Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ Jade Plant Care Guide

Well as your probably aware that the Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ is has the same needs as the Crassula Ovata ‘Jade Plant’  since is just a different variety of ‘Jade Plant’ With this guide we will show you all the information that you will need to know about Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ (Gollum Jade Plant)  care, pruning, propagation, potential pests and diseases.

This plant is thought by many to bring good luck and prosperity to whoever grows one. This particular variety was name after the Character from Lord of the Rings Book. The leaf tips are almost sucker like in appearance.

Crassula Ovata Gollum- (Gollum Jade / Finger Jade) Overview

• Common Name: Gollum Jade, Trumpet Jade, Finger Jade
• Scientific Name: Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ also sometimes known as Crassula Ovata ‘Coral’
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Origin: South Africa and Mozambique
• Flower Colour: White or Light Pink
• Ultimate Height: 1 – 1.5 metres / 3 – 5 ft
• Ultimate Spread: 0.5 – 1 metre / 1.5 – 3 ft
• Time To Ultimate Height: 10-15 years
• Leaf: Evergreen
• Plant Hardiness: UK = H2 / USA = 10b
• Temperature: Will not survive being frozen (5°C = 41°F Lowest Temp) If growing outdoors.
• Light: Full Sun
• Water: Low
• Soil: Well Drained Sandy / Loamy Soil – Or a good Succulent potting mix
• Fertiliser: Only needed during growing season.
• Propagation: Leaf or Stem Cuttings, by Seed, or by Offsets
• Pests: Mealybugs, Spider Mites (Usually disease free when grown as a houseplant)
• Poisonous for pets: Toxic to cats and dogs.

How to Care for Your Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ (Gollum Jade Plant)

Crassula Ovata has a unique mini tree-like aesthetic, with elongated tubular leaves (some would say that they have finger-like leaves) on woody stems similar to a bonsai tree. The gollum jade plant is an appealing plant to have at home since it’s quite easy to care for once you know how, and what they need.

It’s an evergreen succulent plant that can grow to six feet or higher if given sufficient root space. Or if you choose you can bonsai them. It should be noted that when they are grown indoors they are slow growers.

Gollum Jades are a wonderful indoor plant, and can live a long life, they can live up to 100yrs or more, but only if you take the time to care for them the right way. They are also a low maintenance plant perfect for people with busy lifestyles.

The ‘Gollum’ Jade can be grown outdoors, but most of the time they’re grown indoors. Outside, they can be grown as landscape plants in regions with a dry, mild climate all year-round. They’re susceptible to the cold, so if you live in a region where it gets to freezing temperatures, it’s best to grow them indoors. If it gets to 5°C / 41°F or lower where you live, grow them inside.

How much light does it need?

 ‘Gollum’ Jade plants require quite a bit of light in order to grow big and healthy. If they aren’t given enough light, they can start to become weak and frail. They need at least 4 hours of direct sunlight or filtered sunlight every day. You can move your Crassulla ovata ‘Gollum’ outside during the summer if you want to give it more light. Just keep in mind that they are sensitive to “plant sunburn” and can become damaged if given too much light too quick. You should gradually acclimatise them to sunlight exposure over the course of a few weeks. You can tell your gollum plant is getting too much light or have been scorched if the leaves begin turning brown. The leaves can also begin to fall off. If overexposure to light continues, your jade plant will die.

How much water does a Gollum Jade need?

They require less watering than other common household plants. Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ (‘Gollum’ Jade Plant) is a succulent, a member of the Crassula family. It’s important to note that excessive watering can lead to root rot and the death of your plant.

So how often should you water your plant ? Crassula Ovata Gollum doesn’t like to be overwatered. Always check your plant’s soil before watering it. Part of your watering schedule is to only water it when you notice the soil is completely dry. You can check the dryness of the soil by sticking your finger an inch into the soil. Is the soil damp? If so, don’t water it. Is it dry? Then it’s okay to water.

When in doubt, it’s always best to lean on the side of under watering your beloved plant. During the spring and summer, they require a bit more watering than in autumn and winter. In winter, you can usually get by with only watering your plant once a month. Just remember to always check the moisture of the soil before watering it.

Another tell tell sign that your plant requires watering is that the leaves will wrinkle up and start to wither. Just like when your hands look prune like after sitting in a bath for ages.

Do not mist your plant, they don’t like being over watered and secondly they just don’t need misting and will be totally fine without it.

Ideal Soil for Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’

Due to fact that it’s a succulent you should use a well-draining soil which is porous as well. Normal soil tends to retain too much moisture.

You can buy succulent soil from most garden centres or just make your own by mixing normal potting soil, sand and perlite together.

• 1 ½ bucket of soil
• 1 bucket of sand
• ½ bucket of perlite

This is the mixture I use to make my own succulent soil; it stops the soil from losing all the moisture whilst still allowing it to compact, keeping the roots in place.

It is important to note that gollum succulents stand out among other indoor plants in that they are adapted to growing in gritty, sandy soil that is typically devoid of nutrients. Since they do not need as much fertilizer as most other house plants, they are not heavy feeders.

Fertilising Your Plant

Gollum Jade Plant doesn’t need fertilising that often, every 2 months during spring and summer is fine. This is the plants growing season. In the winter months you don’t need to fertilise it as the plant goes dormant during this period.

When fertilising you should be using a well-balanced liquid fertiliser diluted with water.

Getting your plant to flower?

It’s no easy task getting your Gollum Jade plant to flower while growing it indoors. The trick to getting it to flower is to make sure that the plant enters its resting period as it would outdoors over Winter. Place the plant in the coldest part of your home (but not freezing) where it will still get its minimum of 4hrs bright light.

Try and make sure that you give it complete darkness at night, stop giving it fertiliser and make sure the soil dries out before watering.

If you have been successful then your will be rewarded with White to Pink 5-petal flowers when it flowers.

Repotting Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum (Gollum Jade Plant)

Several plants from the Crassula genus, like the Gollum jade plant, are happy to grow in the same pot and soil for years on end. You don’t need to keep re-potting them throughout the year, which can make it much easier to take care of them (especially when they get bigger and heavier).

You should re pot younger plants every 2-3 years to allow it grow stronger and fuller. For older, make sure you re pot every 4-5 years. When replanting, make sure you do it at the beginning of spring, right before the growing season starts.

Once you’ve repotted it, wait at least a week to water it and a few weeks before you fertilise it, this will allow the roots time to settle in.

How To Prune Your Gollum Jade Plant

How to prune your plant, If you think that your plant requires pruning, you can prune it anytime of the year, however pruning is best done in Spring or Summer. If you have any dead or dying leaves, feel free to pick them off.

• Look for the brown rings on the stem
• Ensure that you use a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears
• Be aware that 2 new steams will grow from the area that you have just pruned, this can lead you to having a bushier plant. If this is not what you want just prune the new growth.
• When pruning, do not take more than 20 cuts.

How to Propagate Your Gollum Jade Plant

Are you wondering how to propagate a gollum jade plant? It’s a wonderful way to grow more beautiful plants in your home without having to purchase more. There are a few steps to follow in order to make sure your cuttings turn into a healthy new plant. The steps involved are the as if were to propagate a Crassula ovata (Jade Plant). This variety is no different.

When trying to figure out how to plant gollum jade cuttings, the first thing you need to remember is that it’s best until you have a well-grown plant before attempting to propagate it.

Here’s how to propagate a gollum jade plant from either a Leaf Cutting or Stem Cuttings:

1. Take a stem cutting (or remove a leaf) from a healthy gollum plant. You want a stem that’s 2-3 inches long with at least two pairs of leaves on it. Once you have your stem cutting, place it in a warm bright location in your home for a few days. You will notice a callous forming on the cut area which helps encourage rooting (while preventing rot).
2. Grab a container with succulent potting mix. Remember to use soil that isn’t completely wet, but just a bit moist.
3. Next, take your stem cutting and stick it upright in the soil like a tree. You can use a few rocks or weights to keep it in place if it can’t stand on its own. If you have a leaf, simply lay it horizontally on top of the soil. Cover the cut end with a bit of soil.
4. Take your pot and place it in a warm area with indirect light. Don’t water it yet.
5. After 1-2 weeks, you’ll notice the cutting or leaf will begin growing roots. Another 1-2 weeks later, gently touch the cutting or leaf to see if the roots are established. If they aren’t yet rooted, wait another few days, and test it again.
6. When you notice your new gollum jade is firmly rooted, you can water it gently. Don’t pour water all over it. Be very light with your watering so you don’t displace or damage the roots. Make sure it waters all the way down to encourage the roots to grow deep.
7. From here on, treat your new plant with care, allowing the soil to completely dry out between each watering. Test to check that the soil is dry before watering again. Once the plant is more established, you can move it to a window with some direct sunlight.

If when propagating your gollum jade plant, you notice the stem is rotting or slightly mushy from over watering, simply cut the stem off a few inches above the rotting and try to propagate it again.

You may notice your gollum jade plant will propagate naturally. This can often happen in the summer, as more leaf’s break off naturally, growing roots in the soil of your jade plant pot. A benefit of this is that you’ll have a baby plant or two to give away or trade.

Propergating Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ video

Gollum Jade Bonsai Tree

It’s one of the most popular plants to bonsai for beginners due to the fact that it’s easy to care for as mentioned above. Also considered by many as one of the few bonsai that’s actually a true indoor tree. It’s easily trained to many forms, good choices would be upright formal and clumps.

The Gollum Jade bonsai is easy to work with when wiring and has been known to adjust to its new formed shape within a few weeks

If you are trying to encourage the growth of new branches at the bottom of its Stem (Trunk) then you should pinch out any new shoots.

Any forming or pruning on this bonsai should be done during its growth period in Spring and Summer, you should also let the plant rest after re-potting it.

When pruning be aware that usually 2 new stems (trunks) will grow from the pruned area.

Pests

Growing Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ indoors is usually pest free, however saying that, it’s still susceptible to common houseplant pests:

Mealybugs

Spider Mites

Different Types of Crassula Ovata

There are many different types available here are just a few of my favourites for you

“Jade Plant / Money Tree”

“Hobbit”

This type is similar to “Gollum” type and also gets it name from the “Lord of the Rings” has small tiny curled yellow-green leaves.

“Blue Bird” Known as the “Silver Jade” “Silver Dollar Jade”

“Ripple Leaf”

“Variegata” Known as “Lemon and Lime Jade”

Gollum Jade Plant FAQ

Here are a few questions you may have when caring for your jade plant: