Hi everyone!

This is my first post, and unfortunately, it comes out of a loss of ideas, so any help would be much appreciated! I've had a Jade Bonsai tree for around four or so years now. It's always remained seemingly very happy and healthy...until about a month ago.

Although no change in watering/sunlight habits, it started to lose leaves rapidly until now where it has very few leaves left.
I've left the soil to dry out well before watering to ensure it wasn't being overwatered. The leaves it's losing look and feel healthy (or at least like they've always looked/felt).

Similarly, the stems don't feel particularly soft (which I've been told is a sign of root rot); they instead feel firm. A couple of weeks ago I repotted it with fresh succulent soil hoping that this might help, but again, no luck. It also seems to still be growing new leaves and fresh stems, but even those leaves soon fall off. It sounds to me what I imagine root rot to cause, but the roots looked alright to me when I repotted it...but someone more knowledgeable and experienced than me might say differently!

I've attached a set of photos that show it a year or so ago; several weeks ago; the roots; and now.

I'm completely out of ideas now though have grown rather attached to this plant over the years! If anyone could offer some words of advice, I'd very much appreciate it :S

Thank you!

When jades drop leaf like that it is almost always overwatering. Just let it dry for a month or so and I am sure it will bounce back.

Hey Topfrog,

Thanks for the response! That's interesting -- I had left it until the soil was dry and the leaves were very thin so I assumed that was enough. But perhaps all of the waterings before that had become too often so the damage was already done.

I'll give that a try, and good to know that overwatering really is a very common cause of this.

Thanks you!

You can wait with watering until the leafs looks shivering. If the shivering dont go away, it might be time to cut the roots off and replant as a cutting.

Hello Tropfrog,

Why would cutting roots off help? I have a jade that fell off its shelf recently and the roots broke a bit. Some of the leaves are damaged, but it looks like it will grow back. I am not watering it much, just a little bit.

If the root were damaged or the soil is to heavy and dont drain well, sometimes it can be beneficial with a fresh start. Jade plants in nature often break from grazing and weather. They are fantastic in recovering when the conditions is right. Before that they can rest for half a year without roots.

In your case, when the plant is damaged by a fall, you can root everything that gone off. Just let it dry a few weeks before. I see no reason to cut the mother plant by its base.

I already put the little bits in dirt, should I take them out?