It does appear to be a jade, Crassula ovata. It is not a vine. If it grew that way, it is because it was in low light. It is growing in low light right now too - the stems are quite thin, the pair of leaves are spaced far apart. You can see them 'bending' toward the window - seeking more light. The plant is etiolated. Exactly as you said - it is it is just growing as it sees fit. Looking for more light.

To reshape it, plant should be pruned and pieces repotted and grow in good light. They would grow prostate as they should.

Some would 'lift' the existing plant, using a stick and tie the plant to it to support it - you could do that and try to straighten it up. It would take a while and plant would have to be in sufficient light. It may work since the stem is relatively skinny. Thicker trunk is quite rigid and would likely break.

Jades will grow very well in full sunlight (if coming from low light, they should be acclimatized to more - that is same for other plants, to prevent scorching).

It is one of the easiest succulents to propagate; from leaves to cuttings, plant won't be harmed if you take any.

You could pot some other succulents with it, but if it grows the way it should, usually they are nice specimens to be potted alone. That would be personal choice.

Thank you for your reply. I have it in a west-facing window where it gets direct light for a few hours a day. I have an east-facing window where it might get more so perhaps I will move it there. I'm in an apartment building but on a hill so the east side is less obstructed - lots of direct light from sunrise. I was concerned about scorching.

I found a video showing propagation using the leaf cuttings in perlite. Would you agree perlite is better than just using the succulent soil?

Thanks again!

This jade has been pruned of all branches end of Dec. 2014:

Same plant today:

Wow! So it looks like I could theoretically cut my one long plant into several smaller ones! Is there a 'rule of thumb' as to the lengths of the pruned segments for it to work?

Hey!

Rina didn't really answer that last question (nevermind, we just posted at the same time), so I will answer for her. Yes, it is better to use perlite. Probably not pure perlite, though. I would say take 60% perlite and 40% of the soil you are using right now, to make a mix. That will serve to keep your plants healthy.

~palmsandsnow

Edit: After seeing your last post, yes, you could totally chop one jade into a bunch of pieces to root. There is really no specific length, but I would say generally nothing smaller than a single leaf. Single leaves root just as well as a stem or branch. You may already know this, but no rooting hormone is needed.

gb

Perlite would work for propagating. I just stick them all into a 'gritty mix' - a potting mix made of chicken grit+perlite+turface (clay granules used on golf courses and play fields).

Cut off piece you want to propagate, let it callus (heal) for few hours just laying in open air, not in full sun. Then stick in a pot (perlite or mix of perlite+soil), do not water for a while. You could use soil if you don't have anything else, but get a bag of perlite and mix it 50/50 soil:perlite. This would work for both cuttings or original plant.

There is no need to use any rooting hormone (it is often suggested on net). Jades are very tolerant plants, cuttings will survive in open air for months - they will shrivel, but not die. There is plenty of water stored in stems and leaves.

We are all typing at the same time, lol.

The light coming thru the window will most likely not be strong enough to scorch your plant. Give it best you can, possibly even some supplemental light, at least in winter.

Mix palms suggested will work just as well.

No rule of thumb for length of cuttings...single leaf will grow.

And yes, you could cut few pieces. I would probably cut the main plant just above second (maybe it is third?) small branch; and also prune off the first one - longer one leaning toward the window.

Is it all one branch? - can't tell from the photo. I managed to copy your photo; here are some suggestions:

There is a slight chance that your jade may be a small leaved jade, but it is difficult to tell for me since it has grown in less than optimum light.

edited to add pic & some text

Here's what I am working with...

That's all one plant. Even the bit near the base is actually a branch coming off the main stalk.

I'm curious what you said about "they will shrivel, but not die" - this one is inserted into the soil but seems to be dying?

Occasionally, they will die, but that one actually looks okay; it is wrinkled, but not dead. For rooting, I think I would actually use smaller sections, but it is really up to you.

Here is a special picture:

Useful Pictures · More Info

That is one of my small jades, happy in full sun.

~palmsandsnow

Ok, here is another suggestion:

Cut the 2nd branch (first yellow line) after 1st set of leaves, rather than at the stem.

Next you could cut where 2nd yellow line it, or where the 2nd red line is in previous photo. You could keep leftover in one piece or cut in 2 - up to you.

Leave all other little branches and leaves on the trunk - they will help fatten up the trunk and can be pruned later on (like next year or even later).

The shrivelled piece you have there looks as what I meant if you leave them unpotted; how long has it been there? It could possibly, be thirsty, but I don't know how often do yu water the pot? That piece without roots should be kept in dry mix, just maybe spritz leaves little - recommended by others with more experience :)

I mentioned that prunings without roots should not be watered for a while - no roots, no water. Regular watering should start when you see new growth, that means there are roots growing. If they look thirsty and shrivelled, you could spritz them; do not pour water over the mix since plant without roots can't take any in and it may cause rotting of your cuttings.

Part with the roots should be watered when mix is dry - you could use a bamboo skewer or chopstick, insert into the soil halfway deep or deeper. If it comes out dry and clean, time to water. If cold/damp, or particles sticking to it, no water yet.

Just a thought, and I guess a question on my part. Do the roots generally form from the nodes, or maybe start there first? Or can they form anywhere along the clipping? This may be obvious to everyone (except me! LOL).

I ask, because I have some clippings that I haven't potted up yet. And as in the past, roots have formed at the nodes. This old picture shows what I mean -

We have never, to my knowledge, pointed out that a node area should be part of the stem inserted into the soil. So maybe that is not really important? I'm probably over-thinking again . . . and I don't want to add to any confusion on rooting cuttings.

I don't think you need a node, but it may be easier for the roots to form there? Just guessing.

Crenda

Same here - I never really found out (wasn't even looking for answer). I am just thinking that space between nodes is quite short, and maybe there is always some of it in the soil??? Since they just root so easily, I never considered or worried about it.

More I think of it & look at the photo, more it seems that the node is where they grow from...

gb

If you look at photo Crenda just posted, you'll see that leaves on her plant are packed even more than on my plants - the reason is that my plants spend almost half a year indoors - less light, even with supplemental lighting.

Crenda, that is a totally AWESOME idea! There's a preschool across the street from my work, I'm going to see if they may be interested. I have a lot of jade cuttings in my office, still.

And fwiw - I usually try to get 2-3 nodes into the soil for rooting them :). Longer than that and I find that they rotted (particularly in regular potting mix- I'm still new to amended mixes, myself)

I've moved my plant to the east-facing window for direct light in the morning and then to the west-facing window for some more in the afternoon. Theoretically, that should more or less double the amount of direct sunlight it gets.

Thank you for the tips on how to prune it down into multiple plants. I will definitely try it when I get some time - maybe I will see if it becomes more robust after a while of extra sun first.

The shriveled one was a still-green end of one of the plants that died off. It has been in the soil maybe a month or more by now. The instructions that came with it said to water it once a month by placing the whole pot (with a hole in the bottom) in a bowl of water and letting it soak up, as opposed to watering from above. I read somewhere that in summer they can take more water, maybe every two weeks. This one is inside with AC, so I'm not sure how much season effects it?

I've tried spraying water direct onto the shriveled one and it may have started to 'plump' a little, so maybe it is "drinking"?

Thanks again everyone!

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this, but DON'T water a cutting until you are absolutely sure there are roots. Even if you think there are roots, I wouldn't risk it until you are SURE. Can you tell if the shriveled one has pushed any new growth?

In terms of light, you will want to keep the plant outside if you can. For a while I was doing the same thing you are- while I was acclimating them, I kept them on the deck for morning sun, then in the window for afternoon. I now keep them on the deck. They get sun from 7:30 am-2:30 pm, and lots of afternoon heat. I guess how you are doing it is fine, but glass weakens the sun's rays more than you would expect.

I'm on the seventh floor with no balconies, so the window sills are the best I can do. Outside is not an option here. Today it was cool enough to turn the ACs off and open some windows, so the light today is at least through a screen. But the light will more often than not be through glass.

The shriveled one pulled out of the soil very easily and it looks like it started developing roots:

I buried the end again a little deeper. To the question raised above, it looks like the roots do form at the nodes. As it is, three nodes are in the soil. I haven't seen new growth on it, but I'll keep an eye on it.

My window arrangement may not be ideal for succulents, but at least the plant gets views like this:

:)

Beautiful view. :)

One possibility, if your windows aren't giving enough light, is to add some extra light. I know some here use compact fluorescent bulbs in fixtures they can position right next to the plants (within inches) as a cheap way of lighting a few plants.

(I, too, am in an apartment with no way of putting plants outside, so I've gone the artificial light route.)

gbond

There is no need to bury cutting very deep. Looks like you already have it more than 3 nodes deep, is end part shrivelled?

Supplemental lights will help - I use them whole winter long.

gbond1967, Does your apt have a fire escape stair? I live in an old apt building in midtown Manhatan, right by the Lincoln Tunnel. I try to keep as many plants as possible on the fire escape that's by my living room window

Thanks everyone!

I've started putting the pot in the east-facing window when I go to bed so it gets the sunrise light and then into the west-facing window in the afternoon when it can get the sunset light. It should now be getting a lot more direct natural light than it had been.

That skyline sunrise picture of Manhattan shows the unobstructed light it now gets in that window. It doesn't start getting into shade until near midday. The west-facing window (where it had been in my home office) has trees and a building across the street, so it gets less exposure depending on time of year.

What should I be looking for to tell if it is working? Thickening of the stalk? Leaf clusters closer together? What about coloring? I see a little red-brown on the tips of the leaves.

Since we have two egress exits, we don't have fire escapes. There really is no practical means of keeping it outside. If I don't see improvement by switching windows, supplementary lights may be the way to go.

The cutting is shriveled, so maybe it didn't make it? It's green and hasn't gotten worse. There are roots and I've sprayed that specific spot to keep it watered. I guess time will tell.

Coloring one the leaf tips will indicate that it is getting sun. You can see that in this picture:

Useful Pictures · More Info

~palmsandsnow

They can get wayyyyy shrivelled and dry, and still make it. Here's a cutting that was lying on my counter for over a week before potting:

Same cutting this morning - about one month later.

(It's facing the other way - short bald stem on the right above is on the left here below)