Crassula arborescens
| Light | Bright light to full sun; some direct sun keeps the leaves compact and colourful |
|---|---|
| Water | Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out completely; keep nearly dry in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining, gritty succulent mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Leaf and stem cuttings (easy) |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to cats and dogs if eaten (as with other jades) |
Crassula arborescens is a sturdy, shrubby succulent from South Africa, closely related to the familiar jade plant and often called the silver dollar jade or silver jade plant. It is easily recognised by its almost circular, silvery blue-green leaves, which are frequently edged and dotted in red where they catch strong sunlight, carried on a thick, branching, tree-like stem.
Description
Crassula arborescens grows into a rounded, well-branched shrub with a stout, woody main trunk and fleshy branches, reaching perhaps a metre or so tall over many years in cultivation. The leaves are its signature feature: thick, rounded to broadly obovate, and covered in a waxy, pale blue-grey bloom that gives the whole plant a frosted, silvery look. In bright light the leaf margins and undersides flush red to maroon, and many leaves are finely speckled with darker dots.
Mature plants may produce clusters of small, star-shaped white to pale-pink flowers in spring and summer, though flowering is far less reliable in cultivation than in habitat and usually needs an old, well-established, sun-grown plant.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the Western and Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows on rocky slopes and outcrops in dry, sunny, well-drained sites. In habitat it endures long dry spells, intense light and lean, gritty soils — conditions that explain its love of sunshine and its intolerance of soggy roots in the pot.
Cultivation
Crassula arborescens is an undemanding, beginner-friendly plant grown much like the common jade plant. Give it the brightest position you can — plenty of direct sun brings out the red leaf margins and keeps growth tight and shrubby, while too little light leads to lanky, floppy stems and washed-out colour.
Plant it in a free-draining, gritty mix in a pot with good drainage, and water only when the soil has dried right through; then water generously. Through winter, when growth slows, keep the plant cool and nearly dry to prevent rot. It is a slow, long-lived succulent that resents overwatering more than any brief neglect. See Watering and Repotting for general technique, and note that top-heavy old plants may need a heavier pot to stay stable.
Propagation
Propagation is very easy. Both leaf and stem cuttings root readily: let the cut surface callus over for a few days, then set it on or just into a barely moist, gritty mix and keep it warm and bright. Whole leaves laid on the surface will often strike as well. Cuttings are the usual way to share the plant and to restart leggy or overgrown specimens.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest killer, almost always from overwatering or a poorly draining mix; stems and leaves go soft and translucent.
- Etiolation — too little light produces stretched, weak stems and pale, widely spaced leaves that lose the silvery colour.
- Leaf drop — sudden shedding usually follows either drought stress or, more often, waterlogged roots.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in leaf joints) and the occasional scale insect; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Crassula — the genus overview
- Crassula ovata — the classic jade, a close relative
- Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting