30 Types of Jade Plants (Crassula) to Grow Yourself

Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Jade plants are popular plants for growing both indoors and outdoors. The most common and recognizable type of jade plant is the Crassula ovata, also known as the money plant. However, there are over 300 species of plants in the Crassula genus coming in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Here are 30 types of jade plants to know and grow both inside and outside your home.

The 15 Best Places to Buy Plants Online in 2024

Jade Plant

The most popular and widely available jade plant is the Crassula ovata. According to Feng Shui, it is believed to bring fortune and good luck into your home which has earned it a few common nicknames such as money plant, dollar plant, and lucky plant. It's characterized by medium green oval leaves and a shrub-like growth habit. Under bright light conditions, its leaves will develop a red tinge around the edges.

• Name: Jade plant (Crassula ovata)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 12

• Mature Size: 3 to 6 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Variegated Jade

The variegated jade plant (Crassula ovata 'Variegata') is one of the most popular Crassula ovata cultivators. It has light green, white, yellow, and sometimes pink multi-colored foliage. Like most variegated plants, it requires consistent bright, indirect light to maintain its stunning colors.

• Name: Variegated jade plant (Crassula ovata ‘Variegata’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 1 to 4 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Crosby’s Compact Jade

Also known as the Crosby's red jade or Crosby's dwarf jade, the Crosby's compact jade is a dwarf cultivator of the standard Crassula ovata. It is characterized by small leaves that are more rounded than the Crassula ovata, and a compact growth habit. When exposed to direct sunlight, the Crosby's compact jade leaves will turn bright shades of red, yellow, and orange.

• Name: Crosby’s Compact jade (Crassula ovata ‘Crosby’s Compact’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 3 feet tall

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Pink Beauty Jade

While most Crassula ovata varieties have white flowers, the pink beauty jade is grown for its stunning pink blooms in the fall and winter. It has relatively small leaves tinged with red around the tips (particularly in direct sun conditions). It most likely blooms outdoors, although indoors it may flower if water is withheld and the plant is kept in cool conditions (around 55 degrees F), especially at night, for several weeks. Keep in a location without supplemental light so that the natural light cycle of the season will trigger flower initiation.

• Name: Pink Beauty jade (Crassula ovata ‘Pink Beauty’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 3 to 5 feet tall, 2 to 4 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Gollum Jade

"The Lord of the Rings" fans will love the next couple of jade plant varieties, which together are often referred to as the "Tolkien succulents." These Crassula varieties have interestingly shaped leaves that earned them mystical names. The Gollum jade (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’) has tubular leaves with circular tips that resemble small suction cups.

• Name: Gollum jade (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining
  

Hobbit Jade

The Gollum jade and the hobbit jade (Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’) are easily confused and it's not hard to see why. The difference between these two cultivators lies in the shape of their leaves. While Gollum jade has tubular leaves with cup-like ends, the hobbit jade has more spoon-shaped leaves, curling inwards on themselves to form a tubular appearance.

• Name: Hobbit jade (Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Variegated Gollum Jade

This jade plant is the variegated cultivator of the Gollum jade and is characterized by pale green and white streaked foliage. It is known for being a slow-grower compared to its non-variegated counterpart and needs plenty of bright, indirect light to prevent it from reverting to solid green.

• Name: Variegated Gollum jade (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum Variegata’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 1 to 2 feet tall, 10 to 12 inches wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Skinny Fingers Jade

A third tubular-shaped jade plant is called the skinny fingers jade (Crassula ovata 'Skinny Fingers') or E.T. fingers jade. While it looks similar to both the Gollum and hobbit jade, its leaves tend to be longer, skinnier, and thinner at the tips with no pronounced suction cup shape.

• Name: Skinny Fingers jade (Crassula ovata ‘Skinny Fingers’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Crassula Red Coral

Similar in form to Gollum jade, this crassula has stunning, brightly colored foliage which is most prominent in direct sunlight. This jade plant grows to be about three feet tall and two feet wide and can be grown both indoors and outdoors. If you are growing it indoors, keep in mind that a grow light may be necessary to fully enjoy its red and yellow colors.

• Name: Crassula 'Red Coral' (Crassula ovata 'Red Coral')

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Botany Bay Jade

Most Crassula ovata cultivars grow into a branching, shrub-like form, but the Botany Bay jade (Crassula ovata ‘Botany Bay’) is known for its compact, bushy growth habit. It has light green-yellow leaves with red tips and reaches between two to three feet tall at maturity. This jade plant cultivar was introduced in 2011 by Garden Gate Nursery.

• Name: Botany Bay jade (Crassula ovata ‘Botany Bay’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 12

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Hummel’s Sunset Jade

The Hummel's sunset jade (Crassula ovata ‘Hummel’s Sunset’), often called the sunset jade, is a fun and bright cultivar of the classic Crassula ovata. It is known for its yellow, orange, and red leaves that become more vibrant in the winter months. It has a mounding, shrub-like growth habit and has become a popular bonsai tree.

• Name: Hummel’s Sunset jade (Crassula ovata ‘Hummel’s Sunset’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 12

• Mature Size: 2 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Mini Jade

Named for its petite size, the mini jade (Crassula ovata 'Minima') is a popular dwarf jade plant cultivator. It has small, rounded leaves and clump-forming growth habit. Compared to the standard Crassula ovata, the minima's leaves grow much closer together to create a bushy appearance. It's a popular houseplant and bonsai tree but is also great for filling in small spaces in outdoor rock gardens or succulent gardens.

• Name: Mini jade (Crassula ovata ‘Minima’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 30 inches tall, 20 inches wide

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Silver Dollar Jade

The silver dollar jade (Crassula arborescens) is named for its round, blue-grey foliage that resembles silver coins. In bright light conditions, its leaves develop a deep red color around the edges, and it is also common for some leaves to have red spots. This jade plant is a popular houseplant that is found at most nurseries and garden centers, although it can also be grown outdoors in garden beds or containers in hardiness zones.

• Name: Silver dollar jade (Crassula arborescens)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide

• Light: Partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Blue Bird Jade

Crassula arborescens 'Blue Bird Variegata' is an attractive and colorful cultivar of the silver dollar jade. It has large, flat leaves with yellow edges and light green stripes down the center. In bright conditions, the leaves may also develop some pink. Compared to the silver dollar jade, the Blue Bird Variegata's leaves are a bit more elongated with pointed edges.

• Name: Blue Bird jade (Crassula arborescens ‘Blue Bird Variegata’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 2 feet tall, 2 feet wide

• Light: Partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Ripple Jade

Ripple jade (Crassula arborescens spp. undulatifolia) is a unique jade plant known for its wavy, blue-green foliage. It is a shrubby succulent that grows up to four feet tall, although, like many other jade plants, it is a notoriously slow-grower. This jade variety is a popular houseplant that is also suitable to be grown outdoors in a warm climate. When it is given enough light, the leaves will develop a red tinge around the edges.

• Name: Ripple jade (Crassula arborescens spp. undulatifolia)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Crassula Campfire

Campfire (Crassula capitella) is known for its stunning fiery foliage that appears when the plant is exposed to direct sunlight. Its leaves are long, flat, and stacked closely together as the stems grow. Place it directly under a grow light indoors to see its gorgeous red and orange foliage, or plant it in a nice sunny spot outside.

• Name: Crassula campfire (Crassula capitella)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 8 inches tall, 3 feet wide

• Light: Full sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

String of Buttons

The string of buttons jade (Crassula perforata) has small, closely stacked square or triangle-shaped leaves and long upright stems. In direct sunlight, the leaves will turn slightly pink around the edges. It is a popular houseplant but can also be grown outdoors in warm climates.

• Name: String of buttons (Crassula perforata)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 12

• Mature Size: 1 to 2 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Fairy Crassula

Fairy jade (Crassula multicava)—also commonly known as the Cape Province pygmy weed, grandfather's watch chain, pitted Crassula, or London pride—is a fast-grower with a mat-forming growth habit. It is distinguished by its oval leaves that are pale to medium green and occasionally have purple undersides. It rarely grows taller than 16 inches but spreads prolifically. It is most commonly grown outdoors as a landscape plant. It is also suitable to be grown in containers.

• Name: Fairy crassula (Crassula multicava)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 16 inches tall

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Crassula ‘Moon Glow’

This fuzzy succulent is known as the Crassula 'Moon Glow' (Crassula mesembryanthemoides). It has thin, teardrop-shaped leaves that are coated in fine 'hairs' which give it a fuzzy appearance and protect it from the sun. It's a relatively small Crassula, reaching about 16 inches tall at maturity. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors and is adaptable to a wide range of lighting conditions.

• Name: Crassula ‘Moon Glow’ (Crassula mesembryanthemoides)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 16 inches tall

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Baby’s Necklace Jade

Aptly named baby's necklace jade (Crassula rupestris var. marnieriana) this succulent is characterized by small, wedge-shaped leaves that are closely stacked on its long stems. It has a clumping and spreading growth habit and does well both indoors and outdoors under the proper conditions.

• Name: Baby’s necklace jade (Crassula rupestris var. marnieriana)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 4 inches tall, 20 inches long

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Crassula 'Tom Thumb'

Another Crassula rupestris variety, Tom Thumb (Crassula rupestris ssp. commutata) is a dwarf succulent variety that is known for being fast-growing and perfect for rock gardens, miniature planters, and terrariums. This jade plant has small, triangular, bright green leaves and a stacking growth habit on long upright stems.

• Name: Crassula 'Tom Thumb' (Crassula rupestris ssp. commutata)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 8 inches tall, 12 inches tall

• Light: Full sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Rosary Vine

This compact, soft-looking succulent has thick, triangular leaves and a stacking growth habit. The rosary vine (Crassula rupestris var. monticola) grows to be about 12 inches tall and branches out as it grows. It's native to South Africa where it grows in rocky outcrops, but it also grows well indoors and is a popular choice among houseplant and succulent enthusiasts.

• Name: Rosary vine (Crassula rupestris var. monticola)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 12 inches tall

• Light: Full sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Propeller Plant

Named for its large, propeller-shaped leaves, the propeller plant (Crassula falcata) has become popular as a houseplant and is widely available at nurseries and garden centers. It is small, no more than 12 to 18 inches tall, and with its slow growth rate, it normally takes several years before it will reach that height.

• Name: Propeller plant (Crassula falcata)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 12 to 18 inches tall, 8 to 12 inches wide

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Miniature Pine Tree

Native to South Africa, the miniature pine tree (Crassula tetragona) is prized among succulent collectors and bonsai enthusiasts alike for its unique foliage and compact size. These succulents have long, pointed leaves that are nearly triangular at maturity. It grows to be between three to four feet tall and is known for being low-maintenance and easy to grow.

• Name: Miniature pine tree (Crassula tetragona)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10 to 11

• Mature Size: 3 to 4 feet tall

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Trailing Jade

The trailing jade (Crassula sarmentosa) is a long, vining jade species with medium to light green, arrow-shaped leaves with serrated edges. It's most commonly sold in its variegated form (Crassula sarmentosa 'Comet') since the variegated leaves provide some extra visual interest. It is considered a fast grower, with stems that grow to be at least three feet long at maturity.

• Name: Trailing jade (Crassula sarmentosa)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 12 inches tall, 36 inches long

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Variegated Trailing Jade

The Crassula sarmentosa 'Comet' is the variegated version of the trailing jade plant, commonly called variegated trailing jade or comet trailing jade. It's popular as a filler plant in outdoor gardens or as a 'spiller' plant in succulent containers and arrangements. It also makes a good houseplant. Compared to other jade species the variegated trailing jade does well in a range of different lighting conditions, although in low light its growth will be slower and its colors less vibrant.

• Name: Variegated trailing jade (Crassula sarmentosa ‘Comet’)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 12 inches tall, 36 inches long

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Watch Chain Plant

Also known as the rattail Crassula, the watch chain plant (Crassula muscosa) is characterized by long upright stems with tiny leaves that grow closely together, giving it a chain-like appearance. As it matures, it forms a compact shrub reaching about 12 inches tall. This succulent is native to South Africa and Namibia and is primarily grown outdoors, although it can be grown as a houseplant.

• Name: Watch chain plant (Crassula muscosa)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 10

• Mature Size: 6 to 12 inches tall

• Light: Full to partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Taylor's Parches

Taylor's Parches (Crassula lactea) is a species of Crassula that is a popular choice for outdoor gardens and landscapes thanks to its full, bushy appearance. While it may look like a shrub when it is carefully tended, this succulent has a low-trailing growth habit with stems that grow up to 12 inches tall. The leaves are obovate with slightly pointed tips and light to mid-green coloring. Like many Crassula's, the leaves develop an orange-red tint when exposed to direct sunlight.

• Name: Taylor's parches (Crassula lactea)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 12 inches tall, 24 inches wide

• Light: Full sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Woolly Crassula

Perhaps one of the most unique-looking Crassula species, the woolly crassula is characterized by small rosette-like clusters of leaves that grow in small clumps. Each leaf is covered with tiny 'hairs' which give the plant its woolly appearance. It grows naturally on stony slopes but is well-suited to both indoor and outdoor growing. It is rare to see this succulent flower since it is monocarpic, but if it does it will produce yellow or white blooms, which signals the end of its life cycle.

• Name: Woolly crassula (Crassula tomentosa)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 24 inches tall

• Light: Partial sun

• Soil Needs: Sandy and well-draining

Swamp Stonecrop

Commonly known as swamp stonecrop or New Zealand pigmy weed, Crassula helmsii is a semiterrestrial succulent that has a low-growing, spreading growth habit, forming large mats or clumps. It is native to Australia and was introduced in the early 1900s as a garden pond plant to parts of Europe where it is now considered invasive in the United States, as well. It is rarely grown indoors.

• Name: Swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11

• Mature Size: 6 to 8 centimeters tall

• Light: Full sun

• Soil Needs: N/A, grows in water

Learn More

Check out these tips to take optimum care of your jade plant:

• Pruning a Jade Plant
  

• Jade Plant Dropping Leaves

• Propagating a Jade Plant

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common type of jade plant?

Crassula ovata, commonly known as the money plant, is no doubt the most popular jade plant because it is so easy to grow and propagate. There are numerous cultivars of Crassula ovata, including 'Bronze Beauty' and 'California Red Tip'.

How long does a jade plant live?

With proper care, the jade plant has a very long lifespan of up to 70 years. It grows very slowly, only about two inches of height per year.

Which jade plant is the easiest to grow?

Crassula ovata is the most popular jade plant for good reason—it is the easiest jade plant to grow. Not overwatering it is the most challenging aspect of caring for a jade plant, as its watering needs vary throughout the year. During the winter, watering your jade plant about once a month is sufficient.

Are crassula and jade the same plants?

Crassula is the botanical name of the genus and the jade plant (Crassula ovata) is the most popular and well-known species in that genus. The name "jade plant" is often incorrectly used to refer to the entire genus.

Read the original article on The Spruce.