Yep those can all be re-rooted. Let the cut ends dry and callous over for several days, even a week or two for the big one. If that bend in the branch is going to create an awkward angle you could prune above it first to get a straighter plant, if you want. Then plant it into dry soil (there is tons of info on this board for the best soils, if you need help with that). The big branch will need a stake or something for support until the new roots grow and take hold. Don't water it at all until it is firm in place and you see new top growth, which signals that there are roots. Don't worry if that's months.

Yes, as Sara said...If you don't mind Sara, I'll suggest to prune off less than she suggest because you could pot it up so it s straight above soil level, with small part bending. Actually, you may not have to cut any of it. I rotated your photo:

Thank you!! The plant is broken at that end. I just got some succulant soil and root hormone, so once it dries out I'll be able to to try replanting.

So true, thanks Rina! It's amazing how creative one can be with these.

The rooting hormone really isn't necessary. I don't think it will hurt anything, but succulents are rootmaking machines even when left to their own devices. :)

Most gardeners here are not satisfied with any soil straight out of the bag, even those labeled for succulents. They tend to have a high component of fine organic ingredients, which compact down and retain water, leading to poorer root growth (and thus poorer plant growth) and potentially more risk of rot in the long term. A popular remedy is to cut the soil 50/50 with perlite or pumice. (Pumice is readily available only on the west coast, perlite is easy to find everywhere). You'll meet people here who use more and more extreme versions of this, including entirely inorganic gritty mixes. There are a few who like the straight bagged mixes, but they're a very small minority.

Just some food for thought for you while the plant callouses!

Rina, would you recommend trimming the broken end to make a clean cut?

Thanks so much Rina and Sara, especially for the photos--that is SO helpful. As far as cutting the branch though, I guess that brings up a new question. I left town for a few days and left the branches to dry. Do you think I could cut it when I get back, or would it be better to just go with the callus that is already developing?

Hello in there four years later! I was wondering if the leaves on the branch survive the propagation process, or if it's expected that many will fall off? Should it be kept in light?

Nina F

Leaves should survive, but only if healthy enough. It is difficult to generalize - show us a photo pls. Oldest leaves will dry up & fall off, but it is just a few yearly. If many leaves are falling off, there is usually a problem. Again, photo would help...and yes, jade are in need of good light. If not enough, plants leaves could curl down, get sparsely spaced (space between them is too long), branches get skinny & weak, color is off...if you have problematic plant, you need to post a clear photo & someone may be able to help.

Here's the creature I'm attempting to propagate. I cut this from a larger tree that was all rotted at the base. This had scabbed completely where I cut it and is now sitting in dry soil with some support. I'm just noticing that branch on the right starting to sag and some leaves were falling off earlier. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Nina F

Was the branch you propagated completely rot-less? If there was any rot left, it could have caused danage. Flesh needs to be of uniform color, usually light green or creamy. If there are any dark lines - spots -circles, that is usually rot. Branch needs to have thin slices cut off until there is no dark spots. If left, it will spread thrughout the stem.

Looks like you had quite thick trunks! Nice!

Check all the branches/stems/trunks by gentle squeeze. They should be firm. If soft, there could be rot.

BUT: there is a (small!) chance that it is thristy...how long has it been potted? What kind of soil did you use?

When I propagate thicker plants, I usualy support them with rocks, or even tie them:

...or both; especially if the pot is shallow (pot is only 4" deep; 8" diameter):

I‘m pretty sure they were rotless as i cut up the trunk until the flesh was cream-colored and had a thin green outline, confirmed that they're pretty firm! I’ll try giving some more support

It was scabbing for about a week and a half and it‘s been in the dry soil (half perlite, half potting soil) for a few days.

It does seem to be thirsty, which is confusing since it seems unlikely that it has roots. Maybe worth noting I’m in Colorado where it’s epicly dry, and also it has lots of aerial roots from before this project (that’s how I realized it wasn’t absorbing moisture from the bottom, it was all rotted!)

Nina F

Jades are very resilient when it comes to thirst. I already posted example of a branch that was really desicated and it's recovery - in this thread

So I wouldn't rush with watering...few days is nothing.

Your mix sounds ok. I usually do not water rootless cuttings for 10 days or longer, to make sure there is no infection of rot. NO ROOTS - NO WATER is what I go by...It takes longer for such thick trunks to scab, & rooting is slower out of the season - which is now. But if the plant was rotting, I believe you did right thing by cutting it.

I also keep newly potted cuttings out of strong sun for a while, but introduce them to stronger light slowly. Otherwise, they grow well in direct sun. I keep them outside in warm enough weather, but inside under grow lights. Winter days are quite dark here...

I wouldn't worry about aerial roots; while there aren't soil roots, they may supply some moisture to the plant. And, eventually they dry up.

This is what I would do if it was my plant: I would cut off drooping branch. If it's not rotting, I would let it callus; possibly use some cinnamon on the cut (natural fungicide). Then I would try to root it. But it is up to you...

Here is a bit thicker branch - not as thick as yours - that I used cinnamon on (I don't typically use any fungicide and/or rooting powder; but I tried it on this branch). I left it to callus for quite some time (def. longer than a week):

SO I couldn't resist and took a peak at the base of the plant that was sitting in soil...soft to the touch and visible white fuzz! After just a few days of sitting in dry soil...I'm thinking I didn't let it dry out and callous for long enough?

Here‘s what the flesh looks like after i cut off the rotten part of the stump…look healthy? or is that creamish light brown ring also looking like rot?

Also just for fun, this is the part that was soggy and rotty at the base despite not having watered at all. Some of the brownness could be from prior cinnamon dusting, lots of the white is perlite, but some looks fungal. I have cut this part off and am reattempting the drying process with what I believe looks like a healthier part of the branch

I think that the cut looks ok; not sure about the branch on the left (brown spot?):

Try to make cuts very clean, using sharp & sterilized blade (not the scissors or pruners).

The fuzz is probably mold from too much moisture in the stem - cut may have not been dry enough. Soft stem is also concerning. I would recut it, & let callus for longer than before. You can see that it was very dry in the pic I posted before.

Make sure the potting mix is gritty; I add lots of sifted perlite & approx. same amount of grit.

Going to let it callus for a few weeks and try a grittier mix!

Here are some progress pics, the plan is to continue to let them dry for another couple weeks. I’m just wondering if this shriveling seems like a normal part of the process

Nina F

Looking at the photos it does. Perhaps you left too much flesh to callus over, but it will just take little bit longer. If you look at the photo of the thicker branch I posted before, there was much less dried up 'skin'.

Hello sorry to suddenly jump into this thread but I have a very large jade branch that broke off of a very big jade tree in my backyard. The branch that broke off is approximately 4 in in diameter. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with it to try to turn this into a new jade tree. I have never propagated a jade before it needs lots of help. Thank you.

Dawn Bridson

There is lots of info in this thread on how to propagate jades. Read the posts & check the photos.

Even thick branches could be rooted, as long as they are healthy. Thicker it is, longer it will take to callus. But procedure is otherwise the same.

It sounds you are in warm zone? Do you have any photos showing the broken branch & also showing the 'flesh' of it?

Hi there - just discovered this thread & it’s the ONLY helpful thing I could find online as I’m trying desperately to save my 6-year-old jade…apologies in advance for the lengthy post. Any other tips or insight would be super appreciated!

In late August 2021, (when it was hot & humid here in NYC) I noticed that the soil was staying moist a lot longer despite only watering roughly once per month. I also started seeing some strange looking yellow substance in the soil & on the bottom of the pot.

To try & correct it, I removed all the yellow stuff, pulled back on watering (about every 45 days or so) & the next time I did water in September, I added a tiny bit of neem oil to the water in hopes that it would prevent any further issues.

Instead, it took a nose dive in the fall with major leaf drop & the remaining leaves began to wrinkle, flatten & droop. The soil was still staying damp for long stretches, so I was too afraid to water more often. The leaf drop seemed to finally stop, but the leaves stayed flat & droopy all winter. Some even had a silvery “dust” on them - all of which I read were signs of dehydration. So I tried bottom watering to give it a good soak in February. I went back to watering roughly once per month, but the leaves just never bounced back.

When I noticed the branches beginning to sag this weekend, I got scared & decided to remove it from the pot in order to inspect the roots - clearly I should have done this sooner. To my dismay, it was just a tiny root ball of skinny, brown, twig-like roots that were completely dried up - not slimy or mushy, completely dry. The soil was still very wet since I had watered not too long ago, so I removed as much soil as I could & trimmed the dead roots down until it looked like a stump. Again, not mushy or soft - still very firm at the bottom of the trunk.

All that said, this is when I found this thread & decided to cut the very bottom part of the trunk until it looked like a light cream color with no major discoloration. I added a bit of cinnamon & now have the whole plant lying on its side, out of direct sun. I also decided to clip one smaller branch just in case something goes wrong with the trunk, which was a bright green inside.

I’ve been so upset all weekend since this plant was flourishing all last year until the fall / winter!

This was August...

Cut to this weekend:

Current status (reddish brownish color is from cinnamon)

Never done this before, so I'm nervous about when to try putting in dry soil & how to get it to root before the whole thing dies...

Thanks to anyone who's read this far down!

K P

1st thing to consired is drainage. Obviously - judging from what you keep repeating - drainage must be bad in your case. I see the pot that is very deep. It holds lots of soil, & if it drains badly that would be the reason the roots just rotted off (also some of the trunk could be rotting). It would be better to use shallower pot & it must have drainage hole(s). Use potting mix, not just the soil from the bag. Adding at least 50% of sifted perlite is fast, easy & inexpensive. You can use pumice instead if available; & could use even more (50% should be minimum).

Even succulents need watering. Especially in summer. You witheld water, & damaged roots (rotting from overwatering) may have dessicated. So even if watering, there are no roots to take the water in.

Yellow stuff is the soil sounds like a mold from too much water. It may not harm your plant, but gives you warning about excessive moisture. I don't believe neem oil helps...Silvery 'dust' sounds like fungal issue - could be anthracnose, botrytis or powdery mildew. NOT dehydration! Neem doesn't help, you need proper fungicide.

Watering should be reduced during winter, & it is good to keep plant cooler if possible. Mine get some watering, many are kept in temps in mid forties, some touch over 50F.

Looks like you did ok with pruning off dead roots. If there is no rot in the stem, make sure you let it callus, here is the photo of callused, thicker branch (I also used cinnamon). It was callusing for few weeks:

Pot up after that, I would use much shallower pot, & well draining dry mix.

Afer a while, move it into more & more sunlight. Your original plant was slightly etiolated - I keep mine outside, in full sun, whole summer long.

Thanks so much Rina! Yes, the pot was quite deep, which is what my local plant shop recommended when I decided to repot about a year ago. They said it would help make sure it wouldn't tip over because it was getting so tall. The soil mix that always worked well for this one was about 50% potting mix, 50% sand & the pot has one good-sized drainage hole in the middle. At first it was really flourishing in the new, bigger pot, but maybe the mix should have been more like 70% sand given the size of the pot. I'm still a bit of a novice at this, so it's very much trial & error for my growing plant collection!

Anyhow, more lessons learned...interesting note about keeping it cooler in winter. I live in an old building with radiator heat, so even in winter when the outside temps can get down in the teens & 20's, it stays quite warm inside. My windows face south & I usually keep my jade about 3 feet from the window I often have to keep cracked open to regulate the indoor temp. I also started using some grow lights this winter (3hrs per day) to compensate for the short days & help out a couple other succulents + some jade leaves I've been propagating.

Moving forward, my biggest remaining questions are regarding when to try putting the big trunk & the smaller branch in dry soil & how to know when it's time to give it some water down the line. Will definitely use a much smaller terracotta pot I happen to have on hand once it's time to try again. Also, I've been keeping them out on the shady side of my living room where light comes in, but it's not direct - is that ok or do they need more or less light while I wait for them to callous up?

It's only been 2 days since cutting them, but here's what they look like now:

The skinny branch has sort shriveled up entirely - it was bright green & healthy inside when I first cut it. Is this normal? Should I try putting this one in soil sooner than the big trunk?

This thread is wonderful! I have a quick Q, if you don't mind. I inherited a beautiful jade but it's looking a little overgrown. More bush like and less tree like. I'd like to prune and from this thread I feel ok trying to propagate the branches. However I don't want to kill the main plant!! Would you recommend cutting the branches I want to prune as close to the soil as possible? Or otherwise? Here some pics :) thanks!

britt_triesplants

There are few separate plants in the pot IMO.

I would divide them since they would have roots. Then I would consider pruning individual plants as needed. Plant will not die because of the pruning...Personally, I prefer 1/pot, but that is up to you. I like togrow the as tree, with as thick trunks as possible.

Every pruned off branch & even the leaves would potentially grow into new plant, they are so easy to grow.

Hi Rina,

I am SO happy you saw this and took the time to comment, thank you!!! You seem so knowledgeable about these plants. I agree about there being many separate plants. How would you suggest I go about dividing them? They are all healthy and definitely have strong roots I would think. Would I take the full jade out of the pot and try to sort of untangle the roots of individual plants or would that hurt the roots? (newbie here....clearly lol).

britt_triesplants

Yes; that is exactly what I would do. I would unpot it all & separate plants with own root system. DO NOT worry about doing it. Obviously, you don't want to rip all the roots off. But separating plants will not hurt them, even if some roots get damaged. Jades are very resilient, and will survive lt...

Get as much soil off the roots as possible. Shake it off, use a chopstick or a skewer to help. I can't see the soil, but if it happens to be 'caked' on, wash it off by swishing roots in bowl of tepid water. You probably won't need to do it, plants look healhy so soil is likely ok.

Tease them apart. Trim any damaged, dry or rotting rootts off. Should any have minimal or no roots, they will regrow.

Prepare potting mix and get pots (with drainage holes) ready. Do not overpot. Pot the plants, letting any cuts to callus for few hours. I would pot them into a dry mix & NOT water for about a day. Wait longer (2-3-4 days) if you soaked/washed them or they are wet for any reason. Your plants will survive for a long time (weeks, even months!) if out of soil...If you have any doubts, take photos & post.

Make sure they are not disturbed while anchoring themselves - you can use some rocks or even tie them if needed (there is a photo of bigger plant I had to tie up; it was potted in a shallower pot). Next I would observe each & decide where to prune. Prune them after observing for a while - when you know which stems or leaves to get rid off.

Pruning could be just a litte or a lot...I pruned quite drastically few of the plants - see example photos - because I didn't like the look of them. There is new growth within abt. 10 days.

I have abt. 10 of Tricolor jades I did the same with. They are slower growers than green jades, but showing new growth after about 2 weeks (pruned Apr. 7th, and new growth today) - hope you can see it...

Hi Rina,

SO HELPFUL, thank you! Just a couple Qs. What does "overpot" mean? Like, don't plant it too deep into the new soil? That's my 2nd Q, how deep would you suggest the roots be under soil when I repot? Thank you! I'll post some pictures when I do this later in the week :)

Brittany

britt_triesplants

Overpotting = using pot that is too large. Pots that are too big hold lots of soil. If it is water-retaining, it will take longer to dry up & plant may sit in wet soil for too long. tapla (Al) posted excellent posts with illustrations - HERE - CLICK ME on the subject.

I would pot up the plants same depth as they were before, or just tiny bit less. Not any deeper.

Hi Rina :) so I came back from vacation (didn't water jade) and some leaves are starting to look weird (burnt?) And squishy. I got nervous about root rot, so just unpotted it, see pics. Do you think these roots look ok? From your other posts (another thread I believe) I'm planning to let them dry a little so the old dirt flakes off and then repot in the shallow azalea pots I just got. It ended being A LOT of different plants! I can't figure out why it's gotten squishy. I've only watered 1 cup every 2 wks...thank you for your wisdom!!

That 1 leaf looks sunburned - did plant received lots of sunlight without being acclimated to it? Burned leaves could be soft too. They will not change back to green but eventually get replaced by new leaves. Roots look good from what I can see in photos. Whenever you water, don't go by cups. If they are potted in well draining mix, water until excess water start leaking out from drainage hole. Subsequent watering should be when mix dries up. You can use a moisture meter to test, or simple 'tell' stick. Stick either deep into pot to check the moisture of the mix. Water if it shows dry (or 'tell' stick is dry).

Hi Rina,

Yeah, I didn't think the area I had it in was too sunny but watched closer today and it gets about 4 hrs of heavy sun, I bet that was the problem. Would underwatering also cause soft leaves? Thanks for the watering tips!! I've always been confused about that. I just got a moisture meter :) I re potted today. Should I water tomorrow or wait a bit? Thank you!! - Britt

britt_triesplants

JMO - the pot is quite large; what is top diameter & how deep is it?...I see just a typical potting soil. I would have added lots of sifted perlite (or pumice) and possibly some grit to make potting mix well/fast draining. This is JMO from what I can see in your photos.

Here is photo of the mix with lots of perlite.

I use also grit, so my mix is even grittier. Check your potting soil for the moisture, & water accordingly.

Hello everyone !

this is a fantasic thread

i would like to hear what you guys have to say about my situation

I acquired this beautiful massive jade plant that is around 30 years old.

I am familiar with many trees and my bonsai skills have come a long way, still always learning of course.

I have never ventured into jade trees but now that I have this guy I’m trying to figure out the best thing to do.

I am told it is one trunk with these three massive branches.

My first idea was to cut them into 3 separate trees. I have researched a bit and it seems like jade trees will root very easily.

Will the massive branches root the same way though ?

I see 3 big trees I can make and a few medium ones.

Any suggestions or guidance would be much appreciated!

Thanks ! 🌱

I personally prefer 1 tree/pot...but do as you like! If mine, I would separate them. If they all or any share roots, it would be easy to cut them to have separate plants. Largest seems to have a branch growing very close to soil line - that could be left as is , or cut off & rooted. I think I would leave it as is - but entirely up to you. Below is a photo of similar plant; branch was growing from the root ball. I left it as is, & continue growing SIMILAR to mother & daughter style...

This is similar:

So decide what you like...Iam just guessing, but each of 3 trunks has some roots more likely than not. In general, they root quite easy, so if they don't, they should grow them. I would ammend soil with sifted perlite or pumice more than is visible. Adding at least 1/3rd or more grit doesn't hurt either...(I use grit all the time, & often more than 1/3rd).

Hello! It has rained a lot where I am, and on a walk this morning, I found a broken jade branch next to a large (and flourishing) plant…but the branch i found has spots on the leaves.

Can I save this broken branch?

Update, I cut off the end with a santized knife, and to my surprise, the inside looked very good (I think?):

The newly shorn cutting is…sitting out if the reach of the cats so the end can…cure?

Then I will try planting it.

Also, can I mix sand in with regular potting dirt to make jade happy dirt?

Wouldn't use sand unless pretty gritty, it may clog up drainage hole and/or too much will turn mix cement-like...but depends on where you are, what plant/pot, & your watering habits. Using mix od sifted perlite (or pumice), some grit & small amount of soil...

CouCould you use sm fifish gravel in with the soil?

yes

Hi Rina. I’m only a couple months behind on this thread ha ha but I really need your guidance.
I’ve read your posts on this site for many years. If you ever wonder if anyone is benefiting from your experience wonder no more.
I’m a fan.
My husband and I moved a few years ago. The only plant we barely had room to move was our large jade. I call her the mothership. :-)
I’m shaping the mothership into a tree so I’ve pruned her three times since our move. I was a beginner and she’s healthy so I kept every leaf and stem. Now I’m a beginner + with at least a hundred jades. I have learned SO much (and still do) reading your posts.
I took your advice and planted each cutting in its own pot. I also took your advice, per the photo, and left all the bottom leaves intact to promote a thicker trunk.
Most of my jades are the same size as those in the photo or a few inches shorter. I pruned most to branch.
My dilemma is this … where do I go from here? For example, I allowed the two on the left to get tall before pruning to branch. Should I shorten them so they won’t get top heavy? And the plant on the right. Should I prune the two branches? If so how much? Leave two sets of leaves on each branch correct? Or do nothing? She’s a beauty but I’m afraid she’ll be a top heavy beauty in a few months or years.
I now have this unexpected but awesome hobby. I’ve learned a lot the past three years but I have a long way to go. I’d love to learn from you and your experience.
Thanks! -Kelly