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These 2 jade plants look different, are they 2 different kind? Thanks… | Plant Identification | Planta community

Suzanabanana

These 2 jade plants look different, are they 2 different kind? Thanks for the help!

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3 comments

  1. Becky

    Yes, these two plants are different species, both are referred to as "jade plants" or a "jade bush".  • Common Jade Plant (Crassula ovata): This species typically has thicker, rounder, dark green leaves and a more woody stem. It is widely known as the jade plant, money plant, or lucky plant.  • Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra): This plant has smaller, thinner, lighter green leaves and reddish-brown stems. It is often mistaken for the Crassula ovata due to their similar appearance, and in some regions, it is referred to as "Small Leaf Jade".  Both are great with similar care but they belong to different botanical genera. 

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  2. Adrian

    You’re right. Those are two different varieties of jades. I would like to politely disagree with the previous commenter and inform you that neither of these are ‘elephant bush’ plants, which are a completely different species from jades and are only called “baby jades” because they are a smaller, but equally low-maintenance option for plants to turn into bonsai trees, like jade plants. They actually look quite different from jade plants. The larger jade in the first picture looks to either be a classic jade, or crassula ovata, that has gotten red tips from a healthy amount of sunlight. The smaller jade on the right is an actual “baby” type of jade. That type can be identified on this app as a crassula ovata ‘Crosby’s Compact’. Hope this helps 😊

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    • Becky

      Thank you for correcting my mistake. 🪴🌿

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