Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
sian87

What is wrong with my jade plant?

Sian87
10 years ago

Hello!
My jade plant used to be strong and have firm, bright green leaves. It looked healthy! Now it's leaves are dull and droopy. Even the stem feels fragile. It has a south facing window with a lot of direct sunlight during the day. I've had it for about a year now. Is it possible it is acting like this because it needs to be repotted? I have maybe been watering a little too much recently... Once, sometimes twice a week although never a lot. How often should it be watered in the winter? It is on the window sill above a radiator but there is a bowl of water on top of the radiator so the air is a little humid.
Also, what is the white fuzz on the plant?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you,
Sian

Comments (22)

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    Sian87,
    Do you know what the root system looks like (have you pulled it out of the pot). It's possible the roots have rotted and the leaves can no longer absorb any water, hence the wrinkling. Not to freak you out, but you did mention you think you may have been overwatering. I would pull it out of the pot to make sure the roots are still healthy.

    White fuzz? Can you take a closer picture of this white fuzz? White fuzz sounds like mealy bug, but I don't want to tell you that's what it is without a better picture. If you have mealy bug, you will need to treat it ASAP as it can take over the plant before you know it and will spread to neighboring plants.

    Planto

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    10 years ago

    When you water, do you really soak the soil or just offer little sips? I ask this because I have seen far more jade wilting from underwatering than overwatering.

    These plants need to thoroughly drenched on watering day....then allowed to dry out again. If tiny amounts of water are given each time, it is highly probable that hard dry pockets form within the soil volume, where portions of the roots can die.

    Should you suspect that you've been chronically underwatering any plant, it's a good idea to place the plant in a basin that will hold water as you water the heck out of your plant. Then, allow it to sit in the water in order to rehydrate the parched soil and refill flacid plant cells.

    How often normal watering days should occur depends upon such factors as time of year, indoor temperature, humidity levels, size of plant in relation to the container, type of container, type of potting medium, and probably more that I'm leaving out!

    Of course, overwatering causes wilting symptoms in succulents, too. That's also because of root death.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Yes, check the roots to be sure that the mix isn't actually dry in the middle.

    Josh

  • Sian87
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the input.
    I think maybe the plant has root rot... The roots are dry right now but they appear moldy. And perhaps this led to it being susceptible to mealy bugs? I've attached 2 photos. Please let me know what you think. What should I do? I read in another forum that dabbing a solution of castille soap or hydrogen peroxide mixed with water on mealy bugs can help get rid of them, and repotting my plant and learning to water it more appropriately should help as well to avoid root rot in the future. If my poor jade plant has a future...

  • Sian87
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here's the fungus on the leaves. Is this mealy bugs?

  • pirate_girl
    10 years ago

    Don't think it's a fungus, but yes, those would be mealy bugs, the white, cottony stuff.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    The root-ball looks fairly typical....but I suggest that you crumble that old potting mix off, and then re-pot. Clean the leaves with a q-tip and water/rubbing alcohol. Then rinse the plant clean.

    Josh

  • grrr4200
    10 years ago

    mealy bugs, alcohol on a qtip should kill them. Keep an eye on it. Also soak your plant. Literally, stick it in the sick with the drain plugged and soak it for a few hours. The leaves are krinkled from lack of water. Mealies can take a while to get rid of so try your best to keep this guy away from other plants while you're treating it. Otherwise i'd say water thoroughly and cut the growth off after. I've done it a bunch and it rids the mealies and promotes more stem growth:) goodluck!

  • nomen_nudum
    10 years ago

    Prefferance here I would prune off all the foliage Vs trying to combat mealies

  • nomen_nudum
    10 years ago

    A clean plant in a freash soil VS a pest filled hard to irraticate mite plant in a freash soil only to continue to combat mites again
    Insanity: doing the same exact thing twice expecting different results

  • Sian87
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have soaked my jade plant in water for several hours, thoroughly cleaned it with rubbing alcohol and repotted it. I'll spray it with a diluted castile soap mixture every couple of days for a week or so too... Thank you very much for all your help!

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    I would not use a soap or oil treatment on a Jade plant, unless the product specifically mentions Jades/succulents.

    Josh

  • nomen_nudum
    10 years ago

    Funny part is how there are zero plants listed and zero pest on the label of rubbing alcohol

  • grrr4200
    10 years ago

    everything okay nomen?

  • pirate_girl
    10 years ago

    Nomen,

    That MAY be, but we've got an entire forum worth of folks who have ample experience w/ doing this & it being OK. I suspect Josh was coming from that kind of thinking, that unless one knew otherwise, one should look for the assurance he suggests.

    Are you looking for problems?

  • nomen_nudum
    10 years ago

    Granted even with the mind set of the entire forum it doesn't make it right to suggest conflicting label following suggestions.
    Many ways of doing things including irradicating mites

    If and when I ever have a mite problem I also have complete and total confidence that a jade will re-grow when I prune away a mite infestation while I monitor it for the potentual of more mites

    When I want to know what label I should follow and what label I shouldn't follow then I'll have a problem.

  • pirate_girl
    10 years ago

    I don't believe anybody did suggest conflicting label following problems, so I don't know what the issue is.

    Then again, I often have trouble understanding the meaning of your comments, so maybe it's just me misunderstanding -- tho' I think not.

    Perhaps Greenman (Josh) will clarify further.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    10 years ago

    Karen,

    You didn't misunderstand...like a quilt, there's a pattern there.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Yes,
    I've seen quite a few Jades damaged by Neem and other soap treatments, and so I simply caution folks who are considering it. Alcohol and water mixed together has never damaged the leaves of my succulents.

    Josh

  • Cheryl Prince
    2 years ago

    How can I differentiate between spider mites & mealy bugs. We have a 52 yr. old jade plant @ work that looks half healthy & half dead. I thot it had spider mites (much webbing) but now not so sure.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    2 years ago

    Cheryl,


    Can you take a picture of it and post it here? That would help us diagnose the problem(s).


Sponsored
John Romans Construction
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars1 Review
Franklin County's Full Service, Turn-Key Construction & Design Company