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Jade plants are wonderful plants to grow indoors because they are beautiful and low maintenance, which is a plus in many households today. Unfortunately, sometimes they develop problems. When your plant starts to lose its leaves, you know there’s a problem that needs your attention.
Overwatering is the most common reason Jade plants start to drop their leaves. Other reasons include exposure to extreme environmental changes and temperatures causing stress to the plants as well as underwatering, soil compaction, poor drainage, pests, and even the natural aging of the leaves.
Jade plants will naturally drop a few leaves over time due to the natural aging of the plant but you know there is a problem when the rate of leaf loss increases a lot. When this happens you need to find the cause quickly before the whole plant is lost. We will explore some of those reasons and learn what we can do to fix the problem.
Overwatering Can Lead to Root Rot in Jade Plants
The most common reason a Jade plant loses leaves is due to overwatering. Jade plants, like other succulents, don’t like to have their roots sitting in water. Jade plants are drought-resistant plants so they thrive on less water than other types of houseplants.
You should only water them when the soil is dry. You can use the finger test to find out when your plant needs water. If the first inch (2.5 cm) of soil, is dry, it needs to be watered.
Another way to test if the soil is dry is to use a soil moisture meter. You can buy them at a garden center, or even places like Lowe’s. They don’t cost very much and they last a long time. You can even find them at Amazon. This one not only measures the moisture levels, but also the pH, and light.
Overwatering can lead to root rot and other types of fungal diseases. Often the first sign you will see is that the leaves will start to drop; the leaves may turn yellow before falling off, but not always. They can even shrivel up and then fall. Whatever the case, you need to check the soil to see if it is wet. If it is, withhold water until the soil is dry. If this is caught in time you should have no more problems.
If the roots, stems, or trunk have soft spots you will need to do some emergency work to revive your plant. The plant will need to be trimmed and repotted in clean soil and a new pot.
To do that, remove the plant from its pot and wash off all the soil from the roots. Cut off any branches or roots that have soft spots and then repot the Jade plant using new succulent potting mix and a new pot. Don’t reuse the old pot unless you sterilize it first.
If your plant is too far gone by the time you notice the problem you may not be able to revive it. But you could take off a few leaves from the top of the plant, or even some of the upper branches, and use them to get a new start.
Starting a new Jade plant from leaves or stems (also called cuttings) isn’t very hard to do. If you’re interested in learning how it’s done check out our articles on propagating from leaves, here and from cuttings, here.
Underwatering is a Cause for Leaves Dropping
Jade plants don’t like to be overwatered, but underwatering can also cause problems. Underwatering can also be a reason your Jade plant is losing its leaves. Check the soil to see if it’s dry and if it is, water thoroughly until water starts to run out of the drainage holes.
The best remedy for this problem is to have a regular watering schedule. One thing to remember is that Jade plants will need more water during the warmer months and much less during the colder months. So keep this in mind when you make up your watering schedule. It’s a good idea to check the soil more often during the warmer months even between your scheduled watering just to be safe.
Insufficient Light Can Cause Leaf Drop
Jade plants will drop their leaves when they are not getting sufficient light. They thrive best when they are exposed to bright, indirect lighting. South-facing windows generally get the most natural light in a home, so you might consider placing your plants there.
If your house doesn’t have sufficient light for your plant to thrive, you might want to use plant lights to help keep them healthy. I use LED plant lights in my home since I have to keep my succulents indoors most of the year. I bought my latest LED lights from Lowe’s, but if I were to buy another I would choose something like this one at Amazon because I like the full-spectrum, white lighting, and the built-in timers. They would also look very nice in my plant shelves.
Temperature Changes Will Cause Jade Plants to be in Shock
A sudden temperature change is another reason your Jade plant may be dropping its leaves. A large temperature change could shock your plants if done too quickly. If you need to move your plant, consider letting it acclimate gradually to its new surroundings.
The best temperature range for Jade plants is 55 – 75 (degrees) F (13 – 24 degrees C). Both hotter and colder temperatures will cause your Jade plant to lose its leaves due to stress.
That means you should not place it near either cold or hot air drafts in your home.
For example:
- Keep it away from radiators.
- Keep it away from your AC units’ cold air drafts.
- Don’t place your Jade plant too close to the window in colder climates since the cold radiating from the window is enough to hurt your plant.
- Don’t place your Jade plant too close to the window in hot climates (or the warmer months), since the concentrated heat from the window can get too hot for your plant.
Poor Soil Quality and Lack of Drainage
Poor soil quality is another reason your Jade plant may be dropping its leaves since it may cause the soil to stay wet for too long. Jade plants need well-draining soil since their roots don’t like to sit in water. Poor quality soil may also be lacking in vital nutrients that your plant needs.
Succulents like Jade plants require well-draining soil. You can find this at your local garden center or even online. Be sure to look for a potting mix designed for succulents.
I recently bought a Donkey tail succulent and didn’t realize that the garden center used regular potting soil – a week after I watered it for the first time, I found out the soil was still wet when it should have been dry by then. It was almost too late to fix the problem by the time I discovered it. This was a reminder to me to make sure I always have some good quality succulent soil on hand for situations like that.
We have a guide for those who would like to make their own succulent soil mix.
Another option is to buy your succulent soil mix online at Amazon. I have used and recommend Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus soil. If you want a soil mix that costs less, you can check this one out. I have used that one too but found I needed to amend it by adding in some perlite to improve the aeration and drainage.
Jade plants may occasionally need some fertilizer, but if you fertilize your plant, do so only sparingly just as you would for other succulents. You shouldn’t need to fertilize more than once a growing season.
Pest Infestation
Mealybugs, scale, and spider mites are some of the pests that can cause your Jade plant’s leaves to shrivel or drop. If your plant has an infestation, don’t use insecticides since that can cause even more damage to your plant. Instead, treat it by dabbing the pests with a cotton ball, Q-tip swab, or a soft paintbrush dipped in rubbing alcohol.
It may be a little time-consuming, but you can remove mealybugs by hand if you choose, but dabbing with an alcohol swab will work very well.
Using Leaf Shine Products
Leaf shine products may cause your Jade plant to drop its leaves. The chemicals in these products will harm the leaves and damage them, causing them to drop off.
If you need to clean or dust your Jade plant, consider doing so with a damp cotton ball, Q-tip, or a soft paintbrush. Use water only and no other cleaning or leaf shine products.
Final Thoughts and Links for More Information
We here at Cactus-Central, know that sometimes your plants develop problems, and when they do, you need information on how to make your plants healthy again. We are writing posts on topics like this to be a source of information and help when your plants need a little TLC.
Jade plants are wonderful houseplants to have in your home. They are very easy to grow and generally don’t have many problems at all. But when they do have a problem it’s good to know there are things you can do to fix the issue and revive your plants.
The links below are included for more information
Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension: Jade Plant, Crassula ovata
This link from Home Depot is very informative. (But she does recommend leaf shine products which may not be a good idea as mentioned above.)
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