Can Jade Plant Leaves Regrow? Expert Reveals Truth

Do Jade Plant Leaves Grow Back After They Are Dropped? Jade plants are succulents with fleshy, thick leaves. A jade plant generally grows in a mound shape with age but grows upright or trails on the ground. 

The variegated variety of jade is perhaps the most popular, though it is also grown in shades of green. Jade leaves are thick, fleshy, and sometimes red or purple.

Jade Plant leaves can easily break when handled, making people wonder whether dropping them will lose the entire leaf or just a tiny branch. If you’ve ever dropped the leaves of your jade plant, you understand how fragile they are.

As with many houseplants, a jade plant can regrow lost leaves if the damage is not too severe. But with large or old jade plants, a leaf that has been dropped may not grow back. 

The plant takes several months to a year to regrow its leaves after falling off. Dropping jade plant leaves is usually not harmful unless the leaf’s stem breaks with it when you drop it; there is a chance of bacterial or fungal infections. 

To minimize leaf breakage, gently hold the stem of the jade plant leaf between your thumb and forefinger and firmly near where it joins the base of the leaf. 

How Do You Fix a Broken Jade Plant?

Jade plants are succulents and very easy to take care of. Regular watering may lead to weak stems and branches, but if the plant has no leaves and dry soil, it might need help.

Gather small rocks around it to help stabilize it, then transfer the broken part into fresh soil in another pot.

When a jade plant has no leaves, the stem may be broken, or there could be no stem. This extreme situation needs urgent care if you don’t want all your hard work getting that plant back to health to go to nothing.

The good news is that when the stem is not entirely broken, there’s a high chance your jade plant will be just fine. If you have roots, cut off the branch’s top, replant it and treat it well until it’s growing well again.

If the stem is completely gone, you will need to experiment. You can collect fallen jade tree branches and replant them so the roots touch the soil.

If there are no roots, nothing will probably happen. However, if you are lucky enough to have some sprouts on that branch, you can plant them down into the soil and hope for the best – most likely, they will root in time.

When fixing a broken jade plant, please remove all the soil around the broken stem and shake it so that excess soil falls off. If there are roots, cut off both ends of the broken part and set it aside. 

Can You Replant a Broken Jade Plant Stem?

If you’ve broken off a stem from your jade plant for some reason, don’t panic. It’s possible to root and regrow the stem, so you’ll have two plants instead of one!

The steps below will help you replant a broken jade plant stem:

1. The cutting should be about 4-6 inches long and contain at least two nodes (the place where the leaves sprout from).

2. Remove all the leaves from the lower half of the cutting, and dip them in rooting hormone (available at most nurseries and garden centers) to encourage root growth. Stick the cutting in a moistened, soilless mix or sand-filled pot. The top half should be sticking out of the pot.

3. Place the pot in a plastic bag and tie it closed to seal the cutting in a moist environment. Then place it outside or near a bright window and wait for rooting (it could take up to 2 months). Once you see new growth sprouting from the stem, snip off all leaves except for about 5-8 on top. These leaves will help the plant successfully develop roots.

4. Once the stem is well-rooted, place it outdoors in a shady area or porch to encourage new growth and transplant it into a larger pot when the roots have filled the smaller one.

How Do You Regrow A Jade Plant From the Stem?

It’s not too tricky to regrow a jade plant from cuttings of its stems. Below is the procedure for regrowing a jade plant from the stem, although it takes patience.

• After your succulent has died, you must remove all the dead leaves and branches on the plant. You can use pruning shears or a sharp knife for this.
• Remove the leaves from the bottom 3rd of your jade’s stems, leaving at least 4-5 inches of stem on each cutting.
• Use sterile sandpaper to file off any rough spots on the cut end where you removed the leaves. This will help prevent disease.
• Fill a 6-inch pot with moist cactus or succulent potting mix. Don’t bury the stems too deep with how to regrow a jade plant in mind. Try sticking them halfway into the soil.

• Place your stem cuttings in bright but indirect sunlight, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. You’ll notice new growth in a few weeks or months (depending on how old your cutting is). 
• When the stem has several leaves, you can cut it back to about 2 inches of stem and let it regrow again.
• If your cuttings begin to rot, you can nurse them back to health by removing the affected area immediately. Dust with cinnamon or neem oil spray if fungus grows on the leaves.

Can a Jade Plant Grow From a Stem?

Simple answer? Yes! A leaf can root and form its plant. In addition, many plants will sprout from cuttings, but they may be different species than the parent plant. Here are the steps for propagating a jade plant using a stem cutting:

1) Remove a leaf from the tip of your cutting. If it’s already growing, you can remove a side leaf.

2) Remove most of the leaves from the lower half of your cutting. Leave at least one, no more than three leaves per cutting. As a note: sometimes you can’t get all the leaves off before they brown and die – that’s okay! It’s better to have too many leaves than too few.

3) Using a sharp, sterilized knife or scissors, cut your stem cuttings from the mother plant at an angle. Ensure that at least one node (where new branches will come from) is on your cutting.

4) Place your stem cutting in a glass of water and leave it somewhere relatively warm (I put mine on the fridge).

5) After about a week, you should notice root growth. Once the roots are noticeable, plant your cutting in soil, careful not to cover any part of its stem.

6) Place your newly potted jade plant in indirect sunlight for about a month. You should see new growth in the coming weeks if everything goes well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Jade Plants, Are They Poisoning You?

The Jade tree is mildly poisonous to humans upon ingestion, causing minor symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. However, according to ASPCA, Jade plants are included in highly toxic plants for dogs and cats.

Why do The Leaves Of Jade Plants Turn Red?

The leading cause of Jade plant leaves turning red is receiving too much sun. Jade plants typically like bright light and thrive under these conditions but don’t always like direct sunlight. Like humans, Jade plants can be sunburned by strong and intense sunlight.

How Much Sunlight Do Jade Plants Need?

At least 4 hours per day in a south-facing or west-facing window, keep the soil moist but not wet during the growing season (spring and summer) and let the soil dry out during the dormant season (fall and winter). Don’t splash the leaves when you water.

Do Jade Plants Like Small Pots?

Jade plants do best in a pot that provides a broad, sturdy base to support the weight of the plant as it releases new stems and leaves over time and allows for maximum drainage. The size of the pot should be only slightly larger than the diameter of the plant.

Can Jade Plants Be Grown Outside in the Summer?

The soil should be allowed to dry out thoroughly between waterings during the growing season, as jade is very susceptible to rot. Jade plants may be grown outdoors as landscape plants in areas with a mild, dry climate year-round (typically Zone 10 and warmer).

Conclusion On Do Jade Plant Leaves Grow Back After They Are Dropped

Depending on the circumstances surrounding the plan to regrow the leaves, they grow back. Sometimes they drop for nature-related reasons; others do so for unrelated reasons. Whichever the case, there’s always a way to go about it.