So a few days ago I took a cutting of a jade plant outside of my work, I'm current working on rooting it (let it harden, treated with rooting hormone, etc).
My intention was to just keep it as a house plant, since jade is tolerant to indoor growth but I decided to potentially bonsai it instead.

All the readings I have done in regards to jade are just simply too vague, or just copy paste instructions for a regular bonsai (pluck big leaves, keep it pruned, remove branches, etc). That's great and all, but I need to know what to do in the time between now and a bonsai. For example: When, exactly, would be the ideal time to start removing the larger leaves? *Assuming it roots. For the time being it is going to stay in regular old flower pots.


The jade in its current state.

I wouldnrecommend returning to the original plant. Jade make poor bonsai. Keep it as a nice plant.

Grow them outside in summer.

They dont make good bonsai because the di not set branches when wired and do not retain shape when branches get heavy. Only veey old large specimens ever resamble a tree.

Good to know, I have seem some pretty impressive examples, but Ill just keep it as a house plant.

Just keep in.mind there is jade (crasula) and thenelephants bush (portocularia). The latter is often referred to as jade but is not. Porto is better,, but also not great for bonsai.

I actually have a very small cutting of that species as well, it is sitting in a pot with my succulents. I dont imagine that getting large enough though.

Just started one this autumn. Did a little pruning. Place it in proper soil and water light. It;s a succulent. You need to control the water very well. I water once a week in this season.
if you prune after a node of two leaves, two "branches" will emerge.

Claudiu wrote:

Just started one this autumn. Did a little pruning. Place it in proper soil and water light. It;s a succulent. You need to control the water very well. I water once a week in this season.
if you prune after a node of two leaves, two "branches" will emerge.

I had loads of them, all from the same mother plant. They just kept growing and I just kept making new cuttings.
Eventually, I had enough of 'm. Didn't consider it worthwhile as they just will not make good bonsai.

Auk wrote:

Didn't consider it worthwhile as they just will not make good bonsai.

Well, I have a very small one I'm trying to use as an accent plant, but...
The thing insists in growing like mad!