When I went away to college and got my first apartment, my grandmother (with an amazing green thumb) sent me a couple house plants – an ornamental orange tree and a starter jade plant. I loved them both, and did my best to keep the happy and healthy. I was able to squeeze a little more life out of the jade plant than the orange, but neither could be called successful, exactly. But I’ve ever since just loved jade plants. They’re so strong and versatile (you can start a new one by just sticking a broken branch down in the soil… amazing!) and when grown well, look like little trees. And as mentioned once or twice before around here, I have a thing for trees.
My current jade plant has been around for a few years. I had been giving my old ones too little sunlight and too much water. Turns out if you actually read up on the type of plant you have they tend to fare better than a trial and error method. Here it is:
A couple months ago, a bride (whose wedding I had photographed this summer), along with her mother and grandmother came to my home office to order their wedding albums. The grandmother noticed my jade plant, and asked if I liked them. I told her I did, along with my brief history with them (probably more info than she cared about. I am an over-sharer.) and she mentioned she had a jade that had gotten so large, it’s branches were splitting. She started two new plants from it to remove some weight, and didn’t need three. So she asked if I’d like to have one. I told her that was very kind, and if she really wanted rid of one, I’d be happy to take it.
A few weeks later when the mom came to pick up their albums, she came carrying the single largest jade plant I have ever seen in my life. It weighs about 20 pounds. (I know there are bigger ones than this. I just haven’t met them.)
Look at this thing! Gorgeous. Check out these plump leaves.
And for scale, I propped up an ultra fine point sharpie by the trunk so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about. (For reference, my original little jade plant’s trunk is roughly the size of an ultra fine point sharpie).
I’ve had it for about a month now, and so far, so good. It’s right by the window and I’ve only watered it once. Although I think I’m going to move my original jade into another room because I don’t want it to develop an inferiority complex.
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i love it!!
I have a money tree in my conservatory. The tree is about 1.5 metres high by 1.5 metres wide by 1 metre back to front. We have to keep pruning it to stop it from taking over the conservatory. About mid December it throws out hundreds of tiny white flowers which bloom through to mid Feb, it’s beautiful. Sorry can’t work out ow to attach a picture of it.
hey thanks for that wonderful article about indoor plants .
Thanks you for this great article. Looking for much. bye bye.
we have a mother jade plant (so we’ve been told) that is at least5 ft. tall and almost 5 ft. in diameter. we have been triming 1″ to 2″ dia. limbs from the plant for years just to be able to keep it in the house.it’s been transplanted many times and now is out growing a 24″x24″ clay pot. Is there really such a thing as a “mother plant” and are they saught after by nurseries? thanks, ed
Ed, I’m not sure, but a 5′ jade plant is certainly impressive! I’ve never seen one bigger than my own (for which I can take no credit, as it was a gift). Do you have photos?
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