Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Houseplant: Crassula Ovata (Common Name: Jade Plant, Money Tree)





Houseplant: Crassula Ovata (Jade Plant, Money Tree)


I think the Jade plant name refers to its leaf color - a jade gemstone.


a succulent, easy to kill plant by over watering. This is one of my favorite houseplant.

Crassula Ovata (located on top of my kitchen shelf)

I put my Jade on top of my kitchen shelf, near a lamp. It gets light and I barely water it, so it has find it's perfect spot.

Members of the Crassulaceae Family were natives to dessert, growing in sand. However, these Jade plant are grown as houseplant in a home with really low humidity. To make matters worst, we tend to fertilize it, and put assortment of soil like cactus soil mix - which I find too fertile for Jade. As a result, the Jade grow too fast, only to fall over because the trunk was not sturdy enough to hold each growth weight. Ah, talking about plant on steroids! You cruel plant owner...yes, I am talking about you. So, we have the perfect formula to kill a plant?
No, you do not have a brown thumb, just don't use that thumb often, okay?


This tray of Crassula ovata were cuttings from Yvonne. She is a very lovely lady, who knows how to keep your Crassula Ovata alive. Since it was big tree, and has small branches that needed a good home, I am the willing, eager home gardener to do it.
an assortment of 6 clear cups of young cuttings.




one oddly cut branch, so I end up putting it in its own set-up (recycle plastic- a container of mini-muffins, I re-use as propagating pot).

last tray of Crassula ovata leaves. (re-use little plastic trays that I collected this season from Ottawa gardeners - Thank you again!) I cannot throw away such healthy speciment, so I made 2 trays leaves - propagating Jade by leaf cuttings.


SOIL MIX: please do not use garden soil if you think you are saving money, surefire way to kill a cutting. Organisms in the garden soil will chew this young plant to compost in no time. If you must use garden soil, bake it, microwave it, kill those organisms that may chew your cutting.
What I used? Perlite, Vermaculite, Canadian Spaghnum/Peat Moss and Tropical Mix, 4 equal parts.


I let know you what is the result of these cuttings. Since Crassula ovata grows with less care, I may have some baby plant to share to you soon.
Contact me on my email: angelina2600@gmail.com if you want some of these young Crassula ovata.


I found this link on the web discussing more about Crassula ovata:
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantcd/crassovat.htm


1 comment:

  1. Even though you don't have any prayer plant cuttings available, can you send a jade plant cutting? I would be a happy plant person with a jade plant! Thanks for all of your help!

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