I was too embarassed to ask the same thing...

Thought I was doing the right thing by introducing HS to the sunlight slowly, and still have burned leaves. When I read about growing them hard and saw the color that produces, it got me thinking...but if I can't even grow them soft, then I best not attempt that! LOL

Would be interested to hear the feedback to your question...

Happens to mine, too. Not a stupid question at all.
My 'Hummel's Sunset' leaves bleach out and drop, to be replaced by new leaves eventually. I still haven't figured out a surefire method to color them up and keep leaves :-)

Josh

Well there you go! It ain't just us.

Now that you mention it, the same thing happened with one of my green jades (maybe a Crosby's compact something-or-other). Leaves burned pretty bad, but I whacked it back as it was leggy and took all the leaves off. It's coming back and the new leaves are just fine in the sun. Can't believe my brain didn't make that connection. Now I know I have too many plants to keep track of...I might be tempted to be worried about this, but then I just forget to worry as well.

Odd as it sounds but full sun for the top of a jade in a pot doesn't really mean full heat at the roots,

I think of it as tonight's watering could also be tomorrows steam sauna for the roots even if in all chunky substrates or grits.

Hey, Howard! One thing we can't do is reverse soft or leggy growth. When C. ovata is grown in the shade, the leaves can grow quite a bit bigger. There's one in my neighborhood with leaves the size of small avocados. Those leaves will be shocked and burned no matter how slowly you acclimate the plant, especially in the middle of Summer. C. ovata doesn't hold onto damaged leaves for long... gets right to work at adapting.

I've grown 'Hummel's' in full sun and wasn't happy with the results. The leaves turn pure yellow and eventually will number very few - the stems turn a very pretty red but growth becomes very stunted. If you want a Hummel's bonsai, grow it in full sun - it will stop growing almost completely. I prefer mine with that sun-kissed look, very much like your 1st photo. If you wanted a big plant with a big yellow canopy, I think you'd have to grow it in partial shade until it was big, then acclimate the plant to mostly sun (5-6 hours?) during the winter.

Ill post pics of the two you sent me that came with your pictured plant. They look pretty much the same on my end (except the one at my house I overwatered and a few leaves got weird looking). At my house its kept in straight perlite and either in the kitchen with lots of windows or my 3 seasons room surrounded by them but no direct sun. At work it's in my office with no windows and hasn't really done much at all! I'm happy as long as they aren't diying!

Howard,

It's, I believe, nothing to worry about. Many plants, as you know, will be upset in different conditions, some of that upsetting being manifested in dropping leaves. Trust me, it will be happy where it is now - just water a little more.

bsmith,

But it will be dying, ever so slowly, in your office. IMO, it's better to have a picture of your C. o., rather than the actual plant, in those conditions.

Can tell it's not growing hard and getting enough watering as the leaves aren't flat and rough. Thinking somebody is top watering in the morning.