It was a long time coming - but I finally took the snips to this plant.
Although the nodes were quite tight and uniform, the limbs had simply gotten too long.
Last year, several of us Jade growers discussed trimming our Jades in early Autumn
to see if we could encourage them to flower (as per Norma's advice).

Some of you might wonder why I didn't whack it back further...I can hear the voices
of Brad and Jeffrey in my head, specifically. Well, I want the re-growth to begin sooner
rather than later, and I want to see if I have viable tips to support flowers by Christmas.
Also, this trimming (and subsequent growth) will show me where to make the next cuts.

Linked below is the original Thread I posted looking for an ID on this Jade.
Never really nailed it down, which is why I use the generic description, small-leaf Jade.
It's most likely a 'Crosby's Compact,' but I'm always open to suggestions.

The plant:

With a hand for scale:

Trimmed, front:

Trimmed, back:

Eleven severed limbs - notice how short the internodes have grown while in my care:

And, lastly, back on the block with succulent friends. The day was overcast, so I left it outside.
I brought the Jade in last night, though, so that the tips would begin to shrivel and dry:

Psychiatric worries aside, there is no right and wrong to do a wackin'. I think you did a great job. Your plant looks an awful lot like my Crosby's Compact, which develops a very deep red color in winter. Trim all those long cuttings back to within an inch of the lowest leaves for faster rooting. I just stick those kind of cuttings into a large bowl to let them grow up a little before giving them their own container. They form a nice forest in a wide low container.

Brad

Hey, Brad! I was hoping to draw you out with that line! ;)
I'm pretty sure it's a 'Crosby's Compact,' too, and I think I'll call it that from now on.
Aside from the Sunset Jades, I'd say that this one is truly my most colorful. Thanks for the tips!

The cuttings have been trimmed down and are curing at the moment....
then they'll be crammed into a window-sill herb container to root.


Josh

Later man..

Mike

I did the same thing to my similar-shaped jade last week but after seeing yours, I think I should have trimmed further...

Mike..:-))))

Turface, Pumice, Bark, and an insignificant fraction of Perlite in the mix.
Dry mix, and I won't add any moisture for about a week.

Josh

Great nice looking plant. I am also a big fan of crosby compact. I took a look at your other link to the page of how your plant looked in the past. It has older long leaves that looks like a regular jade and only the new growth has signs of small leaves like a crosby compact.
I have had many crosby compact and even the older leaves at the very bottom of the plant are all small and round.
I will post a picture later tonight for comparison.
All your pictures from this post looks like a crosby compact except I find your leaves a bit pointy comparing to mine which are mostly round. The size is right and the tight growth is correct as well. Anyone else feels the same when you look at the pictures of the same plant from the eariler post?

It was so poorly grown that it looked like an entirely different plant.
The leaves were large and flat from inconsistent moisture and low levels of light.
I bought the plant thinking that it was an unique, grey-leafed variety of Jade....
then, with a few months of proper care, it transformed into the small-leafed plant.

On this Jade, and another, I've noticed that the leaf-pairs grow one set large, two sets small,
another set large, two sets small, and so on and so forth. Even the "large" leaves on this plant
are considerably smaller than those of a standard Jade.


Josh

I will post a more recent picture of this same plant later.

Well, an update on my Jade. Here we are, a month later, and I've spotted growth from several nodes.
Slowly but surely....

Xuan

Last summer, a cat tipped my 'Hummel's Sunset' off the deck rail, costing me a container
and a very nice branch. Had to re-pot, cross my fingers, and wait for the recovery.

Josh

In my house, Jades really take the main-stage this time of year.
I've watered this Jade exactly twice in the two months since I pruned it down.

I should have pruned it harder, methinks... ;)

looking good!

Doug

Zach

Zach, go for it!
Once we get past the Solstice hurdle, Jades will respond even faster to pruning.
The first cut is the hardest...after that, it gets easy.

Just remember not to water the Jade after you've pruned it.
Without leaves, it won't be conducting photosynthesis - thus, it won't be using much moisture.
So, wait to water until one of two things happens:
1. new growth begins to appear;
2. or part of the trunk (or stem) begins to wrinkle.

There are numerous testimonials and pictorials detailing Jade pruning success - I'm sure you've read
a few here already.

Even a bare, rootless stump can spring to life...as long as it isn't rotted from over-watering.
If the plant is vital, and in a well-draining soil mix, there is virtually no risk.

Good luck!

Josh

here it is.

Not to nitpick, but I would say your Jade is more like 'Hobbit" than 'Gollum'. Nice plant.

Christopher

Josh,
Where have you been keeping your pruned jade? Should it be kept away from lots of light? (im thinking that there is little use for light because there will be no photosynthesis as you said) Would light promote growth or harm the plant?

I love how yours is coming along. Thanks for documenting the process so well. It has inspired me to take action... soon... Happy growing!

Zach

First of all, that is a 'Gollum,' without a doubt!
Tubular, trumpeted leaves with cupped tips...

Secondly, I put the pruned Jade right back where it had been on an east-facing windowsill.
I turn it every few days so that light strikes various parts of the trunk evenly. I think that this
promotes more even leaf-budding from the nodes. If you don't turn your plant, I have a feeling
that buds appear on the sunny side, predominantly...which would be fine for certain bonsai styles,
but not my preferred aesthetic. I like balanced foliage all the way around.

In short, give it lots of light. As much as you can.
The light/warmth will encourage the trunk to send out leaves to collect that light energy.

By the way, you have a nice Jade.
I'd say don't re-pot. Prune now, then re-pot in the Spring when the Jade is in maximum growth.

Most of us are watering once a month, or when leaves become soft/wrinkled, during Winter.

Josh

Zach

Josh

If the Jade guru (namely, you) says 'Hobbit', it is most assuredly 'Hobbit':) I saw quite a few non-tubular leaves on Zach's Jade, and I was comparing it with my 'Skinny Fingers' Jade which drew me to the erroneous 'Hobbit' hypothesis.

Alas, I am not the only one to get my Tolkien characters mixed up.

Christopher

It's a 'Gollum,' Preciousssss.....! ;)

Of course, as we all learned from Tolkien's wondrous stories, Gollum (Sméagol) was from a
line of ancestral Hobbits that lived along the River Anduin.

Most of our Gollum/Hobbit/Skinny Finger Jades do have a mix of leaf characteristics.
I call them by the predominant leaves on the plant.

The Jade in the link is a 'Gollum,' as well.
Although some of the leaves are "open" on the underside, they look like an opened tube.
'Hobbit' leaves are open on the underside, but they usually have a sort of septum or ridge
running down the underside of the leaf.

I'm going to make a sketch....be back in a bit...


Josh

Sure, not my best work, but hopefully this will help with future identifications....

Josh, your excellent drawings clarify things completely, in my estimation. Thanks

Christopher

Josh

Zach

Jeffrey, every single 'Gollum' that I have actually shows a mix of leaf-types...
from spoons to skinnies to staghorns (I'm sure you've seen these monsters) ;)
On the sketch below, I see that I noted the extensive leaf-variation on 'Gollum.'

Older sketch forthcoming....sorry it's so hard to read!

Zachman, love your Gollum, very nice!

Christopher, I used to get them all mixed up too...but Josh did a pretty good job showing me the difference. Now if only I can remember!

Nancy..Your jades are just coloring up so beautifully..I hope your weather warms up soon..:-))))))

HI Chris! Hope you had a good time at Lake Street Nursery..:-)

Mike

Thanks for bringing it back up! The Jade is doing well, and I will take some new pics to share.
Stay tuned.....

Josh

As soon as the sun rises, I'll be taking pics....

Josh

Mike

Well, these pics aren't the best, but I think they'll suffice for the time being....

Josh

that plant has filled out nicely!