How To Propagate Jade Plants

Step-By-Step Instructions For Propagating Jade Plants

Jade Plant Stem Cuttings

1. Cut a portion of the stem from a mature jade plant with at least two healthy nodes. A larger portion tends to have greater success.

2. Remove any leaves from the bottom portion of the cutting.

3. Dry out the stem for a few days until a callus forms over the cut end.

Decide whether you want to root the jade plant cutting in water or soil.

In Soil

1. Fill a pot with loose potting soil. Choose a pot with drainage holes and mix use a succulent mix or regular potting soil mix with perlite to ensure it is well-draining.

2. Moisten the soil.

3. Dip the cut end of the stem in a rooting hormone powder or gel.

4. Make a small hole in the potting mix and insert the cutting. Push the dirt around it so that the cutting can stand.

5. Put the planted cutting into bright but indirect light and water it every few days.

6. It will take roughly two to three weeks to produce new roots.

In Water

1. Place the cut end of the stem in a vase of water. Make sure there are no leaves in the water.

2. Put the vase in bright, indirect light.

3. Change the water every few days.

4. Within a few weeks, you should see new roots. Transfer the cutting into a small pot with succulent potting mix or well-draining soil.

5. Care for the new jade plant as usual and watch for new growth within a few weeks or months, depending on the time of year. You will be more successful with the propagation process during the spring and summer months.

Jade Plant Leaf Cuttings 

When propagating with jade leaves, follow these steps:

1. Gently pluck a single leaf from the parent plant. Lightly twisting the leaf can help you remove it. Be sure to choose a healthy leaf and get the remove the whole leaf from the main stem.

2. Let it air dry for two or three days to let the base of the leaf form a callus.

3. Choose between the soil method or the water method. The soil method is easier and recommended by most gardeners.

4. If you choose the soil method, selecting a small pot with good drainage is important.

5. A jade plant will root the best in light, sandy soil that contains a mix of potting soil, coarse sand, and perlite

6. Next, lightly tuck the cut end of the leaf into the soil. Just like a plant takes root in nature when a leaf falls from the plant, you can propagate jade plants this way. Using this method, you can root many tiny leaves in a single pot—perfect for sharing new plants with friends!

7. Move the pot of soil with the jade leaves to a bright, indirect sunlight location.

8. Mist the leaves every few days to keep them moist but not wet.

9. Once you start to see roots and new leaves, you can resume a regular watering schedule.

10. For the water method of jade leaf propagation, you do it in much the same way. Instead of placing the leaf on the soil, suspend it upright in a vase of water so the cut end of the leaf is submerged in the water. You can hold the leaf in place with toothpicks. Once you have roots forming, you can plant it in soil.

Jade Plant Care Post Propagation

Knowing how to care for your tiny plant is important once you have propagated a jade. Since jades are succulent plants, they do well in succulent soil.

Be careful of overwatering, as succulents can quickly succumb to root rot. Remember, succulents hold a considerable amount of water in their leaves. The soil should be dry before watering.

Jades like it to be warm and do quite well in the 70s. Although plants like indirect light during propagation, a mature jade does great in bright, direct sunlight. This is not true of your little plantlets. New plants need time to acclimate to direct light. Also worth noting is that the jade plant does not mind being a bit root bound, so choose a pot on the smaller side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jade plant propagation better in water or soil?

Both can be successful, but with the water propagation method, you can see when healthy roots have formed.

What type of soil is best for propagating jade plants?

A jade plant will have the best success in light, sandy soil containing coarse sand, potting soil, and perlite.

When do you plant jade water propagation cuttings?

Once the root growth is around three inches long, planting the jade in potting soil made for succulents is safe.