1)I think you will be fine making the cuts now.

2) I thought you are planning on cutting them in half to separate them, you will still have roots on both sides if you make 1 cut straight down between them won't you? That's what I would do probably - cut straight down, and put cinnamon on the wounds.
3) This was going to be my next advice if you were afraid just cut them in half like I said in #2. I'd cut one of them above the soil line, and cinnamon the wounds. You can root the cutting in pure perlite.

If you do end up going the cuttings route, I urge you to bring them inside. I tried to root my cuttings in 100% humidity, this slows down the process A LOT, and two of my cuttings aren't going to make it (they were also severely mangled by dogs though too)

Anyways, those are my two cents... but personally, I'd wait for a response from Josh before I did anything :)

Brittany

Gary,

You have a BEAUTIFUL Hummel's Jade. Why seperate it?
It is so hard to find a large one. If you want a single trunk, then look for one and leave this one the way it is.
It seems to me that one trunk fills in where the other one needs it.

I think you are worrying too much about your cuttings.
If you are keeping them out of the sun and heat, they should be fine. I have received some in the mail that have been very wilted and they came back just fine.

I wish you good luck on your plantings and I LOVE your Hummel's Sunset!

Val

I too would leave it alone. It sounds like you're new at this (I did read the other thread, forgot if you're a newbie or not), but from these questions, am guessing newish.

If it were mine, I'd work at growing it well & learning all I could about it. One can always cut it in future, to ruin it now wouldn't be so recoverable.

An example of what you've yet to learn:

your new plant can stand to be bare root for a while, does it no harm at all. As long as it's not in direct sun & is kept DRY, it can be out of mix for a while. (I've known folks who root cuttings of this simply by standing them up DRY in an empty clay pot in the shade & leaving them alone a month or so to develop roots.)

I don't understand #2 at all.

This business of plucking too many leaves ..

"I wonder if this created too many wounds for water to escape."

I don't believe plants work like this.

I think you have a beautiful plant that you're risking doing anything to now, seems overly ambitious; I think it's premature.

I think your best bet is to leave the plant alone .. you seem too anxious about it, sorry, but those are my two cents.

Sorry, last point, I don't know why your cuttings aren't holding water. Are they already potted up or still bare cuttings?

I wouldn't be unwise at all, some people like a single trunk others want it very full others shape it which would not be natural. just let it sit in low light or semi-shade what ever, you will see a brush of roots forming, then plant it and give it water, you don't need to put anything
on the cut. Put the Cinnamon in a cake or put it on your cereal. LOL Norma

Thank you all for the prompt responses.

First of all, yes, I'm new to succulents. I've had no interest in growing anything that couldn't survive outside all year in my native climate until recently. I've specifically become enamored with crassulas (largely because it was a mature jade given to me that kick-started the obsession). In the last two months, I've poured over these forums on a daily basis, done quite a bit of research elsewhere, and it's gotten to the point where almost everything I read I've already learned, digested, taken notes on, etc. I understand I can't gain experience on the internet, but I'm going to milk what it can offer me for all it's worth.

Why do I want to separate the trunks? Because I work with bonsai, and I want to train these as "large" bonsai. I agree that aesthetically it looks great now, but I won't like the way this plant will look in the future if I leave both trunks there. I know that much. I would also prefer the plant puts all its growth into the one trunk as soon as possible. The bigger they get, and the closer their bases grow together, the harder this is going to be down the line.

I didn't think this would be a big deal. And if it is, fine. I'll just whack one trunk off above the soil line and try to root it. I'm not offended (really), but not sure why this would be considered overly ambitious.

To clear up confusion on my #2 point: I was concerned that if I were to cut these in half (beneath the soil line) that I would run the risk of the plants rotting after I planted them and eventually resumed watering them. They BOTH would have roots already attached, but BOTH would need to heal the separation cut before being watered. While it's claimed that I haven't learned that "your new plant can stand to be bare root for a while, does it no harm at all. As long as it's not in direct sun & is kept DRY, it can be out of mix for a while", I actually have learned this. I've read that and learned that, but it's always phrased similarly. This stuff is all relative. What's a "while"? With other plants, that could refer to a few hours. The plant has been uprooted and dry for a 8 days now. Specifics can be rare when you start looking for them. That's where my confusion comes from. I was never concerned about a week, but two? three? If I were to cut them in half, I would have to leave them unwatered for even longer. What's my limit?

As for my plucked leaf theory... the more leaves that were plucked, the softer and wrinklier the branch. (And that's no stretch, it's plain as day). It's the only variable that was changed.

I'm just not sure why seeming "anxious" or "ambitious" prevents me from learning how to properly execute a procedure on a notoriously "easy" plant to work with. I've worked successfully with much trickier plants for many years. I can plant the jade as it is, care for it perfectly for years and years, but I'm not going to learn a thing about separating trunks beneath the soil until I ask about it, learn about it, and do it. Right? I'll be right back here asking the same thing, which can be soiled down to: "how risky is this?" If it's obvious I don't "get" some things, please point me in the right direction to acquire that knowledge. After months of reading, I think I get the "basics" (and am tired of reading them, as I'm sure you're all tired of posting them). I just have some specific questions, because I AM ambitious, and eager, and curious. That's why I'm reading the manuals, so to speak, before doing anything I'll later regret. I'm sure everyone can understand that.

Oh yeah. As for the cuttings not holding water? They are not potted up. I was advised to let them callus over for at least a week before doing that. It's funny, actually, because they are "standing up DRY in an empty clay pot in the shade". Or were, rather. I moved them inside earlier today, since the trunks have lost 20% of their size in that environment.

Thank you, again, for all the responses. I hope my tone isn't too defensive, just trying to clear some things up. I really appreciate the responses.

Gray

Hey, Gary, sounds like a good project! Great looking plant!

Can you post a pic of the Jade roots?
I'm having trouble visualizing whether the trunks are connected - one growing from the other -
or if the trunks are two cuttings that have been grown right next to eachother.

Pot those cuttings, it's been long enough.

During the Summer, waiting a "while" is about 3 - 5 days.
During the Winter, a "while" is about 7 - 10 days...

Josh

Photos at the link. (Sorry that they're rotated).

The photos aren't good quality either, but the trunks are definitely connected. The trunk on the left appears to have originally been a low branch (or a sucker?). They are attached all the way up to the soil line. Looking at the node lines, the right trunk appears to have been the original, and it has 90% of the root mass to prove it. That root ball is thick and tight. I can't get in there, but I can tell that the left trunk (the one in question for removal) penetrates most of it. This is all why I probably won't get the guts to cut down deeply and separate them. It SEEMS too risky. That's why I'm seeking advice.

You're all a bunch of saints. Thank you kindly for the help and compliments on the new jade, but you guys gotta stop calling me Gary...

Gray :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Trunks

Here's the second picture. Those roots are 2" deep.

Josh, is your "while" in reference to cuttings or uprooted jades?

And Norma, thanks for the reply.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roots

Ha! Gray! Sorry about that! ;)
The Eye sees what the Eye wants to see!

My gut-feeling is this:
I would choose one or the other, and then re-root the trunk that gets the axe.
I'd be worried about losing both by trying to cut them down the middle.

Josh

Oh wow. Disregard that. In my sleepy state I completely reversed my "rights" and "lefts". I had the plant lying down the other way before taking the pictures. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it! It is the LEFT trunk that is the "true" trunk and has all the roots.

Gray

Okay. Thanks, Josh. Both my head and my gut are nodding their heads with you.

Gray

Both cuttings and uprooted Jades ;)

For instance, if I took a cutting in Summer, I'd wait 3 - 5 days for the cut end to form a callus...then I'd pot.
If I took a cutting in Winter, I'd wait slightly longer (7 - 10 days) for the end to form a callus.

When I re-pot a Jade with roots, I wait 3 - 5 days to water (in Summer), 7 - 10 days in Winter.

Jades are pretty remarkable plants, and you could probably just grab those trunks and snap them apart.
But it's a really nice Jade, and I wouldn't want to share any responsibility if the Jade were to die.

Josh

hi Gary! I have got exact the same problem as you do! I went on forum to find the answer on "Jade trunk separation". My new Crassula Red Horn Tree Varieties has two trunks or maybe i have got two Crassula growing very close to each other? I brouth my crassula from France,and it cost me a bit (postage France-uk was expensive). I decided to leave it how it is..I would prefer to grow single trunk , but fear of losing plants is too big! I also read it that it is much harder to propagnate variageted jade.