This is a plant that does well here in Portugal. It’s called Crassula ovata, originating in South Africa, with more common names including Lucky Plant, Money Plant or even Money Tree – but it will take a good few years to earn the title of ‘Tree’.

Less frequently it might be referred to as Friendship Plant or Silver Dollar Plant, and because of feng shui symbolism and its coin-shaped leaves, it’s supposed to bring financial luck. If the leaves are heart-shaped, it might earn the name of Friendship Tree and are given as gifts for good luck and fortune. It is actually a succulent, with fleshy, glossy, rounded leaves and thick woody stems, which actually do resemble the trunk of a tree, which is probably where it gets its name.

In cooler climates, this makes a lovely houseplant, but here they are a hardy outside slow-grower, that apparently has a life span of 50 to 100 years. They won’t tolerate freezing temperatures, but in my experience, are very hard to kill! Despite my best efforts of infrequent watering, this plant keeps going and even produces a fine show of pale pink flowers once a year. These starry little flowers are produced in clusters at the tips of branches and are short-lived, and are attractive to bees, wasps, flies, beetles and butterflies.


How tall is the average jade plant?

In the wild, jade plants can grow over 2m high, but as indoor plants, they will be smaller. Growing them takes time, as jade plants will only grow by 5cm to 7cm every year, and it takes decades for a jade plant to reach full size.

The base is usually sparsely branched, and sometimes a single main ‘trunk’ of up to 9cm in diameter is formed, which becomes woody with age. They prefer to feel a little crowded rather than being settled into a large, oversized pot, which is a common trait shared among many succulents, cacti, and similar houseplants, but feel free to move it up a pot size at the next repotting, which will leave a little space on either side for growth. They grow equally well in clay or plastic potting vessels, but glazed pots and containers are recommended over bare terracotta since these can hold too much moisture for them.


Propagation

These are easy to propagate - even I managed it! The experts suggest you snip off an inconspicuous piece from the parent plant, place your cutting in water in a sunny spot, and change the water every few days until new roots begin to form, which generally takes 2-3 weeks. Remove some of the lower leaves first, and allow the stem to dry out first to prevent it from rotting. This is probably the most favoured way to grow them, as it’s quick and you can see the progress as more and more roots grow.

Another way to propagate a jade plant is with a stem cutting (which is the method I had unwittingly used by just snipping off a piece and putting it in some potting soil). This is a particularly good method if a branch gets knocked off, or you might want to gift a baby plant to someone else. They are often in need of pruning, so save your cuttings and pop them into some water or soil.

Leaf-cutting is another option. The key to this method is making sure you have a full leaf, and you can root this in either soil or water, but if you choose to use leaves, soil is the easiest option.


Watering

Jade plants are succulents (they hold water in their leaves), and don't do well sitting in constantly moist soil, so let the top 2-5cm of soil dry out between waterings. Indoors, this will probably mean watering once every 2 to 3 weeks—but be sure to check regularly!

These plants should apparently be kept away from pets since they can be toxic to animals, and moderately toxic to humans, as they contain a sap that can cause dermatitis when touched. But my dogs don’t show any interest, and I personally haven’t experienced any problems handling them.

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan