Jade plant
Crassula ovata · also called Lucky plant
Succulent
- Light
- Sunny, Part sun
- Pot size
- Medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 12.8 °C (55 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
A sunny spot; indoors NC State suggests some afternoon shade.
Size and pot
NC State lists 3 to 6 feet, though it grows slowly in a pot. Our pot band: medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres).
Watering
Water moderately and only when the soil is dry; cut back from autumn to late winter. Overwatering causes leaf drop and root rot.
Potting mix and feeding
Well-drained potting soil.
Growing through the year
Easy to multiply from leaf or stem cuttings.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 12.8 °C (55 °F). NC State calls it subtropical, gives no temperature, and lists only USDA zones 11a to 12b. For plants like this we follow NC State’s container chapter: bring tender plants inside once nights drop to 55 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Occasional aphids, scale, spider mites and mealybugs.
Pets and people
ASPCA lists jade plant as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include vomiting, depression and incoordination.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.