Find and Fix these Real Reasons Why Your Jade Plant Isn’t Growing Taller, and watch it becoming bigger than ever before.
Are you frustrated with your Jade plant’s slow and stunted growth? You’re not alone; it happens a lot. Here are the secrets to unlocking your Jade’s full potential!
Read these and change your Jade plant from a slow struggler to a show stopper.
Real Reasons Why Your Jade Plant Isn’t Growing Taller
Reason 1: It’s a Dwarf Variety
Sometimes, the answer is staring you right in the face, but you’re too focused on other things. The reason behind your Jade plant’s short height could be a dwarf cultivar.
A few jade plant varieties are genetically predisposed to remain compact. You might have the usual culprits like Crassula ovata ‘Minima’ or Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’–they’re cherished for their petite size and don’t grow taller than 2-3 feet, even under ideal conditions.
So, find out the variety of your Jade plant as a first step. Try these plant identification apps for help.
The Solution: If you want a tall Jade, you could start with a new one; go for varieties like the famous usual Jade plant, or get a Crassula ovata ‘Gollum,’ which can reach impressive heights of 4-5 feet with proper care.
Reason 2: The Pot is Too Big
Sometimes, we grow a small plant in a large pot to avoid repotting in the long run. This practice is not good for our jade plant as it has shallow roots.
Also, a pot that is too large encourages the plant to prioritize root development over foliage growth because plants naturally balance their root and shoot systems.
They do this through a combination of specialized tissues, hormones, and signaling molecules, and this coordination allows them to optimize their metabolism and growth.
Plus, the excess soil in large pots means more moisture retention, which Jade plants do not like; they prefer to dry out between watering spells. All these things mean one thing–your Jade plant will grow slowly or might even dry in an overly large pot.
The Solution: Choose a pot one size larger than the plant’s root ball, and avoid using ones that are excessively deep–jade plants prefer shallow, broad containers.
Reason 3: You’re Pruning it Excessively
Most gardeners suggest pruning for healthy growth, but if you overdo it, your Jade plant will not grow any taller. You need to understand the fine line between being an expert Jade plant pruner and getting carried away.
The leaves and branches of your Jade are crucial for photosynthesis, and pruning them excessively will reduce the plant’s ability to store and generate energy, stunting its height.
Plus, the repeated cuts will stress the plant and divert its resources to wound healing rather than new growth.
The Solution: Don’t get scissor-happy and snip every branch you touch. Instead, focus on removing only dead or leggy branches, keeping most healthy foliage intact. Prune only during the active growing season (spring and summer) to give the plant time to recover, and follow these pruning tips; you’ll notice amazing growth.
Reason 4: Your Jade is Rootbound
What’s a rootbound plant? A plant whose roots have become so densely packed that they cannot grow any further, restricting the ability to absorb water and nutrients.
Keeping your Crassula slightly root-bound is good for its growth, but if it’s a lot more than that, then the roots will struggle to meet the plant’s needs.
If you feel your plant is stunted, wilting, needs more watering, or producing fewer leaves and branches, you should check for these root-bound symptoms!
The Solution: Gently lift the Jade plant out of its pot. If the roots tightly circle the root ball and have formed a dense mat, it is likely rootbound. Repot it into one size bigger pot. These repotting tips will help make the job easy.
Reason 5: You’ve Kept it in the Wrong Place
Yes, we know what you’re thinking. And no, it’s not just about the light. Obviously, you need a spot that gets bright, indirect light most of the day and some gentle sunshine either in the morning or evening, but physical interferences like wind also affect your Jade plant’s stature.
Keeping your plant constantly exposed to wind or drafts will trigger a stress response, forcing it to focus on stability rather than upward growth. Instead, it will try to grow stronger roots to anchor itself to the soil.
The Solution: The fix is pretty simple. You need a stable, draft-free space with indirect sunlight.
Reason 6: Not Cleaning the Leaves
Jade plants have waxy leaves that become dusty over time; besides that, water spots from hard water can also be a problem. This is why cleaning foliage periodically is important so that your plant photosynthesizes efficiently.
The Solution: Simply clean the leaves every two weeks with diluted milk and water solution. Milk will also help against pests and diseases!
