Crassulaspp.
Crassulais a way-out - appear group of succulent that have inspired some quirky common public figure .
We link to vendors to aid you find relevant products . If you buy from one of our link , we may earn a commission .
The popular jade industrial plant is oneCrassulaspecies . It and the less well - known Crassula uncommitted to the family gardener each have their own form of fleshy , H2O - retentive leafage and maybe a unique colour or rose window pattern .
Those quirk give wage increase to coarse name calling for the various species like silvery clam flora , worm works , jade necklace , and calico kitty .
They share many traits and grow requirements , but they do n’t often attend that similar .
I ’ll introduce you to this intriguing genus and then let you adjudicate for yourself which single should make their way into your houseplant or Zone 11 to 12 outside repeated collection .
Here ’s what I ’ll extend :
What You’ll Learn
Cultivation and History
aboriginal to South Africa , the mintage in theCrassulagenus start the gamut from branching kind likejade plants ( C. ovata)to “ heap leafage ” types like atomic number 47 one dollar bill ( C. arborescens ) , to press trail types like jade necklace ( C. marnieriana ) .
Crassula means “ thickheaded ” in Latin . It ’s an clever name for this genus since all varieties give rise overweight leaf where they lay in water supply .
Some variety produce rosettes in various sizing and shapes , and they may feature a variety of colors , including ashen , pink , or magenta , in plus to hopeful green .
In the wild or when raise as a perennial out-of-doors , jade can strain six foundation marvellous and blooms with clusters of waxy flowers .
Various other genus Crassula metal money also bloom readily when grown alfresco , but the flowers are n’t as abundant as those of trollop plant .
Jade grows wild in thicket in the valley in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu - Natal provinces of South Africa , where its radical are often shredded and ready for eat on .
Outside their native range , crassula succulents only grow as perennials in the hospitably warm areas ofUSDA Hardiness Zones11 to 12 . jubilantly for us indoor gardeners , they boom as houseplant !
Read on for an introduction to growing and caring for genus Crassula , punctuated with lots of extolment for its low - maintenance nature .
Propagation
The simplest way to propagate crassula is via cutting .
For the types that have a shrublike outgrowth habit , simply take a stem cutting that ’s a couple of in long and root it in the soil .
To steady down a cut from a stacked - leaf variety , remove one of the lowest leave-taking and poke the end that was attached to the stem into the soil , plunging it half an inch thick .
It ’s not advisable to divide most matured crassula species for new starting .
Jade is one case with a etymon system that becomes so entwined , you may terminate up losing both plants in the unconscious process if you assay to separate them .
But Crassula will sometimes acquire “ pups ” or offsets near the substructure of the plant life , and they ’re fair game for hollow up to broadcast .
Learn more about these methods in ourguide to propagating succulents .
How to Grow
If you ’re golden enough to live in an orbit where you’re able to grow genus Crassula outdoors , choose a full sun spot with afternoon shade and well - draining dirt .
You ’ll also want to water outside specimen only once the soil has dried down to a depth of several in . Use asoil moisture meterto make certain you ’re not overwatering .
watch succulents outside in the garden in our guide .
Containers
Be sure to prefer a container with holes in the bottom to provide that all - important drain that discourages expiry by origin rot . Place saucers beneath pot indoors .
Soil
Fill each pot with a specialty cactus orsucculent mixto about an in below the lip , so the soil wo n’t wash out when you water your works .
take the proper grunge and container for your houseplant in our guide .
Placement
If you ’d wish to keep them outdoors for the leap and/or summer , identify the plants in an area protected from wind since they can bollocks up over easily , especially the branching bush kind like strumpet .
They ’ll want full sun , with trade protection from rough good afternoon rays . The idealistic spot has sunrise sunlight and good afternoon shade .
Bring plant indoors when temperature are expected to plunge below 50 ° degree Fahrenheit . at heart , they will postulate a spot with smart Inner Light for at least six hours a day , and rise salutary in the 60 to 75 ° F temperature range .
The same temperature and light requirements apply if you choose to grow crassula as a houseplant class - round .
Watering
Crassula does n’t need a time period of wintertime dormancy , but it does n’t spring up substantially in the fall or wintertime , so it ’s a good theme to slow down down on the lacrimation then .
Make certain the water drain entirely each time , and discard any excess from the saucer .
Succulents store water in their leaves , but when their roots get waterlogged for a prolonged period , they can develop root word hogwash and must be trashed .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
There are some types of crassula that can profit from the periodic trim to maintain cast and promote hefty ontogenesis .
This tactics also yield cutting off to root , and makes it potential to avoid the need for repot plants that are shed over the sides of their container .
Pups are alsoperfect for propagating , if they develop . But if you must , you’re able to also deplume set-back from the soil and dispose of them in the compost to keep the plants from getting ungainly .
Jade plants might benefit from some shaping , but they already “ prune ” themselves by dropping leaves from their lower extremities as they start to grow on vertical stalks and organize their Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree shapes .
The other maintenance chore for crassula will imply repotting . But do n’t rush it !
Usually , they ’ll need a raw container just once every duo of years , and it should be only a sizing larger than the previous pot .
For fledged specimen , that interval can extend to as many as five years , especially if you on occasion curtail the stem ends on shrub varieties to keep them well - shaped and more compact .
Species and Cultivars to Select
Whether you ’re a die - hard succulent collector or Modern to growing this eccentric of industrial plant , theCrassulagenus offers diverse options , with many metal money and cultivars available to home gardeners .
Here are a few of the most democratic :
Gollum
AC . ovatacultivar like the more unwashed jade tree diagram , ‘ Gollum ’ is a shrubby succulent with distinctive tubular leaf that grow upright .
The open remainder look like suction cupful and will develop bright red tip if they receive rich light .
‘ Gollum ’
Find ‘ Gollum ’ in four - column inch potsavailable from Bumble Plants via Walmart .
Silver Dollar
C. aborescens , or silvern one dollar bill plants , are one of the larger genus Crassula shrubs , able to raise four animal foot tall and spread a few feet , too .
This species grow flat , silver , spoonful - shaped leaves butt with maroon on thick , fleshy stems .
you may expect clusters of pink or livid flower if you live in zone 11 and 12 , where facile dollar can be grown out of doors . Indoors , this silvery beauty rarely blooms .
Silver Dollar Jade
Find silver dollar jade plant in one - gallon potsavailable from Plants for Pets via Amazon .
Watch Chain
C. muscosais also known commonly as rattail crassula .
The stems are covered by tiny , overlapping , unclouded gullible leaves and can grow to about 12 in tall .
As they get taller , the subdivision start to drape from pots , wee-wee this crassulaa good option for hanging baskets .
Watch chain of mountains plant life are available in two- , four- , or six - inch pots fromSucculents Depot via Walmart .
Want More selection ?
Be certain to assure out our supplemental templet , “ 13 of the Best Crassula Varieties to Grow at Home . ”
Managing Pests and Disease
One of the reasons crassula is so fun to grow is that it wo n’t usually receive pest infestations or sustain scathe from plebeian houseplant diseases .
You should still watch out for these likely sources of damage , though :
Pests
Your eyes are the first line of defence in protecting crassula from bugs . Usually , if you see any of these louse before they ’ve stick a fastness , you may extinguish them cursorily .
This insect from the Pseudococcidae family is singularly unlikeable , with tiny little nymphs and grownup female person that look like crawl bits of , well , mucus .
They lay eggs on the plants and feed on all part of the crassula , worm their way into the soil , and secrete “ honeydew ” that hold fast to the plant and encouragesblack jet moldto form .
take away a modest infestation of these viscous bugs with a cotton fiber pad dipped in rubbing intoxicant .
For elbow room to handle a more widespread outbreak , read our mealybug guide .
Scale will also soak up the life - sustain fool from thick , fleshy genus Crassula leaves .
These are also itty-bitty bugs , in white , chocolate-brown , or gray .
Wipe off just a few with the erstwhile itch - intoxicant - dampened cotton orchis john , or use insecticidal soap or neem oil for more austere cases .
More complete directions forpreventing and eradicating scale can be found in our guide .
These lilliputian arachnid sap - patsy cause leaves to yellow or develop brown musca volitans that get magnanimous and larger .
The top preventive bill is dusting the leaves . And the first line of handling is spraying the bugs off the plants with a steady flow of waterfrom the hoseor kitchen sink nozzle .
For more unyielding suit , try treating the industrial plant with neem oil or a few drops of rosemary essential crude mixed with water in a nebuliser feeding bottle , and squirted on the foliage .
Read more about ensure mites on succulents in our guide .
Diseases
Like most succulents , genus Crassula wo n’t have much trouble with houseplant disease .
The independent one to watch out for is root rot , which you could discourage by planting in well - draining potting soil and ensuring you do n’t overwater the plant life , or let it sit in a saucer of drained water .
Also be on the lookout for powdery mildew , which may look like a ok dusting of flour on the leaves but is actually the final result of a fungus from theErysiphegenus .
If you ’ve placed genus Crassula in a humid topographic point , powdery mildew may emerge even if you ’ve been thrifty not to permit the grime get too doughy .
you may remedy a lighter dust with a washcloth drizzle with water supply , but a more advanced case might require fungicide .
To keep and notice powdery mould , check out our guide tohome and commercial redress .
Best Uses
Most crassula varieties make excellent houseplant for bright indoor space , especially if you ’re looking for a industrial plant that can get by with down in the mouth humidness .
They ’re also lovely in small rock gardens , and the taller jadestone trees can serve as a focal percentage point in a bunch of shorter houseplant .
For my money , though , the best use for genus Crassula is as a collectible succulent .
Within this one genus are so many quirky , colourful variety , each with the same growing requirements as the others but with vastly different appearances .
Why not take the chance to grow several in a single bowl or windowpane boxwood , experimenting with the various colors , size of it , and rosette and leaf shapes that all can share an indoor gardening place ?
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Jade Is Just the Start
As an enthusiastic succulent collector , I like the variety available within this genus .
And since crassula is low maintenance , I ’m able to keep a wide grasp of these beauties without excessive campaign on my part . I have it away that !
And if you ’re concerned in some othersucculents that thrive with slight care , understand these guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product photos via Plants for Pets and Walmart . Uncredited photo : Shutterstock .
About
Rose Kennedy
