

Jade plant is a good choice for houseplants because Crassula ovata requires little attention (and less water) and will thrive in indirect light indoors. Don't re-pot it if you can help it; jade plants enjoy crowded roots.
Was a potted jade plant your introduction to the world of houseplants? This succulent with pillow green leaves and a friendly personality is hard to kill, easy to propagate, and extremely attractive as it matures into a miniature tree.
Native to Africa, jade plants are drought tolerant (water is stored in those leaves, explaining their plumpness). A member of the Crassula genus, C. ovata thrives indoors in bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. (Like most succulents, it hates wet feet and nothing will kill it faster than over-watering.) If you live in a warm climate (USDA growing zones 11-12), jade plants will thrive as perennials in the garden. If your region is colder, bring your jade plant indoors to survive the winter.
“One of the advantages of owning a jade plant is how easy it is to propagate it,” writes our contributor Jeanne Rostaing. “The simplest way is just to snip off a few healthy leaves from your plant and lay them on top of some potting mixture (half vermiculite or perlite and half soil is a good formula).” Within two weeks, you will see tiny plantlets emerge.