Look like a very stretched out jade (maybe) because it was lacking light. You’re better off chopping it down and letting it regrow in your south facing window
ThisThatandThat
To provide some more context, etiolated refers to a condition when plants grow in insufficient light. The reason people are mentioning it is due to its long, “leggy” appearance, along with its smaller leaves. If this is in fact a jade of some kind, it is not the normal growth pattern of a plant receiving ample light. If you’ll notice, there’s a decent amount of space between the nodes with each set of leaves. Depending on your location, a south facing window might not be enough.
I would suggest either a grow light, or a light meter to determine if there’s another location in your home that would be better suited for it. I tend to look up each plant I have to figure out what I can do to give it its best shot. Succulents tend to require extremely bright light, and that’s why many can do well in direct sun. Be sure to slowly give it brighter light if you do have a sunnier spot though, as you don’t want to shock it.
All this to say, if you’re happy with your plant that’s great and what matters- but it appears that the plant could be happier.
Hope this helps!
Alternative_List_978
We don’t know how to tell you it’s not getting enough light, we aren’t in your space. Your plant is telling us that. Just because it’s in a south window doesn’t automatically mean it should be getting sufficient light. It sounds like maybe you might need a grow light.
I know it can be scary to hack a plant up but it will seriously do it some good.
jayuhl14
Give the poor fella some sun
Scared_shiftless
This looks like elephant bush which is not a jade plant though I think it’s sometimes referred to as mini jade. The leaves and stem don’t look like jade.
Drayven27
Looks like a jade, I treat mine like a succulent too and they’re quite happy. You can also tell by the leaves. When watered they’ll be nice and firm but when they get thirsty you can squeeze them easier. They can grow pretty fast but also love a good haircut. When you trim a stem it will cause it to fork into 2 branches. This means you can keep them kind of like a bonsai and give it regular trimmings to keep it more bushy if you’d like. Or you can let it go but I suspect those are gonna start to collapse at some point from the weight.
Super easy to propagate too if you want to cut some off and make another one.
Jade on the left, baby elephant on the right! It’s getting plenty of light just may need to be topped if you want it to send energy to lower branches.
Sethvl
You already got a lot of help on the condition of your plant, so I won’t repeat all that. I can identify your plant for you, though. This is not a Jade, it’s a Portulacaria Afra (common name Elephant Bush).
RealRoxanne10
I also think this is an elephant bush and it looks healthy and normal. Might want to propagate it to have more vines and make for a filter pot, but I think you’re doing just fine!!💚🌿
ApproxKnowledgeCat
The pot is probably fine. What it really needs is more sunlight. Do you have a south facing window? Or can you add grow lights?
Available-Sun6124
*Portulacaria afra*. It’s often confused with *Crassula ovata* but they are different species from entirely different families.
Unlike *C. ovata*, *P. afra* is actually edible!
cari_33
Looks like an untrimmed elephant bush. The folks thinking it’s not getting enough light may be mistaking it for a jade or succulent type. If you trim it it’ll encourage branching off and it growing fuller if you wanted!
ElaineBenesKennedyJR
It’s a Spekboom (or Elephant bush) it needs a lot a lot of light, I keep mine outside.
OGHollyMackerel
This plant variety sits outside in the sun all day in phoenix where it is sunny almost every single day and gets over 115 in the summer. It definitely isn’t getting enough light in your windows
Usual_Simple_542
Holy etiolation batman! I live in the PNW and know from etiolating. Get a grow light they’ll be hype.
Yea I usually put my non drainage hole pots away from the hose spray.
I do use old coffee cups, jars, pottery, that don’t have drainage, for my cactus and other plants. I just don’t over water them. When it rains, I need to dump out the water.
Your plant will appreciate looser pants, so to speak. 😆
Do you know what it is called? I put mine in the ground recently
Christen0526
You know, my 2 cents, i would also crop the top, and root the 2 cut pieces. Then you’d have 4!
Flaky-Data-1234
Needs more light
Asterix_my_boy
These are native to the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The weather is sunny, warm and dry for 360 days a year. They want to be hot and dry and basically baked in the sun the entire year. You may have it on a windowsill, but it’s obviously not sunny enough for it.
motherofhellhusks
I grow a lot of cacti and some succulents; in 130×72” unfiltered SW facing windows, that’s still not enough light for them. I supplement with Barrina T5’s, SANSI 36W bulbs in floor lamps, a Barrina TS1 vertical 65W, and two Glowrium vertical 36W at minimum 12 hours a day and 14 hours for some of my large cacti.
The plant is not getting enough light. South facing windows don’t mean anything to a truly high light plant; it’s about umol, cri, distance, and exposure time.
25 Comments
It needs light like so much light
This is crying out for light. Its very etiolated.
Look like a very stretched out jade (maybe) because it was lacking light. You’re better off chopping it down and letting it regrow in your south facing window
To provide some more context, etiolated refers to a condition when plants grow in insufficient light. The reason people are mentioning it is due to its long, “leggy” appearance, along with its smaller leaves. If this is in fact a jade of some kind, it is not the normal growth pattern of a plant receiving ample light. If you’ll notice, there’s a decent amount of space between the nodes with each set of leaves. Depending on your location, a south facing window might not be enough.
I would suggest either a grow light, or a light meter to determine if there’s another location in your home that would be better suited for it. I tend to look up each plant I have to figure out what I can do to give it its best shot. Succulents tend to require extremely bright light, and that’s why many can do well in direct sun. Be sure to slowly give it brighter light if you do have a sunnier spot though, as you don’t want to shock it.
All this to say, if you’re happy with your plant that’s great and what matters- but it appears that the plant could be happier.
Hope this helps!
We don’t know how to tell you it’s not getting enough light, we aren’t in your space. Your plant is telling us that. Just because it’s in a south window doesn’t automatically mean it should be getting sufficient light. It sounds like maybe you might need a grow light.
I know it can be scary to hack a plant up but it will seriously do it some good.
Give the poor fella some sun
This looks like elephant bush which is not a jade plant though I think it’s sometimes referred to as mini jade. The leaves and stem don’t look like jade.
Looks like a jade, I treat mine like a succulent too and they’re quite happy. You can also tell by the leaves. When watered they’ll be nice and firm but when they get thirsty you can squeeze them easier. They can grow pretty fast but also love a good haircut. When you trim a stem it will cause it to fork into 2 branches. This means you can keep them kind of like a bonsai and give it regular trimmings to keep it more bushy if you’d like. Or you can let it go but I suspect those are gonna start to collapse at some point from the weight.
Super easy to propagate too if you want to cut some off and make another one.
https://preview.redd.it/8rv1wl93nnof1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eda16c9f652e99c51e8f7b6ef560295d9b6b993
Jade on the left, baby elephant on the right! It’s getting plenty of light just may need to be topped if you want it to send energy to lower branches.
You already got a lot of help on the condition of your plant, so I won’t repeat all that. I can identify your plant for you, though. This is not a Jade, it’s a Portulacaria Afra (common name Elephant Bush).
I also think this is an elephant bush and it looks healthy and normal. Might want to propagate it to have more vines and make for a filter pot, but I think you’re doing just fine!!💚🌿
The pot is probably fine. What it really needs is more sunlight. Do you have a south facing window? Or can you add grow lights?
*Portulacaria afra*. It’s often confused with *Crassula ovata* but they are different species from entirely different families.
Unlike *C. ovata*, *P. afra* is actually edible!
Looks like an untrimmed elephant bush. The folks thinking it’s not getting enough light may be mistaking it for a jade or succulent type. If you trim it it’ll encourage branching off and it growing fuller if you wanted!
It’s a Spekboom (or Elephant bush) it needs a lot a lot of light, I keep mine outside.
This plant variety sits outside in the sun all day in phoenix where it is sunny almost every single day and gets over 115 in the summer. It definitely isn’t getting enough light in your windows
Holy etiolation batman! I live in the PNW and know from etiolating. Get a grow light they’ll be hype.
Do you have windows?
https://preview.redd.it/4xgtlhueznof1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ef9f47d0546c06835d489f4eaa697810c87489e
It’ll be happier outside in full sun.
Except it’s “more sunlight”
I have that plant….. and cuttings.
Yea I usually put my non drainage hole pots away from the hose spray.
I do use old coffee cups, jars, pottery, that don’t have drainage, for my cactus and other plants. I just don’t over water them. When it rains, I need to dump out the water.
Your plant will appreciate looser pants, so to speak. 😆
Do you know what it is called? I put mine in the ground recently
You know, my 2 cents, i would also crop the top, and root the 2 cut pieces. Then you’d have 4!
Needs more light
These are native to the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The weather is sunny, warm and dry for 360 days a year. They want to be hot and dry and basically baked in the sun the entire year. You may have it on a windowsill, but it’s obviously not sunny enough for it.
I grow a lot of cacti and some succulents; in 130×72” unfiltered SW facing windows, that’s still not enough light for them. I supplement with Barrina T5’s, SANSI 36W bulbs in floor lamps, a Barrina TS1 vertical 65W, and two Glowrium vertical 36W at minimum 12 hours a day and 14 hours for some of my large cacti.
The plant is not getting enough light. South facing windows don’t mean anything to a truly high light plant; it’s about umol, cri, distance, and exposure time.