The jade tree is an evergreen succulent plant native to South Africa. This plant is particularly suitable for people who do not have a green thumb. Its cultivation is in fact easy, as the jade tree does not require much watering and its life extends for several years. Find out how to reproduce the jade tree from a leaf.
The jade tree or crassula ovata is an easy-care, succulent plant that is grown in pots as a houseplant. This plant from the Crassulaceae family is also nicknamed the tree of fortune, or the tree of friendship.
Caption: Jade tree. Source: spm
How to reproduce jade tree from a leaf?
Reproduction of the jade tree occurs by cuttings. This technique consists of taking a fragment of a mother plant which we will transplant into a pot or into the ground to have a new plant.
The jade tree can be propagated by leaf or stem cuttings.
- Leaf clippings
Caption: Leaf cuttings. Source: spm
Step 1:
Take the leaves of the mother plant, cut them at the base with a sharp knife and clean them with a clean cloth. Then let them air dry to allow them to heal and prevent rotting.
2nd step:
Choose small terracotta pots and fill them with soil up to 2 cm from the edges. Use a special substrate for succulents or make your own by mixing perlite, sand and compost. Adding sand is important because it promotes soil drainage .
Step 3:
Make small holes in the support and lay a sheet of paper in each hole. Separate the sheets so that they do not touch each other.
Step 4:
The cuttings do not need to be watered. Just spray them with a little water every 3 or 4 days.
Step 5:
Keep your pots in a bright location, for partial shade. You will notice after a few weeks the appearance of new leaves from the base of your cuttings. Repot the new shoots three times at this time into a sufficiently large pot.
- Stem cuttings
Stem cuttings. Source: spm
Step 1:
Using pruning shears, remove a thick stem with sturdy leaves and let it dry to encourage healing.
2nd step:
Pour some cinnamon onto a plate and wrap the stem in this spice. This favors its rooting. In fact, cinnamon acts as a natural rooting hormone. This step is optional, as the jade tree can be taken from cuttings without using hormones.
Step 3:
As with cuttings, choose a terracotta pot and fill it with special soil for succulents.
Step 4:
Make a hole in the ground and plant the stem in it. Your rooting hormone, natural or artificial, must be covered. Close the hole surrounding the stem, without packing the soil too much so as not to reduce drainage.
Step 5:
Keep the pot in a lighted room, but without exposing it to direct sunlight so as not to burn the leaves. You will notice new growth at the top of the stem after 3 to 4 weeks. This means that your cutting has successfully rooted.
Avoid watering the cutting while it is rooting, as this may cause it to rot. Note that you can only repot your plant into a larger pot after it has rooted.
How to maintain jade tree?
- irrigation
The jade tree does not require much watering. Its very thick leaves allow it to store water and therefore limit watering. Additionally, all succulents have water-rich fleshy tissues. They therefore have the ability to retain water and can therefore survive in arid climates or dry soil.
After repotting the new leaves, watering monthly is sufficient. Do not wet the foliage when watering and remove standing water from the saucer to avoid root rot.
- Exposure
The jade tree needs light and sun, but exposure to full sun all day can burn it. Prefer exposure to partial shade.
- I repot
You don’t have to change the pot of your jade tree, as long as you don’t overwater it and it isn’t cramped. On the other hand, it is important to change the soil after 2 years to give your plant drier and fresher soil.
- Fertilizer
Choose a nitrogen fertilizer to fertilize your tree and encourage flowering. Crassula gives small white or pink flowers in early spring.
- parasites
The pests feared by the jade tree are mealybugs. These parasites devastate the crassula, especially when watering is excessive. If an infestation occurs, clean the leaves with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol.
With just leaves or a jade tree stem, you will be able to propagate this plant to keep it as long as you want.