Crassula - Jade Plant: Planting and Care

Botany and description

The Crassula genus includes nearly 300 species of succulent plants* native to various arid regions worldwide, but primarily from South Africa. Crassulas belong to the Crassulaceae family, which also includes Sedums, Hylotelephiums, Kalanchoes, and Echeverias. The genus name “Crassula” comes from the Latin “Crassus“, meaning “thick”, referring to their fleshy leaves. The most well-known Crassula is typically grown as a houseplant called Crassula ovata or Jade Plant.

Crassula ovata, botanical illustration from 1930

*A succulent plant or malacophyte has fleshy leaves, stems, and even roots that store water. This adaptation (along with their ability to limit water loss) allows these plants to survive and thrive in the most arid environments. The viscous texture of their sap, called “juice”, earned them the nickname “fat plant”, though they contain no actual fat.

Their appearance varies greatly, as the genus includes very different species: some are low-growing and mat-forming, like Crassula exilis, while others develop a shrubby habit over time, such as Crassula ovata or Crassula sarcocaulis, or even become truly arborescent, like Crassula arborescens, which can reach nearly 3 m tall in its natural habitat.

Exceptionally adapted to arid conditions, Crassulas use Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). Simply put: their stomata open at night when temperatures are cooler, reducing water loss through evapotranspiration. The plant absorbs CO₂ at night, storing it as malic acid. This malic acid cannot yet be converted into sugars due to darkness—that happens during the day. In daylight, stomata close to limit water loss, and the plant performs photosynthesis, converting stored CO₂ (as malic acid) into sugars (starch, sucrose, etc.).

Crassula ovata (© Gwenaelle David), Crassula sarcocaulis (© Peganum), and Crassula pellucida (© Lyubo Gadzhev)

Crassulas have evergreen foliage with typically fleshy leaves, unstipulated, single, and entire. The leaves are also coated with a cuticle to reduce water loss. Veins are barely visible. Note that leaves act as water storage organs to combat drought, as do stems and trunks in some species, like Crassula ovata.

Foliage can vary widely: Crassula ovata (right) and the ‘Gollum’ variety (left)

Flowering often appears as a corymb of flowers. They are hermaphroditic (with both male and female floral parts) and actinomorphic (radially symmetrical). Each flower has 4–5 free or fused sepals, 4–5 free or fused petals, and 4–10 stamens with free or slightly fused filaments. There are always equal numbers of sepals, petals, and carpels. Each carpel is subtended by a nectariferous gland. Flowering periods vary significantly by species, depending on their origin: winter for Crassula ovata, spring for Crassula arborescens, and summer for Crassula exilis and Crassula pellucida. Flower colours range from white, pink, yellow, to red, depending on the species.

Crassula ovata in flower. Bottom left: flowering Crassula sarcocaulis (© Peganum)

The fruit is a follicle (a dry dehiscent fruit formed from a single carpel) or sometimes a cluster of follicles.

Hardiness also varies greatly by species. Some are not hardy at all and must be grown indoors (Crassula ovata, Crassula capitella, Crassula perfoliata, Crassula radicans…), others are semi-hardy, tolerating brief frosts down to -4°C (Crassula exilis, Crassula arborescens, Crassula coccinea…), and a few can be grown outdoors in well-drained soil (Crassula sarcocaulis). Crassula sarcocaulis is the hardiest Crassula species: it can withstand -12°C, with some sources claiming hardiness down to -18°C in well-drained soil.

Our favourite varieties and species

[product sku=”151401″ blog_description=”Crassula ovata ‘Minor’ is a horticultural variety with a more finely ramified habit and ornamental fleshy foliage, smaller than the typical species and developing impressive red hues in sunlight.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”151391″ blog_description=”This bushy variety forms unusual fleshy leaves, curled into green cylinders with tips that blush pink under the sun’s rays.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”846271″ blog_description=”Crassula sarcocaulis is a species shaped like a miniature tree. Semi-hardy, it can be grown outdoors even north of the Loire. The branches bear small evergreen leaves and flowers that start red then turn pink at their tips.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”172341″ blog_description=”Crassula exilis ssp Sedifolia is a small South African succulent that forms a very dense ground cover in poor, sandy or rocky soil. It produces small white to pinkish flowers clustered at the top of short stems.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”182031″ blog_description=”Crassula exilis subsp. schmidtii is a small South African succulent that forms a bushy, creeping ground cover in poor, sandy or rocky soil. This adorable little plant produces long, delicate purple-pink flowering.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”180301″ blog_description=”Crassula arborescens ‘Curly Grey’ is a small South African bush charming for its very undulate succulent foliage in soft grey tones, and its ramified habit, easily pruned into a dense ball shape.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”1714111″ blog_description=”Crassula radicans ‘Small Carpet’ is a small mat-forming succulent whose green succulent leaves edged with red are perfectly aligned along its upright stems. The foliage turns red in full sun, transforming the plant into a veritable red carpet.” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”182021″ blog_description=”Crassula pellucida ssp. marginalis is a small South African succulent that forms a very dense ground cover in poor, sandy or rocky soil. Its tiny succulent leaves are green marginate with garnet or red depending on exposure.” template=”listing1″ /]

Planting a Crassula

Where to Plant?

Indoors: Crassulas need plenty of light, but not direct sunlight all day, a temperature of at least 18°C, and a relatively dry atmosphere.

Outdoors in the garden: Crassulas love full sun and dry, shallow soils, even poor ones.

Be sure to provide a very well-draining substrate or soil for your Crassula! Otherwise, stagnant water in winter will quickly cause the roots to rot. This factor also limits the hardiness of semi-hardy species. A plant supposed to withstand -12°C may already die at -4 or -5°C in compact, wet soil.

Planting outdoors in a rock garden on the French Riviera, and planting in a pot for indoors

When to Plant?

Repotting indoors can be done year-round.

However, if you wish to plant your semi-hardy Crassulas outdoors, plan to do so in spring when temperatures have risen to at least 15°C. So around April in the south, but more likely May north of the Loire.

How to Plant?

In a pot (indoors or outdoors):

• Choose a large pot (30 cm in diameter) from the start for specimens that grow well. Opt for a terracotta pot with one or more drainage holes;
• Place some gravel or clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot to further improve drainage;
• The substrate should be a half universal potting mix, half sand blend. “Special cacti and succulents” potting mixes are available commercially. They can be a good solution if you have a large collection at home;
• Fill the bottom of the pot with a little substrate (above the gravel);
• Place your Crassula’s root ball in the centre of the pot, then fill the gaps with potting mix;
• Firm the soil around the base of the plant with your fingers and give it a good watering.

Outdoors:

• Choose a sunny spot in well-drained soil (ideally on a slope) and dig a hole twice the depth and width of the root ball;
• Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole well;
• If your soil is heavy, mix the excavated soil with some gravel to improve drainage;
• Place your Crassula in the centre of the hole and backfill with the excavated soil;
• Firm the soil around the base of the plant with your fingers and give it a good watering to minimise any “air pockets” between the roots and the soil.

A Crassula ovata planted in a pot (© Chiara Coetzee)

Maintenance and Pruning of Crassulas

Watering

When planted in the ground, crassulas should not be watered. In pots and outdoors, a light watering every two weeks in summer will be sufficient.

In pots and indoors: water every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter. It’s important to let the soil dry out between waterings. Avoid letting water stagnate in the saucer.

In any case, if your Crassula is thirsty, its leaves will soften and droop. A good watering will quickly resolve this minor issue. These are very drought-resistant plants; they can survive for several weeks without a drop of water, so no need to worry.

Pruning

Using a tool disinfected with alcohol and well sharpened, you can prune the stems of your crassulas. Pruning has two purposes: to reduce the size of an overgrown Crassula or to rejuvenate the plant by encouraging new shoots.

Prune just above a shoot, node, or bud and never more than a third of the stem. Prune in spring or just after flowering. Finally, pruning is a good way to obtain cuttings for propagation (see “propagation” section).

Please note: Jade trees respond so well to pruning that they are often used in the art of bonsai. They are excellent subjects if you wish to start in this field.

Maintenance

Fertiliser is absolutely not essential.

Crassulas tolerate being pot-bound, but every 3 or 4 years (when the roots have filled the pot), you can repot them in summer into a slightly larger pot.

If you grow non-hardy crassulas indoors, you can still move them outdoors from June to September. Just remember to empty the saucer regularly and/or protect them from rain (under a tree, under shelter…).

Read also Gwenaëlle’s advice in Growing a Jade Tree Indoors.

Possible diseases and pests

Crassulas are resilient plants and are not prone to diseases or pests. However, if water stagnates around their roots, rotting may occur. They should be grown in well-draining soil or substrate.

Occasionally, mealybugs or aphids may appear on the plant. Discover our tips for tackling these pests in an ecological and effective way:

→ Aphids: identification and treatment

→ Mealybugs: identification and treatment

Propagating Crassulas

Propagating crassulas by cuttings is very easy to succeed.

• Take your cuttings in spring or summer;
• Cut short shoots with only one nival zone of leaves. The cutting should have as few leaves as possible to limit water loss. Don’t forget to disinfect your tool with alcohol before cutting!;
• Note: some crassulas can be propagated from a single leaf. This is the case with Crassula ovata or Jade Tree;
• Rinse the cutting or leaf with water to stop sap flow, then let it dry in a warm, dry place (but not in direct sunlight!). This will allow a callus to form;
• Plant the cutting or place the leaf in or on a very light substrate: 1/3 universal compost to 2/3 sand;
• Place your cuttings at 20°C in light and keep the substrate slightly moist (be careful! not too much water, as a cutting doesn’t yet have roots to absorb water);
• After just a few weeks, new shoots will appear. Your cutting is now a young crassula with a bright future.

Association

Small potted crassulas are charming and can be combined freely with each other or with other succulent plants and cacti in pots: Echeverias, Aeoniums, Mangaves, Agaves, cacti…

Crassula ovata, Kalanchoe thrysiflora and purple Aeonium

Let’s focus instead on the hardiest representative of the genus, capable of thriving outdoors in France: Crassula sarcocaulis.

In a dry, sunny rock garden, pair it with Armeria maritima ‘Alba’, some Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Nana’ forming small silvery mounds, an Erodium variabile ‘Album’ (a tough little perennial resembling hardy geraniums), clumps of Sedum sexangulare (an unusual groundcover), some sempervivums or houseleeks, and Campanula pulla, a deep blue bellflower for collectors of beautiful rarities. Yellow, white, blue and red flowers will follow in succession through the seasons.

Centre: Crassula sarcocaulis, surrounded by Armeria maritima ‘Alba’, Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Nana’, houseleeks, Sedum sexangulare and Erodiums.