condition (sun in summer, cool room in winter with as much light as possible).

I put these 1-yr-old cuttings in a small pot in July 2017 :



I've just taken them (it) inside because we'll have a short period of mild frost in a couple of days. I never changed the soil, I only add some akadama on the top soil to make it even. And yet, it seems it's happy this way

 

[Forsoothe!]

Me, too. This one is 10 years in the making. Chop, grow, chop, grow, etc. Their only saving grace is bulletproofness and this pot is under an inch deep. I could forgive them if they would flower, which takes forever. The pot is Dale Cochoy, 2009.

 

[AlainK]

I could forgive them if they would flower, which takes forever.

From what I've seen, only big ones (over one foot) that haven't been pruned flower. A period of low temps, just above freezing seems to help too.

 

[pauloe]

Talking about cuttings, I had these Crassula ovata, 'Hobbit' that needed repotting. My son had already sold some for pocket money at his school, we had so many

November 2018 :

View attachment 271098

To save space, I decided to tie them together (though it might take a long time for the trunks to fuse) because they're more "tree-like" like the plain species.

Today, Nov. 14th :

View attachment 271099

It's fun. It's fun...

A little over one year, did the fusion work?

 

[AlainK]

No it didn't and I don't think it will...

 

[Underdog]

A period of low temps, just above freezing seems to help too.

How much cold can these stand? I've always kept mine in below 48-50 F

 

[Colorado]

A period of low temps, just above freezing seems to help too.

I think this is the key.

They can take temps down into the high 30s F for a BRIEF period, as in a couple hours overnight.

I left mine out last year until every night was getting into the 30s before I brought it in, and then it flowered for weeks.

 

[AlainK]

I've always kept mine in below 48-50 F

That's about 9°C.

I leave mine outside down to 4°C (about 39F). They can even stand a few hours at -1,-2°C (30-28 F), though that's not recommended. But I forgot to put them inside a couple of times when there was a mild frost and they always survived. But flowering also depends on the ageof the tree, and probably the way it's fertilized.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Jades are all alive and happy outside now. Looking forward to cutting them up later this summer haha.