Bruggirl: Many believe that jade is not suitable material for bonsai...Personally, I enjoy working with the species.It is not difficult to work with standard jade - Crassula argentea - I have found that judicious and more or less continuous pinching will result in compact growth and control the legginess which is associated with plants that have been somewhat neglected. In your Zone you should get very good results. Good Luck!

Regards,
Tom

Tom is right. Eventhough standard jade doesn't have a place in bonsai world, it doesn't bother me. I actually have quite a few big jades with trunk caliper around 3" to 4". I love them.

Andy

Oh Andy. There is a place in the bonsai world for us jade lovers. Out of sight and out of mind:-).

randy

I must agree with you, Randy... us Jade lovers are neither to be seen nor heard...

Regards,
Tom

I just purchased my first Jade bonsai. Why isn't it considered a good candidate for bonsai? Who is setting the standards for Jade?

I have a young jade that has branched 2" above the soil. I know eventually I will want to cut the branch away when I go for the giant jade bonsai. Should I do it now to avoid scarring? Or do I leave it as a sacrifice branch? I know not to do recessed cuts on jade to avoid rot, but Can I cut it flush w/ the stem? Or "am I only allowed" to cut it to the 1st bud? I want the first 12" of the tree to just be a massive plain trunk.
thanks, alex

Alex

I would take it off now flush to the trunk with a very sharp knife.

randy

Hi everyone. I have a small mini Jade plant that I propagated from a friend's damaged plant four or five years ago. Hers was a bonsai, and I have dried to duplicate it with my cutting. It has done very well as far as general growth, but it refuses to branch. Last summer I (nervously) decided to top it, and cut off three inches hoping to root the cutting as well (didn't work). Now I'm back where I started...5-6 inches, no branching, and a spindly trunk.

Any advice on getting my mini Jade to 'fatten up'? It is in a 3" ceramic pot that I'm starting to think may be too deep (also 3").

Thanks in advance, guys!
-kate

Either it's just not genetically programmed to branch, or else it's not getting enough light, it's too young to branch, or it's time for you to pick up your own little very inexpensive plant at the supermarket. You didn't say how often it's watered or what kind of soil mix it's in, so it's hard to guess at anything else.

I have many small jades that I have been working into bonsai tech. for going on my first year and the results have been amazing.. slow.. but amazing. All different sizes and shapes too. I have one that is only about two and a half inches tall but the trunk is about 3/4" thick with three main branches. I love using jade with this technique! Good Luck.. I would post pics but as most of you out there know, my computer just wont let me post here!!
Christina

Hey, Christina!
Here's an old Thread, eh? ;)
Well, I guess I'll slap a few pics up, for anyone searching "Jade bonsai" in the future. As a general rule, small-leafed Jades are easier to work into proportion. However, the straight Crassula ovata makes a nice macro-bonsai! These are a few of my recent projects.

Big Jade cutting - branches will be cut back to emphasize the trunk!
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Then I have these two cuttings in temporary pots against temporary stones.
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I also like Jade 'Skinny Fingers' - I call this one "Cactus Jack" because it reminds me of a saguaro.
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One nice thing about Jades is that they can be re-staged as they grow, providing for a variety of stylings.

Josh