& if it's not too late, save the leaves, just place them ON TOP OF C&S soil & do not water. Give it time & they'll start rooting as long as you have them in a place where they'll be warm & get some light.

It'll take some time but they'll grow roots & then you can pot them up.

Yes, P, your jade will be fine!
You could actually pluck or cut every single leaf off, and the leaves will still grow back in time. In fact, the new leaves will probably be healthier and more compact. As Jo mentioned, hold off on the water until you see new little leaflets beginning to appear.

Some of the leaves from my pile have started to root, just sitting in a pile on a table. Take Pirate Girl's advice if you'd like to have a whole forest of baby jade plants! They'll perform quite well, though slowly if grown from leaves.

Josh

Those are some great looking "babies" Josh..
Q for Pglvr1: What is a "Campfire Jade".. I dont think Ive ever seen one, sounds interesting!!! As are all jades for that matter!
Thanks, Christina

greenman, do you have any cuttings left over from the christmas cactus? I'm not sure I have anything you'd want in trade, but I'd be happy to offer some pups that I have.

I didn't notice an e-mail link on your homepage, but you can contact me through mine, or e-mail me at cnoel26@aol.com and we can discuss, if you're interested.

Hi Christina,

Here is a picture of my Campfire Jade. When I first purchased it in July it was all green...having it in full sun and the cold weather outside has turned it "red".

Here it is! July 08
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Jan. 09
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Puglvr: You've done a great job with that 'Campfire'! Notice how much more compact and dense the new growth is? As I'm sure you can attest to, it takes quite a bit of sun to get such a happy, healthy plant. Keep up the excellent work!

Wow! Pglvr, Thats gorgeous! Ive never seen anything like it! Like I said,..lol.. I'm in a sheltered little corner of the country!
I would love a cutting or two if you plan to prune anytime soon.. I'll actually be in Florida in March to visit my (snowbird) parents! I cant wait to get out of this deep freeze! lol
Christina

Thanks Jo...appreciate it!!

Christina, drop me an email when you you get close to visiting FL in March. I might be able to give you a cutting(for postage). If you decide you want an establish plant, below is where I purchased mine for $4.95 for a 4" plant. Not a bad price at all for a small rooted plant as you can see at the picture above. It grew pretty fast in only 6 months...Let me know!

Here is a link that might be useful: Campfire Flaming Jade

P,
Jades will usually grow new leaflets at the site of a plucked leaf. Jades will usually branch at the site of a cut. During the summer, I lost some leaves. Almost immediately, new leaves were pushed out. This branch lost four leaves in a row - and four new leaflets resulted. Here's a pic:

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Thanks, everyone! I feel much better now.

Puglvr,
Thanks, I will. I went to the site, but Im afraid if I order one now, it wont take the cold on the way here! Its been in the teens dropping into the single digits overnight! So unless we get a decent January/February thaw, I will be taking you up on that!!
Thanks, Christina

Update!
I selected the firmest leaves with the best roots, and threw them all into one pot! I figure I can separate them sometime in the autumn, and use the winter growing season to establish them in their own containers. But for now, I thought this would be a decent solution.

I've never rooted Portulacaria afra, so these two tips are just a novelty (trimmings that I couldn't throw out!). I also included two leaves that were knocked off my 'Hummel's Sunset,' as well as the two purple leaves I stripped off the cutting-proper from my sister's Jade plant. (I'm very curious to see if the Hummel's Sunset will grow green or colored from a single leaf). In the middle of the affair, I placed nine leaves from my Mother Jade. (Pics of all the cuttings are further down, after the soil pics):

Since it was a sunny day, I started with some mix. Red and grey pumice, and perlite. The bark was added off-camera, see following pics.

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Then I filled the container with mix, organized my cuttings, and put everything in place. Now the wait begins!

That's almost how I do it...well not quite. I just throw all the cuttings on the ground or on a nursery flat fill with soil. A year or tow later I pot them up. The one that root into the native soil grow extremely fast.

This summer, I'm going to experiment with a few plants grown in-ground. I can't wait to see what happens! Just three more months to go, then it'll be safe to leave stuff outside.

Josh

Hey Josh,

They're soooo cute, like little soldiers all neatly lined up in formation like that ;>).

Any chance you can come neaten up my home?????????

Thanks, Karen!
I'm glad you like them. That pot was previously full of sea-fig, from a road-side somewhere around Fort Bragg. Anyhow, the mix had lots of sand...you would have hated it! Ha! Back before I knew better! Of all the plants that my brother has given to me/stolen for me, I'd say that I liked the sea-fig the least.

Back to the leaflets....
I figure I'll be able to enjoy this configuration for at least a year, while each leaf roots into the mix. I plan on separating the plants with an old breadknife when it comes time to re-pot, so I'm not worried about entangled roots. I think that's a given.

As for neatening up others' homes...I can barely keep my own space clean!

Josh

Slowly but surely, they've all rooted....

This little pot is outside in filtered sun now.

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That is awesome. I just read through this thread as I am just starting to work with my sunset jade. I want to create a bonsai out of it but am trying to learn were to even start. Its not very big yet. Do you have any pointers for me on my jade?

It doesnt have much of the pink yet bt I am just starting to put it outside during the day for few hours and it is starting to pink up fast I will take more pics in couple days..this is a pic before i strated putting it outside.

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Hi, Prayer!
That's a nice Variegated Jade!

As you mention, you'll want to move it gradually into full sun for the summer months.

Depending upon how large you'd like this plant to become, you might want to move it
into a larger pot. In a small container (I like the container, by the way), it
won't put on much size. If you want a larger plant - grow it with plenty of room in
a fast-draining mix (so it won't hold too much water), and then prune the roots back
when you are ready to re-pot for bonsai presentation.

You can also pluck out old leaves to reveal the trunk and to encourage new branches or
leaflets. Once you have an idea of how you'd like your Jade to be structured, you can
then prune entire branches, which will cause the trunk to thicken and tons of new growth
to emerge.

Have you done any searches on Variegated Jade Pruning or Re-potting? There are fantastic
Threads devoted wholly to your plant. See below:

Josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Jade - root-pruning

wow thats wonderful thank you so much Josh!

I will get it into a bigger pot again..I had it in a bigger one but I thought to do a bonsai I had to put it in a smaller one. I did trim the roots some so it ould be in this pot..but I will pot it up a few notches:)

I will go read that link, thansk again I really want to make a nice bonsai out of this Jade..i had it in the sun for couple hours yesterday nd wow the pink color is awesome, very bright. I was told when I got this it was a hummels sunset jade.

Mary

You're quite welcome, Mary! I love Jades, and I'm always glad to share advice/experiences. "Hummel's Sunset" doesn't have the white/green variegation - plus, the leaf-shape is different. "Hummel's" has the typical Crassula ovata leaf. Here's a pic of my particular "Hummel's Sunset," which I bought over the winter. The color changes considerably. Right now, the leaves are losing their green and taking on more creams, yellows, and reds.

I haven't shared any pics of this Jade yet, so this is a first (you'll have to wait until later in the season for a full picture spread in its own Thread). These are winter pics, so the green and yellow are accentuated. I did take a pic this morning, comparing regular Jade and the "Hummel's Sunset" - check back later, I'll have that uploaded...it's interesting, my regular Jade almost has more "color" than my "Hummel's."

Josh

At least for me here in my climate Hummel's has the beautiful color in the winter and has more green on it during the summer.

randy

That is a wonderful Jade! thank you for sharing..will have to put that on my wish list:) I love Jades also. Right now mine is sitting happily on the back table basking in the semi sunny day..its partly cloudy here today. I was just amased at how fast it started to get the bright pink in jst a couple days it has gotten so pretty. The pic doesnt do it justice. I was thinking on what you said about leaf pruning it and I would like to do that to make it branch more and get more growth. But were do I start I dont want to take off the wrong ones?

Mary

i just got a jade leaf from my freind and i was wondering a few things about how to start a plant. first, im just supposed to leave it laying on a little bed of soil for a couple of weeks but with out water until it sprouts roots or little leaves? second, if it sprouts leaves witch way do i plant it and when or for roots?
-zac

All I do is stick the leaves in some cactus ix and let them be, they will start to grow new plants in time. When they reach about 2-4 inches i pot them up. Some times use tiny 2 inch pots and just stick the leaf in sme cactus mix in that then if doent have to be messed with for a while. I dont water it until I see the new growth and then just sparingly. I also keep them in a place with good light. I am pretty new to this but that has worked so far:)

Mary

what is cactus mix? sand and pebbles?

A little color and blooms on my big Hummel's from Jan. 2008. I kept it right up against the plastic on the west wall of the greenhouse.

clickable thumbs

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This past winter it was on the east side. It stayed green all winter.

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randy

just beautiful Randy thank you for sharing!

Zach I am not sure what others use in their mix...mine is a mix of potting soil, bark mulch and vermiculite...lots of vermiculite and bark and less soil so it has good drainage. The pot needs to be very well draining. Mine are ceramic with large holes in the bottom. I use small pieces of garden cloth to cover the holes then put the mix in the pot it works really well for drainage.

But there is others that have a better mix i think.

Mary

I'd avoid the vermiculite completely (holds water) & use extra pumice or perlite (helps drainage). I'd avoid the bark too, that's not so much for succulents IMO.

LOL...Thats what I meant perlite! Ugh, thanks PG:)

Mary

Who says bark is not for succulents? Is this a proven fact or urban myth?

Bark makes up over 60% of my mix. Has been that way for over 15 years. I grow some pretty nice succulents. :-)

Once grew about 500 adeniums in pure bark to show it could be done to other naysayers.

barkman

A couple pics of a 5 month old adenium in pure bark doing it's thing.

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Barkman

I love the bark it smells good, looks nice and is nice for drainage also. My succulents seem to do well with it, it is about 60% of my mix as well and about 20% soil and a bunch of perlite.

Nice pics barman;)

thanks alot. but is it possible to grow one in just sand and soil like a 60 40 mix?

I know a lot of people who use course sand. I don't. It compacts the mix, doesn't allow air in the root zone and stays too wet for my tastes.

randy

I would not use sand I have heard to many bad things about that...and soil holds lot of water so it needs to have things added like the bark and perlite. The whole point from what I understand is to have a mix that allows air flow and good drainage.

Mary

Wow Randy! I believe that is one the most beautiful Hummel Sunset I've ever seen!! Those flowers look so pretty, I hope mine flowers one day *sigh*, but I'm not holding my breath...The color on mine does the same thing, best color in winter and plain old green when our weather warms up.

BTW, I also use bark in my Succulents, I use equal parts small pine bark, turface, and COARSE silica sand...this is the silica sand that I use. I buy it at a masonry or pool supply store. You can see how much different it is from the fine play/construction sand.
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Puglvr1,

Thanks. If a regular ovata will bloom for you, then this one should.

That form of silica looks like it wouldn't be a problem in a soil mix. What I tried was not as large as that.

randy

Unfortunately, none of my Jades had ever flowered for me...yet! I've had most of them for 2-3 years. I'm not sure why they won't flower, but I've had other succulents flower, just not any of my Jades, Gollums/Hobbits. I'm still waiting though...

I definitely like the coarseness of that particular grade of silica sand, and had very good results.

Hey everyone!
Thanks for the continued discussion and the great pics. Randy, I'm a huge fan of both your plants and your techniques. It's so nice to have you back around.

Re: bark
If it isn't obvious from the potting mix I posted earlier in the Thread, I am a bark user. Bark, perlite, and pumice is what I'm mixing these days. For a drier, grittier mix, I use granite/gravel in place of the pumice (or a combination of the two). I have Christmas Cactus growing in pure bark, as well, and all show good growth.

Here's that pic of plain Crassula ovata (small plant) compared to my Hummel's Sunset. The plain Jade was kept quite dry and was exposed to increasing sun as soon as possible (back in Feb. I started bringing my plants out during warm days). Now the little Jade's new growth is greening up again....still, impressive color, eh?

Some of my other Jades turned bright red when I (over?) exposed them to sun this early Spring. Now, however, those Jades have turned a normal green, and are continuing to grow.

When I purchased this Hummel's Sunset this winter, the yellows and greens were very deep. Now the green is fading and the leaves are taking on cream and yellow hues. I look forward to the full color show this autumn!

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Very nice Josh!! I like the yellows with red tips its getting...very pretty! I'm sure yours will get its full color come fall and winter. Yours have a nicer color...Mine are all green this time of year. Thanks for sharing.

Well, I'm resurrecting this old Thread to share an update on my Jade Forest....!
Most of these leaves were plucked from my Mother Jade, and it is interesting how some
have darker/lighter coloration. In the first pic, you can see four Jades in the front row:
the cuttings on the far left and far right are variegates from Mike. Between them are
two leaves from my Mother Jade that are displaying very different colors. I love it!

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Wow,

Josh, those are the most beautiful Jades! I love them all..I am a bit partial to the two that Mike sent though..lol

Josh, I was looking at the other pictures of everyones plants here, all I can say is wow..

I love those little jades! Now I remember who got me started on these Hummel sunsets and why I am so in love with them. Thanks a lot for having that influence on me and many others by the way...Love these pictures..

Mike..:-) :-)

Thank you, Mike!
You've had a great hand in keeping my addiction alive....!
If this doesn't *bump* to the first page, I'll re-post the update pics to the continuation Thread.

Josh

SO cool! I am encouraged by your success with all those leaves - I've got a little snippet of a jade plant (red edges so does that mean it's a Hummel??) in a very loose mix in the bathroom (for a little humidity and lots of light). I've never had a jade plant before so I hope this little guy makes it!!
keep posting the pics - I think looking at other folks' photos is my fave thing about this site! Oh, that and the abundance of knowledge newbies like me can tap into!!

by the way - the consensus seems to be to allow cuttings to remain unwatered until roots appear.

My cuttings are in the house, in a very bright room where it's around 80 during the day - but exceedingly dry, and the A/C makes it even drier in here. Since I live on the surface of the sun (i.e. Phoenix) and it's going to be in the triple digits for the next 3 or 4 months (and our humidity hovers right around 5% this time of year), I've been misting my new little cuttings with a spray bottle once or twice a day.

Have I doomed my little babies to a soggy, mushy death?
I'll show them photos of Josh's success so they'll be inspired if I don't kill them first. . .

Hi, Zini!
Most Jades will develop some red on the leaf-margins.
"Hummel's Sunset" will develop red, cream, yellow, orange, and even pink hues. Only time, and sun (once rooted), will tell.

Now, about those cuttings. They don't need misting! ;)
And they don't need intense sunlight, either...not yet!
How long have you had these cuttings?

Josh

Josh,
I'll put the mister somewhere I can't find it ;-) I read somewhere on one of the forums that cuttings like a little mist now and then, and so I multiply that by ten since it's so dry here. I'll bet that advice was in reference to non-succ/cacti cuttings and I just applied it to my little fatties. typical me!

I've only had them a week or so. I promise I won't put them outside until they look more like plants - probably not until next spring.

thanks!!
delia

Some folks do mist their cuttings, but I find it isn't needed.
Dribble water onto the mix after a week. Wait for signs of new growth,
and then water thoroughly. The plant should "perk up" after the first
watering. Then you simply wait until it starts to lose pressure in the leaves,
and water again.

Josh

will do - thank you so much! and I can't wait to see updates of your platter o' plants!