How to Care for a Jade Plant the Right Way, According to Experts (2024)

When setting the design for a space, there’s one element that’s guaranteed to bring in life and must-needed pops of color: houseplants. While there are countless houseplant varieties to choose from, some stand out more than others due to their beauty and unique appearance. Jade plants definitely land in that category, and the other good news? They’re relatively easy to care for as well.

Falling into the succulent family, plant expert Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, also known as “The Houseplant Guru," says that there are many different types of jade plants, but the common Crassula ovata can become a large plant. She says that eventually, a jade plant will develop a trunk and resemble wood, but it isn’t a woody plant—it’s still a succulent. The native plants hail from South Africa, and can be quite long-lived. As Eldred Steinkopf says, it’s a plant that can be passed on to children and even great-grandchildren.

Eldred Steinkopf goes on to explain that commonly, jade plants are known as a “money plant, lucky plant, dollar plant, friendship plant, and more.” She adds, “Many feel they bring luck and are used by the front door in feng shui to invite wealth inside.”

In addition, horticulturalist Leslie F. Halleck believes that jade plants can be a beautiful decorative accent to bring into a space. She says that the plants “offer up many beautiful foliage shapes and colors, not to mention flowers, when they get enough light.”

Read on for expert-guided tips on how to help a jade plant grow and thrive in your own home.

For jade plants, you’ll want to turn to a well-drained cactus and succulent potting mix. As Eldred Steinkopf details, this plant needs good drainage and lots of oxygen around its roots. She says, “Using the correct potting medium is important."

You’ll need just the right container for the plant, too. Specifically, don’t use one that’s too large. Eldred Steinkopf advises, “It’s better to plant a succulent in a too-small container than a too-large one. The root system isn’t extensive on a succulent. If it’s planted in a pot that’s too large, the extra soil will stay wet and it may rot the roots.”

Although plastic pots are plentiful these days, you’ll want to use age-old terra cotta or another heavy material for your jade plant since Eldred Steinkopf says these plants can become top-heavy.

“Give the jade plant as much sun as possible for the best results,” Eldred Steinkopf says. “If it’s given too little light, it will become etiolated, meaning it will stretch for the sun. Stretching for the sun will also cause the jade to become soft and it will not stand up straight and strong like it should.”

At the very least, Halleck says that these plants appreciate a few hours of direct sun throughout the day. She says, “A west-facing or southern window exposure is the best choice if you have one."

She also says that these plants will be “quite happy” out on a patio or balcony with morning sun or dappled sun throughout the day. Another option? Include a grow light if the intended location for your jade plant doesn’t receive direct sun.

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“Water your plant thoroughly,” Eldred Steinkopf suggests. “Make sure the container it’s growing in has a drainage hole. Allow the water to flow freely out of the drainage hole. Water again when the potting mix is almost completely dry. Keeping the plant too wet will cause the plant to rot.”

If you feel like you may be overwatering your jade plant, Halleck says that this can be result of “too little light.”

“In general, allow plants to dry between thorough waterings,” she says. “However, if it appears your plant is suffering from overwatering, moving it to a bright location or adding a grow light is often the best solution.”

Like any houseplant, jade plants can have their fair share of problems—but you can mitigate them by checking on your plant regularly. For instance, jade plants can be prone to mealybugs, which Eldred Steinkopf describes as small, white insects that like to suck the juices out of plants.

“They aren’t easy to get rid of, so as soon as you see them, start treatment,” she says. “They will appear as masses of what looks like white cotton in the axils of the stems. A cotton swab with alcohol used to touch each one will dry them out and kill them. This must be repeated because there will be eggs that you didn’t see continuing to hatch. A systemic houseplant insecticide can be used in the soil as well.”

Eldred Steinkopf recommends fertilizing your jade plant with “a low-nitrogen fertilizer made for succulents and cacti” around once a month when it’s actively growing. She says, “Don’t fertilize when the plant is not actively growing, usually in the winter months.”