Hey everyone! I think I have successfully managed to include 2 photos of my little plant in this post. If not, I will try to fix that. (I just joined a few minutes ago so I apologize for my incompetence!) Anyway, I bought this plant about four weeks ago, except it was much leafier when I bought it. The guy I bought it from said it was some sort of cactus, although I think based on the research I've done online in the last half hour or so it's actually some other type of non-cactus succulent. But I have no idea what exactly it is. If anybody can tell me, that would be awesome. More importantly, can anybody tell me why the leaves are falling off and/or what I can do to prevent that? There used to be a bunch more leaves at all the little joints of the stems - I don't know whether or not the photos show the little dark spots where the leaves used to be attached. I was told to water it once every two weeks, so that is what I have been doing. I'm not sure exactly how much water to be giving it each time, though, so maybe I've been overwatering it? I deliberately chose a plant that I was told would be very resistant to death, because I am a busy college student with absolutely zero gardening skill. I'm very sad because my African violet (which I bought at the same time) has already lost all its beautiful little flowers, so now I just have a pot of leaves. And now my little cactus seems to be suffering too! In case the environment of the plant is relevant (which I have to assume it is), I go to school in Boston (whatever that means in terms of climate and sunlight). My dorm room has a big skylight, so it gets a lot of light. I've been keeping my mysterious succulent on my desk, right under the skylight, so it gets a lot of direct sunlight (which I can only assume is pleasant for a cactus-esque plant accustomed to desert conditions). My flowerless African violet is now on my dresser (a little out of the direct path from the skylight), where I moved it after reading online that they prefer indirect sunlight. Anyway, if anybody has any information or advice for me, it would be much appreciated! I feel so bad for inadvertently killing my hapless plants! Unidentified succulent plant (2) ( photo / image / picture from CrimsonClink's Garden ) Unidentified succulent plant (1) ( photo / image / picture from CrimsonClink's Garden )
All cactus plants are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. You appear to have a Crassula ovata (Jade Plant) I think. You may be been overwatering it. Feeling the soil for dryness is a better schedule than watering every two weeks. The African Violet will loose the flowers, they only last a few weeks so you plant is probably doing what comes naturally. They do need humidity and can take more sunlight than you think. I have mine still in it's original pot but I took pretty ceramic pot, placed the smaller pot inside sitting on about an inch of stones. Keeping water in the pot to just the top of the stones and placing it in a west facing window the humidity it needs is created and mine has been blooming it's little heart out for weeks. Just remember when you water the plant, don't get water on the leaves, that causes brown spots on the leaves.
I agree with Jade and overwatering. They are much happier on the dry side. African Violets don't take long to re-bloom if they are happy.
Thank you very much!! I guess I don't really know what "dry" means because the Jade plant's soil always feels dry to me just a few days after I water it...
You may want to check to make sure the bottom of the pot that the jade plant is in isn't wet or sitting in water. After you water, pour off any excess that drains out.
Let it sit and dry out, the plant will actually appreciate it. The best way to tell if it is dried out is to pick it up and see how light it is. Once it feels really light or the leaves droop ever so slightly, soak it and I mean soak it. I water mine once a month or so, summer or winter. If it gets really hot or they droop a little then I water more often. Get used to the weight of the pot both wet and dried out and you will easily know when it "needs" water.
Another thing to think about is the sun. These plants like at least 3 to 4 hours of sun. They don't like being in the shade at all. Wanda
Sorry I missed that they were under a sky light. What the previous people have said is good advice. Wanda
I saw a belting Jade at B&Q stores yesterday. Its also called the Money Tree. I got a cutting in the summer off an old lady of 100 years young, I will cherish the plant long after she has left us. Did you know that Jade plants flower? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_plant
Saving your plant I call this plant a money plant and I have a few on my kitchen window sill which faces south west. Mine are many years old and I have seen them as big as a person. When looking after succulents you have to think 'desert'. My plants get very hot in the sun and cold in the night because they are so close to the glass. They get watered occasionally in the summer and not much in the winter. The nice thing about succulents is that although they are very brittle they also root very easily. If you take off a leaf and put it onto the soil surface in another pot you should see white roots coming out of the base of the leaf quite soon.
Yes that is a jade I one and have had it for years. Mine is kept in a northeast window where is gets a decent amount of sun. I have no specific watering system I usually water well and wait until soil is near dry before watering again. I also give it a 1/4 turn every few weeks so it grows more even. Hope this helps.
Your plant has lost some lower leaves, but oftentimes with jade plants I have grown, a new shoot will begin where these leaves have dropped off. The advice not to water too much is good. I have several pots of succulents, in fact, just made a display of them on my dining room table. I only water every three weeks. I also keep them in clay pots. I write down on the calendar when to water so I am not tempted to water when they appear to have VERY dry soil. They are thriving.
