It is very etiolated still. And, unfortunately, nothing can be done for it to revert to compact plant, but pruning would solve that problem. It isn't best time to prune, late Spring or early Summer are best months. That said, I completely pruned and defoliated jade (smaller than yours but not a 'baby') in very end of December, and plant recovered very well.

Jades naturally grow upright, but will 'contort' if there is insufficient light and/or some obstruction. Limbs of your jade are very long, and even if there was a way to make them less droopy, they would remain most likely naked along most of the length. There could be some new growth along those parts, but I wouldn't relay on it as I believe it would take many years to fill them, if at all.

I am looking only at the photo, but from what I see, this is what I would do if my plant:

*Better light. I don't think what plant is receiving now is enough. New growth is etiolated, and that suggests it. It is also leaning/stretching toward window, trying to get more light. Unless you solve that situation, it will eventually etiolate again. You may want to consider a good supplementary light.

*You could (and probably should) wait until Spring and do some drastic pruning then. Jade will recover, even if you prune every branch. I would cut off completely any branch that is crossing another and possibly rubbing against it. I would shorten all droopy branches, probably at the point they start to droop. You probably should prune in few stages, since your plant is large and has many droopy branches, making it difficult to decide. But that would be no problem IMO.

You could do some light pruning now, but it would be a waste of time IMO, unless the light is much better. And, if the branches were shorter. I am only seeing the pics and could be wrong, but that is what I think looking at them

What is your general location or a growing zone? Is that plant growing only indoors? I see perlite (?) in the pot, that should be good. What kind of mix is it potted in? I think pot is large enough for plant to be growing in it for a number of years.

Hi Rina,

Thank you for your reply! I have purchased a floor lamp grow light to help remedy the lighting situation. I live in Maryland, zone 7a. The plant is indoors only, and it's in front of a south-facing window. It's the brightest spot I've got.

When it was repotted two years ago I used cactus/succulent mix. This summer I added a mix of regular potting soil mixed with perlite to the top of the pot, maybe 2-3 cups.

Sounds like I'll wait until Spring to start pruning and hopefully get it back into shape. I'll have lots of babies! :) I read somewhere to only prune about 20-30% of the plant at a time. Do you agree? And how long should I wait between prunings?

What is the purpose of defoliating? Is that something I should do?

Thanks a bunch!

Thank you for sharing the photos of your pruned jade. That makes me feel much better about the pruning I have ahead of me.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge! (You should make house calls!)

It would be easier if plant could be seen...it isn't so easy to be sure looking at the pics only. And little too far to drive to Maryland, lol (and probably not possible either right now).

Did you get a grow light yet?

Hello... I have a formerly-exceptionally healthy jade whose leaves are now “inverted” and a few are turning black at the top. It still seems healthy, but I fear it’s waterlogged. I didn’t add perlite when I transplanted it into a larger pot.

Can I still do that, and how much bigger of a pot should I transplant it into relative to its current root ball?

Thanks all!

Also — after reading all these comments, I decided it also wasn’t getting enough light, so I moved it from a west-facing window (where my orchids do very well) to a south-facing window.

Good decision?

Thanks!

Photo pls?

Wonder about those leaves turning black - usually not a good sign. Just a guess without seeing the problem.