How to make jade plant grow branches

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by jr2006, Feb 1, 2008.

  1. jr2006

    jr2006 Member

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    I have a jade cutting in a small indoor pot that has been growing for about 2 years. It is about 8"-10" tall (above the soil) now. It seems healthy, and it continues to regularly sprout new leaves at the top and grow taller. I am worried that if doesn't grow any branches, it will just keep growing taller and then fall over. Is there anything I should be doing to make the stem grow branches and/or to make the stem thicker?

    I've read on some websites that you should pinch off new growth. I'm not sure what that means though, and I'm afraid to do anything.
    Also, one website says to pinch off new growth in winter, and one website says to do it in summer!

    Many thanks in advance.
     
  2. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    "pinching" is just that. Take the tip in between your thumb and finger and break it off. I doubt that time of year really matters, but if you do it in winter then you have to wait until it starts growing again spring before you see what happens.

    Truthfully, if you just let it grow then it get bigger faster and branching will come. Even if it starts to flop over then just plant it a little deeper.
     
  3. 1950Greg

    1950Greg Active Member

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    I find that if you pinch off the newest emerging shoot between two leaves you can sometimes make the plant branch especially when the plant is in a growth spurt. You could also try with a small pair of clean scissors to angle the cut. Sometimes a Jades open wounds are attacked by a fungus and can die in short notice , I don't know why.
    Heres a picture of a Jade that we have had growing for 30 years and was doing fine untill my daughters cat jumped into it and used it as a scratching post. It been filling out again but is only a shadow of its past glory. It hasn't grown much past three feet in hieght.
     

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  4. cactus6103

    cactus6103 Member

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    You need to pinch off the very top of the plant and it will start to sprout two new branches from there. At any time, when a branch is getting too long with no side branch shoots starting, just pinch it off or cut it with something sharp and it will grow new shoots. You can also air dry any cutting from the plant and grow a new jade tree. I started my jade tree from a pinch of a friends jade tree 25 years ago. Red
     
  5. mctc

    mctc Member

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    I think you can also just break off the jade plant at any level. I wanted to loose a few layers of leaves and just broke it above the last set of leaves that I wanted to keep. I then put the top in a cup of water till to sprouted roots. The bottom eventually branched after a long scary wait. here are some photos of the new branches coming in.
    Photos of jade plant branching.
     

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