Jade Necklace – Succulent plants

Jade Necklace is a small, slow-growing, succulent plant that can reach up to 8 inches tall. The leaves are green with red edges, thick, rounded and tightly stacked along the stem. The small, star-shaped and pink-tinged flowers are grouped in clusters.

Scientific Classification:

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Crassula

Scientific Name: Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana.
Synonyms: Crassula marnierana
Common Names: Jade Necklace, Jade Necklace Plant, Jade Necklace Vine, Chinese Pagoda, Worm Plant.

How to grow and maintain Jade Necklace:

Light:
It thrives best in bright light with some direct sunlight. A sunny windowsill will be an ideal position for these plants. They will not flower without sunlight and inadequate light will cause developing spindly growth.

Soil:
It grows well in well-drained soil with a neutral pH. Add coconut coir and Pine bark to make the soil more drainage friendly.

Water:
Water regularly, during the growing season (April to September), but water sparingly when dormant (autumn and winter). Allow the top of the soil to slightly dry out before watering again.

Temperature:
It prefers ideal room temperatures of around 60°F – 75°F / 15.5°C – 24°C. During winter no less than 50°F / 10°C. Cold weather and damp weather is not good for Jade. It loses its color and turns yellow and mushy.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize every two weeks during the growing season, from spring through summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half. Do not fertilize during the winter.

Humidity:
They survive well in quite humid conditions naturally, although you will please them with water mist.

Pruning:
You can prune Jade Plant in the early spring because new growth begins during the spring. See the overgrown stems and decide how you want to shape the plant. Use sharp shears to cut overgrown stems and cut out unhealthy branches completely.

Re-potting:
Re-pot in spring when the plant becomes root bound or the soil needs renewing. A good solid and heavy pot is best to use because of Jade plants are well known for being top-heavy. A heavy pot will prevent them from tipping over.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by stem cuttings, leaf cuttings or by basal offsets.  Take 2-3 inch long stem cuttings in spring and plant it in a 2-3 inch pot of equal parts mixture of peat moss and sand and keep it at normal room temperature in the bright filtered light.

Pests and Diseases:
Jade Necklace Plants are susceptible to the mealybugs. Use a suitable pesticide. Before using a spray insecticides make sure that the product used is labeled for jade plants.