Common Ailments of the Jade Plant

Mealy Bugs

• Jade plants are vulnerable to attack by mealy bugs. These small insects, about 3/16 inch long, gather on leaf joints and veins and look like they have been dusted in flour. Infestations can be treated by painting the bugs directly with rubbing alcohol. Clemson University Cooperative Extension cautions against using insecticidal soap on jade plants.

Other Pests

• Jade plants can also be infested with scale insects and red spider mites. Scale insects look like small bumps on the leaves while microscopic spider mites cause irregular yellow discoloration on the leaf undersides and leave fine webbing on the leaves. Treat scale insects with a systemic insecticide and spider mites by misting the plant every day to raise humidity levels. Spider mites can also be treated with a commercial miticide spray.

Root Rot

• As succulent plants jades are vulnerable to root rot if grown in heavy soil or in a pot without an adequate drainage hole. Never leave jade plants sitting in a dish or water and do not re pot into a large container as excess soil is prone to water logging. Remove a jade plant that has soft stems or leaves from its soil and allow the roots to dry out completely. Remove any roots and branches that are soft or have blackened or slimy surfaces and repot in a compost formulated for succulents. Plants with completely rotted roots or main stems can be regrown from cuttings taken from healthy branches or even from individual leaves.

Leaf Drop

• Jade plants that are dropping green leaves should be monitored carefully. An under-watered jade plants will have slightly wrinkled green leaves and some of these will shrivel and drop off. Check the soil of a plant that is losing leaves and water if it is completely dry. Do not water a jade plant that is losing green leaves and has moist soil, as leaf drop can also be a symptom of over watering. Jade plants naturally lose leaves during the winter, but these shrivel and brown before dropping.