Jade plants bring joy and good luck to so many homes. These small green trees with thick leaves not only look nice but also help us in many ways. Most folks keep them just for their good looks. Yet, jade plants offer so much more!
In this post, I’ll walk you through all the ways jade plants can make your life better. From clean air to good luck, these plants are truly gifts that keep on giving. I’ve grown jade plants for many years. Through my time with them, I’ve seen first-hand how they can lift a room and bring small but real perks to daily life.
So let’s dive deep into the world of jade plant benefits. By the end, you’ll know why these plants have been loved for so long by so many people around the world. You might even want to add a new jade plant to your home!
Table of Contents
What Are Jade Plants?
Before we talk about their perks, let’s get to know Jade plants a bit better. Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are small trees with thick, round leaves. They come from the dry parts of South Africa. These plants store water in their leaves to help them live through dry times.
Jade plants are part of the big plant group called “succulents.” This means they hold water in their leaves, stems, or roots. Their thick, shiny leaves feel firm to the touch. The leaves grow in pairs on stems that get woody as they age.
Over time, jade plants can grow into small trees up to 3-5 feet tall. But they grow very slowly, so they stay small for many years. This slow growth is good news if you want a plant that won’t take over your space!
Jade plants are very tough. They can live for a very long time – some for 70 to 100 years or more! They need little care and can bounce back well from dry spells. This makes them great for busy folks or those new to plant care.
Now that we know what jade plants are, let’s look at all the good things they bring to our lives!
Air-Cleaning Benefits
One of the best things about jade plants is how they help clean the air in our homes. Just like all green plants, jade plants take in carbon dioxide and give off fresh oxygen. But jade plants do more than just that!
NASA has done tests on many plants to see which ones are best at cleaning the air. While jade plants weren’t in the main test, they are known to help clean the air like many other plants in their group.
Jade plants can help take out bad stuff from the air like:
- Benzene (found in some paints and glues)
- Formaldehyde (found in some home goods)
- Toluene (found in some house goods)
These bad things can come from items in our homes like rugs, paints, glues, and more. They can make us feel sick or tired. Plants like jade plants help take these bad things out of the air.
But how do jade plants clean the air? They pull air down to their roots. Tiny life forms that live with the plant roots then break down the bad stuff. Also, plants take in some bad air bits through tiny holes in their leaves.
To get the most air-cleaning perks from your jade plant:
- Keep it where there’s good air flow
- Clean dust off the leaves now and then
- Have a few plants in each room for the best effect
While one small jade plant won’t clean all the air in a big room, having a few plants in your home can help make the air more fresh and clean. This is great news for folks with breathing woes or those who just want to live in a more clean space!
Mental and Mood Benefits
Did you know that just having plants in your space can make you feel better? It’s true! Many tests show that plants help our minds and moods in real ways. Jade plants, with their calm green look, are great mood lifters.
Here are some ways jade plants can help your mind and mood:
They cut stress. Tests show that being near plants can help lower stress signs in our bodies. Just a few mins of plant care can help calm your mind. The jade plant’s thick green leaves have a very calm feel that helps ease a busy mind.
They boost focus. Having plants in work spaces has been shown to help us focus better and work more well. Jade plants need little care, so they’re a great choice for desk tops or work spots.
They lift mood. Many folks say they feel happier when they have plants in their homes. The jade plant’s bright green color and tree-like shape can bring joy to any room.
They give a sense of care. Having a plant to care for can give us a sense of goal and joy. Jade plants need little care but still give back a sense of pride when they grow well.
They add life to a space. Homes and work spots can feel cold or stark. Plants like jade plants bring a touch of life and warmth to any space.
For the best mind and mood perks, put your jade plant where you’ll see it often. A desk top, by your bed, or in the main room are all great spots. Just seeing green plants can help calm your mind and lift your day!
Feng Shui and Good Luck Benefits
In many parts of the world, jade plants are seen as lucky plants that bring wealth and good flow. In Feng Shui, the old Chinese art of space flow, jade plants have a key role. Let’s see why these plants are thought to bring such good things!
Jade plants are seen as money plants. The round leaves look like small coins, which stands for wealth to come. The rich green color also stands for growth and gain.
They are yang plants. In Feng Shui, jade plants have “yang” or male, warm, bright force. This helps bring more life force to a space.
They stand for growth. Just like the plant grows and gets more full over time, it is thought to help the home’s wealth grow too.
For the best luck, Feng Shui fans say to put your jade plant:
- In the east part of your home to boost family health
- In the south for fame and good name
- In the south-east to draw wealth
- Near the front door to pull good luck into your home
- In your work space to help your job grow
- Avoid the bed room, as jade plants are seen as too “yang” (warm, bright) for sleep spots
To boost the good luck of your jade plant even more:
- Keep it well cared for – a dying plant can mean bad luck
- Wipe the leaves now and then to keep them bright
- Put it in a red or gold pot for even more wealth vibes
While these thoughts come from Feng Shui, many plant fans just like the good vibes that jade plants seem to bring to a space. There’s a sense of peace and well-being that comes with these small trees, luck or not!
Health Benefits
While jade plants won’t fix all your health woes, they do bring some real health perks. These stem from both their air-cleaning skills and the good effects plants have on our whole well-being.
They help you breathe better. As we talked about, jade plants give off fresh air and take in some bad air bits. This can help folks with mild breathing woes. Plus, plants add good wet air to a room, which helps dry, itchy skin and dry coughs.
They may help cut sick time. Tests have found that having plants in work spots can help cut how often folks get sick. This could be due to the air-cleaning perks, the stress-cutting effects, or both.
They help you heal more fast. Some tests show that folks in the care home who have plants in their rooms may heal more fast than those who don’t. While the tests didn’t look at jade plants on their own, plants in the room seem to help our bodies heal.
They may help you sleep. Plants give off fresh air, which can help you sleep better. Plus, the calm, green look of plants like jade can help calm your mind for a better night’s rest.
They help cut noise. While jade plants are small, they do help cut down on noise in a room. Plants can soak up sound waves, which helps make a space more quiet and calm.
It’s worth noting that jade plants hold a small bit of a mild bad stuff in them. If a child or pet eats a lot of the plant, they might feel sick. But most kids and pets don’t try to eat jade plants, as they have a bad taste. Still, it’s best to keep them out of reach of young kids and pets just to be safe.
All in all, jade plants can be a small but real part of a more healthy life. When paired with good food, rest, and care, these plants can help you feel your best!
Low-Care Benefits
One of the top perks of jade plants is how easy they are to care for. In our busy lives, we don’t all have time for plants that need lots of fuss. Jade plants fit right into a full life with their low-care needs.
Here’s why jade plants are so great for busy folks:
They need little water. Jade plants store water in their leaves. This means they can go quite a while with no drinks. Most jade plants need water just once a week in the warm times, and once every 2-3 weeks in the cool times.
They’re OK if you miss a drink. If you go on a trip or just forget to water your jade plant, no big deal! They can bounce back well from dry spells. This makes them great for those who may not have a green thumb.
They need little plant food. You’ll need to feed your jade plant just 3-4 times a year, and only in the spring and summer. They grow slowly, so they don’t need much food.
They deal well with dry air. Jade plants come from dry parts of the world. They do well in the dry air found in most homes, with no need for mist or wet air tools.
They deal with less-than-best light. While jade plants do best with lots of bright light, they can live with less. They won’t grow as fast, but they won’t die right away like some more picky plants.
They need little space. Jade plants grow very slowly. They can stay in the same pot for years. A small jade plant can live on a desk top or shelf for a long time with no need to move it to a new, big pot.
They have few pest woes. Jade plants don’t tend to get many bugs or pests. This means less time spent on pest checks and fixes.
For all these low-care perks, jade plants still give back so much in the form of clean air, good looks, and all the other perks we’ve talked about. They truly are one of the best “bang for your buck” plants in terms of what they give back for so little care!
Space-Saving Benefits
If you live in a small home or flat, you might think you don’t have room for plants. But jade plants are a great pick for small spaces! Their slow growth and small needs make them just right for tight spots.
Here’s why jade plants work so well in small spaces:
They stay small for years. Jade plants grow very slowly. A jade plant can stay on a small shelf or desk top for many years with no need to move it to a new spot.
They can be kept small with pruning. If your jade plant does start to get too big, you can trim it to keep it small. This also helps make it more full and bush-like.
They don’t spread wide. Some plants grow out more than up, which takes up lots of floor space. Jade plants tend to grow more up than out, which means they need less floor space.
They work well in small pots. Jade plants don’t mind being a bit root-bound. This means they can stay in small pots much more long than many plants. Less pot space means less shelf or floor space used.
They’re fine with dry air. Small spaces can have dry air, which kills some plants. Jade plants do just fine in dry air with no need for wet air tools that take up more space.
They can grow in dish plants. If you’re very short on space, you can grow a small jade plant in a dish plant – a small, flat pot with many small plants. This way, you get all the perks of a jade plant with a very small space print.
They don’t drop leaves. Some plants shed leaves all the time, which makes a mess. Jade plants keep their leaves well, which means less time spent on clean-up in your small space.
For the most space-wise jade plant:
- Pick a small type like Crassula ovata ‘Minima’
- Use a small, not wide pot
- Trim it now and then to keep it small and full
- Put it on a wall shelf to save floor space
With these tips, you can fit a jade plant into even the most snug flat or small home!
Long-Life Benefits
One of the most cool things about jade plants is how long they can live. With the right care, a jade plant can be with you for many years – some live for 70 to 100 years or more! This makes them a plant you can grow with and pass down through time.
Here’s why the long life of jade plants is such a great perk:
They can be life-long friends. A jade plant you get now could be with you for your whole life. There’s a real joy in seeing a plant grow with you through all life’s ups and downs.
They can be hand-me-downs. A jade plant can be passed down from one age to the next. Think how cool it would be to care for a plant that once sat on your mom’s or gram’s shelf!
They form “bonsai” with time. As jade plants age, they form thick, woody trunks and stems that look like small trees. This aged, wise look is prized by many plant fans and takes many years to form.
They get more worth with age. Old jade plants with thick trunks can be worth quite a bit to plant fans. The more aged and tree-like, the more some folks will pay for a jade plant.
They need less care as they age. Young jade plants need a bit more care to help them grow well. But once they’re set in their ways, older jade plants need even less care than young ones.
They can be shaped over time. With care, jade plants can be shaped like bonsai trees. The slow work of this art form is well-matched to the jade plant’s long life.
To help your jade plant live a long, full life:
- Give it the right care from day one
- Don’t move it too much once it’s in a good spot
- Don’t over-water, as this is the main way jade plants die
- Move it to a new pot only when it’s very root-bound
- Keep it away from cold drafts, which can shock it
With good care, your jade plant can be with you for the long haul, through moves, job shifts, and all life’s big steps!
Money-Saving Benefits
In these tight times, we’re all keen to save a bit of cash. Jade plants can help with that too! These low-cost plants have many ways to help stretch your funds:
They cost little to buy. Jade plants are some of the most low-cost plants you can find. A small jade plant might cost just $5-10. For all the perks they bring, that’s a great deal!
They need few goods. Jade plants don’t need much to thrive. A basic pot, some well-drained soil, and a bright spot are all they need. No need for wet air tools, grow lights, or other dear plant gear.
They use little water. With their skill to store water, jade plants need much less water than many house plants. This helps keep your water bill in check.
They live with no plant food. While jade plants do grow best with a bit of plant food, they can live with none at all. They’re so tough that they’ll keep on going even with just the small bits in plain soil.
They can be grown for free. The best part? You can grow new jade plants from just a leaf or stem from a friend’s plant. This means you can grow a whole plant set for free!
They can be gifts. Jade plants make great low-cost gifts. Since they’re so easy to grow from bits, you can grow new plants to give to friends and save on gift costs.
They last for years. Most low-cost items don’t last long. But a jade plant can last for many years, which means you get a lot of bang for your buck!
To grow new jade plants for free:
- Ask a friend if you can take a leaf or small stem from their jade plant
- Let the cut end dry for a day or two till it forms a skin
- Stick the stem in soil, or lay the leaf on top of the soil
- Keep in a bright spot and wait for roots to grow
- Once the new plant has grown a bit, treat it like any jade plant
With these money-wise perks, jade plants are a great pick for the thrift-wise plant fan!
Child and Pet Safety Benefits
If you have kids or pets, you need to know which plants are safe to have at home. Jade plants are known to have a small bit of mild bad stuff in them. But with a few steps, they can still be a safe pick for homes with kids and pets.
Here’s what you need to know about jade plants and safety:
Their mild bad stuff. Jade plants have a mild bad stuff in them that can make kids or pets sick if they eat a lot of the plant. The signs can be tummy pain, being sick, or slow heart rate in rare cases.
The taste keeps most safe. The good news is that jade plants don’t taste good. Most kids and pets will spit them out right away if they try to take a bite.
The firm leaves help too. The thick, firm leaves of jade plants are hard to chew, which makes them less fun for small kids and pets to try.
To keep jade plants in a home with kids and pets:
- Put the plant up high or on a shelf where kids and pets can’t reach it
- Keep the plant in a room that pets don’t go in, like a home work space
- Pick up any leaves that fall off the plant right away
- Teach kids not to put plant parts in their mouths
- Get your pets toys and safe plants to chew on to keep them from the jade plant
With these steps, jade plants and homes with kids and pets can live side by side with no woes. Just be sure to call your vet or health care team right away if you think your pet or child has eaten a lot of the plant.
Creative and Fun Benefits
Jade plants bring a fun, creative side to plant care that many folks don’t know about. These plants lend them well to all sorts of fun plant crafts and care forms!
Here are some of the more fun and creative ways to use jade plants:
They’re great for bonsai. The thick stems and small leaves of jade plants make them great for bonsai, the art of growing small trees in pots. With time and care, you can shape your jade plant into a small tree work of art.
They work well in dish plants. Jade plants mix well with other small plants in dish plants – those small, flat pots with many plants. Their green leaves and tree-like form add a nice touch to these small plant scenes.
They can be shaped. With some care and the right cuts, you can shape your jade plant to look like a small tree, a bush, or even more fun forms. Some plant fans shape them to look like clouds or balls.
They can be gifts with tales. Since jade plants are seen as lucky plants in many parts of the world, they make great gifts with a tale. You can tell the gift-taker all about the good luck and wealth the plant might bring!
They’re fun to grow from scraps. There’s a real joy in seeing a whole new plant grow from just a small leaf. Kids and plant fans alike find it fun to grow new jade plants from bits.
They can be part of craft jobs. Dry jade leaves can be used in some craft jobs, like plant art or dry plant sets. Just be sure to use leaves that have dropped off on their own.
They grow in fun ways. A jade plant’s growth is fun to watch. Over time, the stems get thick and woody, and the plant starts to look like a small tree. Each plant grows in its own way, which makes them fun to watch.
The creative and fun side of jade plants adds yet an added layer to the joy they bring to our homes!
Wrap-Up and Key Perks
We’ve gone through so many ways jade plants make our lives better. From clean air to good luck, these small green trees bring a host of perks to our homes and lives. Let’s sum up why jade plants are such a great pick for any plant fan:
Low-care perks: Jade plants need little water, food, or fuss. They’re great for busy folks or those new to plant care.
Space-wise perks: Their slow growth and small needs make them just right for small homes or tight spots.
Health perks: Jade plants help clean the air, cut stress, and may even help you heal more fast.
Feng Shui perks: These plants are thought to bring wealth, luck, and good flow to a home.
Mind and mood perks: Having jade plants in your space can help cut stress, boost focus, and lift your mood.
Long-life perks: With the right care, jade plants can live for many years, even up to 100 years or more!
Money-wise perks: Jade plants cost little to buy and care for, and you can grow new ones for free from bits.
Creative and fun perks: From bonsai to dish plants, jade plants add a fun, creative side to plant care.
With all these perks, it’s clear why jade plants have been loved by plant fans for so long. They give back so much for such little care. In a world that can feel fast and cold at times, the slow, green growth of a jade plant brings a sense of peace and life to our homes.
So if you don’t have a jade plant yet, why not add one to your plant set? With so many perks to be had, a jade plant just might be the most good bang for your buck in the plant world. And who knows – it might just bring you a bit of good luck too!