Nicholas C. thank!Crassula is a others , and one portulacaria AFRA

Rupestris

Portulacaria Afra

Morgan Beauty

Perforata and Gollum "My Precious" after cutting

Corimbulosa, Ausensis Titanopsis, Tom Tumb, and small Hobbit after cutting

Beautiful plants! I especially love how some of your jades look like 'trees'. How does one go about making them look like that?

Yes! Do tell, Andrey! How do you get a stem like "Pride" has? Very nice!

Hi! I'm very glad to see you! Did you do it finally?

Oksana.

Hi Oksana! There were problems with registration - now they have decided on their own at the next attempt.

sunb75, Crenda 10A SW FL, Direct trunk is easily achieved:

1. You should rotate the plant very often.

2. Plant need more light on top of the plant.

3. You can easily align the curve of the trunk,for this must be dried plant. Very carefully and slowly bend of the trunk, fasten the position for 10 seconds each time. Then you can fasten the position the tree, and then add water.

4. You have to remove the lower leaves to strengthen the trunk

5. You need to slow down the growth,after when trunk reaches the desired length, to the bush is not growing faster than the thickness of the tree trunk. It can be cut or slow down the growth of the top in many ways

Some of these activities hinders growth. You must agree to this

Welcome Andrey to our addiction on jades.

Thank you, Andrey! After I read your instructions again, I need to go back and adjust my plant. But I did get it to stand up straight! I will try your method. Wish me luck!

Crenda 10A SW FL, you have a beautiful tree. You needed to remove the lower leaves and align the tree trunk, dry it before. Do this carefully and gently !! If you will break - I'm not guilty)

Yes, I have a few things to do on the tree. Thanks for your advice and instructions. It is quite dry right now, so this is the time. I won't blame you if I break it - said with a smile.

Andrey

Welcome, it's nice to see so many new photos! You have very nice collection of plants. The square orange pot with multiple plants is very nice too. All of your plants look very well grown.

I have a question regarding growing a 'tree' as you described. I was under impression that removing leaves causes less food to the plants roots, and the trunk would not get as thick and strong as would be with leaving more leaves on (they would be removed later, when trunk get thicker), and perhaps a slower growth over all?

I may be wrong - that's why I am asking. And I understand that not every one would want thicker trunk. It just seems to me that thicker and stronger trunk will be able to support more of the top growth, and perhaps look more mature - old.

I hope you don't mind me asking...Thank you.

Rina

Rina, I do not quite understand your question good to me. I do not know much English, and automatic translation turned out quite incorrect. Still, I will try to explain about the leaves on a tree trunk. When the leaves on the trunk is, it nourishes their potential, and when to remove them - all contribute to the growth potential of a tree trunk, after which it will be strengthened. But this will happen only once, since the removal of the leaves. The absence of leaves does not make any difference to the barrel in the future. After removal of the leaves should be cut to make the top of the well and water the plant. After this action the tree trunk further expand.

Andrey

Thank you very much for the answer, and sorry that translator is not doing very good job.

I will try again - maybe simpler? (My English is not 100% either...)

This is the way I understand: the leaves produce the 'food'. The 'food' goes down to roots. Roots get very strong, and the plant grows better. The trunk gets fatter/thicker and stronger too. Then extra leaves could be removed.

If there is not so many leaves, less 'food' goes down to roots. The trunk does not get as thick/fat, it stays thinner and not so strong. It will not die, but it may grow slower.

If trunk stays thinner, it could be difficult to support the top growth.

Maybe I have incorrect information or maybe I did not understand very well what you wrote. I hope I am not too confusing.

Rina

Andrey, are you ever able to put any of your Jades outside during the summer? Here is what happened when I did this to some of mine for the first time this year.

Christopher

Rina, the leaves do not produce food, "food" is in the soil and water in the form of mineral and organic substances, it moves from the roots to the leaves on the trunk. Leaves of the trunk, and process it into organic substances. Trunk of Crassula Ovata can do it without leaves. As long as the leaves are still not remove the roots already established delivery process right amount of food for them. When some leaves are removed, this amount of food will be great and will be familiar to food trunk. As the trunk is also participates in the production of organic substances by photosynthesis.

CactusChris, I put outside some small my plants in the summer. They have not yet formed flowers. I'll put outside large plants in the next year. Thank you

Andrey

Water and minerals are stored in soil and they are delivered thru the roots.

I remember learning about photosynthesis at school - that was long time ago, so I copied something from the net:

Photosynthesis comes from Greek and means 'putting together with light.' While we humans are trying hard these days to harness the sun's energy to power our homes and vehicles, every green leaf in the world is making the most of solar energy to 'put together' food from water and carbon dioxide. The carbohydrates they make in this process forms the foundation of the food chain - plants (and some photosynthetic bacteria & algae) are the only 'producers' of food; all other living things are 'consumers,' feeding directly or indirectly on the food produced in photosynthesis. But that's not all - photosynthesis is also the main source of oxygen that most living creatures need in order to breathe.

The photosynthetic process occurs only in the chloroplasts, tiny subcellular structures contained in the cells of leaves and green stems. In photosynthesis, the sun’s energy combines hydrogen from water (H20) with carbon dioxide (CO2) turning them into carbohydrates. Oxygen (O2)
is given off as a by-product of photosynthesis.
The chemical equation for the process of
photosynthesis is: 6CO2 + 6H20 + light C6H12O6 + 6O2

Rina, you're right. It does not change my theory about the removal of the leaves. Another important consequence of the removal of the leaves is the growth of lateral branches on the trunk, which contributes to a very strong thickening trunk.

The foliage on jades store energy for the entire plant to use during dryer times the energy stored in foliage is unlike moisture at the roots Root energy travels quickly upward through the branches. Most of the energy produced in foliage from photosynthesis is used in closer areas where it is produced . Even though it's a longer way up than it is down sunlight and warmth help speed the root energy upward faster than any downward energy exchange from the foliage

The theory ( idea) you use Andrey is correct as your cultivated jades probably wont have to with stand the dryer times that they are capable of handling you could, if you wanted to defoliate any one of them completely after being well established.

Speeding up thicker branches is done by removing lower foliage in pairs and over time upward

Thicker/ wider trunks take time they're on a different clock in a way

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1790745/large-jade-whack-and-repot?n=125

nomen

I am not questioning if the jade will grow with leaves removed - I am just wondering about thickening of the trunk. It is a personal choice and preference - thin or thick trunk (my would be thick/fat trunk). I am under impression that more leaves would help fattening the trunk, which would be stronger too (trunk).

I have stripped trunk of all the leaves too, and it grew new leaves and branches - I am not afraid to do so - here, just one example (sorry for bad photo):

Jade in the photo will not have strait trunk like Andrey's jade; bottom branches and some of the leaves will be removed - but since I understood that leaves and green branches will help fattening the trunk, they are still left on. I would like that trunk to be tapering and fatter still - it is approx. 12cm (approx. 4.7s") at the soil level now, plant is 39cm (approx. 15.35") tall (soil level to tip of the highest leave).

Andrey

Thank you for your patience, I am not trying to be right, just want to understand better...

Rina

edited to add photos

Rina : Nobody is going to be" right" it's just opinions, some with internet support that help keep it factual and some are life experiences with the same plant (Yes at times there is the tet for tat thing that happens along the way) With that in mind your not "wrong" either.

What the OP is trying to achieve has many approaches IMO All some folks (we) need to do is be respectful and appreciate there efforts during the quest.

How does one overlook and forgive the battle over removing foliage or not to remove foliage is as easy as considering the may different ways there are of managing the growth........ ( not just jades but most any plant.)

Overlooked or also not understood completely is another internet searching fact. Pot size and shape have the " biggest" influence of how a tree ( in this case a jade) will shape and form.

I hope that I didn't make impression of not being respectful, and I definitely appreciate every ones efforts. That is the reason I ask questions - so, in case I have wrong info in my head, or can get some new info/learn something new, I am quite eager to find out.

Andrey

I am sorry for asking if this upset you, it certainly wasn't meant like that.

Rina

Rina, okay, I did not understand half of sense (of text), as do not know much English and overestimated the possibilities. )) So I can not properly explain to you and I can not understand you correctly. I understand only generally. Maybe my English is understand better than I do yours. I'm trying to build a simple sentence, and ask everyone to do the same for me

Language differences aside, I had the same thought/question as Rina when reading about trunk thickening, as I'm also interested in learning more about this.

How it works in most (all?) woody trees is like this:

The trunk will thicken the most where branches that have lots of leaves extend from it. This is why you want to avoid having a bunch of branches springing from the same place on either the trunk or any branch, as it can cause reverse taper situations which do not appear natural.

I know this to be true for at least ficus, as I have experienced it with multiple plants/trees across mulitple ficus species. I believe its true for most every woody tree, tropical, deciduous, what have you.

If you look at the thread nomen linked, there's a few posts by Al that seem to imply Jade works this same way - in particular he starts one post with:

"Time to thin out the secondary branches so you don't get unsightly knobs/swellings where multiple branches originate from very close to the same point on the main branches."

I believe what Rina suggests is correct, and applies to the trunk and any other branch. Basically, the more leaves that are in the path from trunk - branch - stem, the quicker the trunk and all of the branches in that path will thicken.

More low branches is how you get a thicker lower trunk faster. It will thicken the quickest where the largest branches that have the most leaves join it. removing lower leaves will not cause the trunk to thicken faster. It will cause more energy to flow towards the top of plant.

I can't explain it in terms of how the roots and leaves/photosynthesis interact to make it happen, but I'm confident it could be explained by someone with sufficient horticultural knowledge.

rooftop

You put it in words better than I did - that is all I was trying to say.

I already mentioned that look of the plant is a personal thing. So there is no 'right' or 'wrong' look - one has to grow ones like to see.

I just wondered if my 'stored info' was incorrect...and I am always open to learn new things. Thank you all.

Andrey

I know how difficult it is to understand, I have experienced so too many times. Even putting the proper words may not be enough to get the right meaning.

In either case, I like your plants. They all have nice color and look very healthy. You have nice variety, and I hope very much you'll keep posting on this forum.

Thank you.

Rina

Think of your trunk as a river and each branch as a stream, and each leaf as a brook, all tributaries of the river. Removing streams/brooks (branches/leaves) causes the river to flow (thicken) at a reduced rate.

Plants can grow multiplicatively (more branches and leaves) or additively (thicker). Both types of growth occur in meristematic regions; extension and new meristems from apical meristems at branch tips and thickening from the lateral meristems in cambial tissues. Both elongation and thickening of axes is directly related to the number of cell divisions that occur. As cells divide, new cells are laid down in files and are causal of thickening. Since the number of new cells formed IS what determines the amount of thickening, and the number of new cells formed is directly related to food (photosynthate) production, we can say with certainty that there exists a direct relationship between the amount of thickening in the longitudinal axes and the area of the photosynthesizing surface (the number/size of leaves on the plant). From this we see that by removing branches that support viable foliage and/or removal of individual leaves, we reduce axial thickening in direct relation to the photosynthesizing surface area removed.

So, as Rina and Rooftop suggested, removing leaves and branches can only have the direct effect of diminishing the rate of thickening in the longitudinal axes.

Al

Таpla, without removing the leaves, you do not get side branches, which will contribute to a stronger thickening of the trunk than the leaves. I read this advice in the forums, and it probably comes from this fact.

Andrey,

First, I want to apologize for continuing to hijack your thread. Hopefully you can see that all of this excitement was caused due to admiration of your plants and some communication misunderstandings.

Second, I do agree with you on that point, and now I may understand what you originally meant. Pulling leaves off the trunk will usually cause new branches to start near where you remove the leaves, sometimes referred to as "backbudding". Letting these new branches grow and develop more leaves will cause the thickening and growth we have been discussing.

I work with a lot of people who don't speak english natively, and I know how hard it can be to communicate. I have learned the key to success at cross-language communication is practice, for all involved participants.

When you have a moment, post another picture to get this thread back on track.

Daniel

Hi, Andrey.

When we remove branches we remove leaves, thereby reducing the plant's photosynthesizing surface and it's ability to create food from the sun's energy. Less food means fewer cell divisions, so not as many cells laid down in the cambium where thickening occurs. So, no question, removing foliage retards thickening of the trunk and branches.

If you want more side branches, removing the plants apices (growing branch tips/ apical meristems) removes most of the source of auxin, the growth regulator responsible for suppressing lateral breaks (side branches). This allows cytokinin, the growth regulator that stimulates lateral breaks to become dominant, which stimulates axillary and adventitious buds to grow - so more branching.

Also, maximizing light while ensuring good air movement and appropriate fertility causes more secondary growth.

Al

I have other pictures, I can show you the most beautiful

..... always a joy to look at happy plants. Thanks for sharing your successes!

Al

They look very healthy... enjoy

Hanging jade

Mr. Weathervane, surprisingly, the first time I see this. Maybe it is not Crassula Ovatа?

Another photos today

Yes, I believe Mr. Weathervane has a Senecio jacobsenii. It is not a C. ovata, but a lovely plant just the same. Nice color!

Mr. Weathervane, what is the Latin name of that plant?

Andrey, I LOVE the first picture you posted yesterday! Your plants look very healthy.

Hello everybody! Here is another picture of my window sill

Lovely, Andrey. What is the one in the middle with the new golden leaves? In front of and a slight bit to the left of the tall, green jade?

Marguerite, is Ovata unknown varieties . Oksana showed him the message , "This is Rubra ? " But there is no one able to determine its grade. He has medium- size leaves, new leaves are small right now , because the plant roots to grow recently . Here is his image and the mother plant . I call him " Mongrel dog " because it is rootless .

Andrey -- Beautiful plants here! They all look as great as Oskana! Thanks for sharing them..

Bernard

Wonderful video, Andrey!

How were you able to post this video in the message? What option did you use from youtube?

Josh

Andrey, like your video, thanks for sharing it here.

Josh, just like posting a picture you just click the "video" button when writing a comment and you can put the url of any youtube or vimeo video (taken from browser when watching the video).

Daniel

Thanks, Daniel!

Josh

Maruba Nishiki

Minor

Undulatifolia

skinny fingersothers