Crassula Arborescens (Silver Dollar Jade): Growing and Care Guide

The Crassula arborescens, or the Silver Dollar Jade, is an attractive indoor houseplant that grows into a small yet stunning succulent shrub. With the proper care, your Crassula arborescens will stay healthy, beautiful, and blooming for years to come.

The following guide will explain how you can accomplish this.

About Crassula arborescens

Crassula arborescens, better known as the Silver Dollar Jade Plant or Chinese Jade, is native to South Africa.

It is an attractive, shrub-forming succulent that belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It has thick, disc-shaped fleshy leaves that are silver-grey in color with reddish highlights around their edges. From afar, these leaves look like small pennies or coins, hence the name Silver Dollar.

The leaves are propped up by multiple, thick branches that can rise as tall as 4 feet off the ground.

As this Jade plant ages, its trunks become thicker and woodier, resembling a small tree. Therefore, it can be considered an informal bonsai if cultivated correctly.

Botanical Name	Crassula arborescens
Common Name	Silver Dollar Jade, Chinese Jade, Silver Jade Plant
Family	Crassulaceae
Plant Type	Succulent
Origin	South Africa
Maintenance	Low
Height	1-4 feet
Width	1-4 feet
Light	Full sun, Partial shade
Bloom season	Spring, Summer
Bloom color	Pink, White
Water needs	Low
Soil	Well-Drained, Loamy, Sandy
Tolerant	Deer, Drought
Toxicity	Toxic
Hardiness (USDA)	9-11

Crassula arborescens Care

The Silver Dollar Jade is an easy-to-care-for succulent that requires very little attention. It can be grown indoors or out, on a windowsill, or in a garden bed.

Light

The Silver Dollar Jade plant is a succulent that prefers bright, indirect light. It can be placed outdoors in partial shade during the summer months but should not be exposed to the harsh afternoon sun without some protection.

Soil

Crassula arborescens prefers well-draining soil. To ensure proper drainage, fill your pot with a mixture of one part compost, two parts perlite or pumice, and three parts potting soil. You can also add some coarse sand to help the soil drain faster.

Water

The Silver Dollar Jade plant is a succulent that requires little water once established. However, if your Crassula arborescens is a new addition to your home or has been neglected for some time, it will benefit from a thorough watering to get it back into shape.

Reduce watering in winter.

Temperature and Humidity

Crassula arborescens plants require a minimum temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum of 75 degrees. It prefers dry conditions but will tolerate some humidity.

Fertilizer

Crassula arborescens plants do not require fertilization. If you want to boost your plant, it can be done in the spring and summer with a slow-release balanced fertilizer.

Pruning

Silver Dollar Jade should be pruned often. These plants benefit from frequent readjustment to maintain a compact shape. This is especially true if you plan to develop it as a miniature bonsai.

Prune in the spring so the plant can recover quickly afterward.

Potting and Repotting Silver Dollar Jade

Crassula arborescens should be repotted every couple of years. It’s best to repot in the spring or summer when the Crassula is actively growing and has plenty of room for new soil. You can use a cactus mix or a standard potting soil that drains well.

Try to repot in the spring to give your plant time to settle in before the winter chills.

Prepare

How to Repot (Step-by-Step)

1. Remove the plant from its original container. Remove any damaged or dead roots with your pruning shears. If there are not many roots, simply cut them off close to the bottom of the plant.
2. Fill in the new pot with the preselected potting soil.
3. Place the Jade in the center of the pot and add more soil around it. Ensure there is at least one inch between the top of the potting soil and the pot’s rim.
4. Water thoroughly to settle all of the potting media into place.

Propagating Crassula arborescens by Seeds (Step-by-Step)

1. Sow the seeds in a well-drained and sandy soil mix.
2. Cover the seeds with a fine layer of the potting mix but not so much that they get buried.
3. Place the container in a warm, sunny location and keep it moist until germination occurs (within two to four weeks).
4. Transplant seedlings when they are about three inches tall into their own pots.

Propagating Crassula arborescens by Leaf Cuttings (Step-by-Step)

Leaf cuttings are the easiest method of propagation and the most accessible.

1. Cut off a Silver Dollar Jade leaf near the base.
2. Allow the cut end of the leaf cutting to callus over for a few days.
3. Plant the leaf in a container filled with well-draining potting soil.
4. Wait for new growth to appear.
5. Transplant the rooted leaf cutting into its own pot once it has developed a healthy root system.

Propagating Crassula arborescens by Stem Cuttings (Step-by-Step)

Stem cuttings follow the same rules as leaf cuttings, but you swap out the leaves for the stems.

1. Cut off a healthy stem near the base or where it attaches itself to the main trunk.
2. Allow the cut end of the stem cutting to callus over for a few days.
3. Plant the stem cutting in a pot with well-draining potting soil.
4. Wait for new growth to appear.
5. Transplant the rooted stem cutting into its own pot once it has developed a healthy root system.

Blooms

Crassula arborescens can produce small white flowers in the spring or summer. These blooms are usually not showy or fragrant, but they are an attractive addition to the plant.

Cultivated plants rarely flower.

Toxicity

Crassula arborescens is toxic. It is considered toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Keep away from pets and children.

NOTE: This page is not intended as a substitute for veterinary advice. The toxicity of an ingested substance varies depending on the amount ingested, the animal’s weight, and its sensitivity to specific allergens. Contact your veterinarian or local animal poison control center immediately if you think your pet may have ingested a toxic substance.

Common Pests

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are small, often white, soft-bodied insects that feed on plant sap and cause damage by injecting a toxin into their host plants.

Treat these pests by dosing them with neem oil or other horticultural oils.

Vine Weevil

Vine weevil is a small, black beetle that can infest the plant’s stems and cause damage by chewing on it. Control vine weevils by spraying plants with pyrethrum or horticultural oil during their peak season (spring).

Aphids

Aphids are small, pear-shaped insects that feed on plant juices. Aphids can cause damage by sucking sap from the plant and transmitting viruses. They also leave behind sticky honeydew that attracts ants and sooty mold fungi.

Common Problems

FAQ