Silver Dollar Plant
Crassula arborescens · Crassulaceae
📷 Dr. Alexey Yakovlev · CC BY-SA 2.0
⚠️ L’ingestion des feuilles peut provoquer vomissements, abattement ou troubles de la coordination chez chiens et chats.
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around silver dollar plant and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, fleshy and silvery
- Flowering
- July to August, small white or pink flowers
- Adult size
- Up to 1.2 m in height
- Growth
- Slow to moderate
- Hardiness
- Low hardiness (min. 5°C approximately)
- Origin
- South Africa
- Plant type
- Succulent
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Crassula arborescens loves full sun, very well-draining substrate, and spaced-out watering during growth. Keep it nearly dry in winter.
The common mistake
Overwatering or growing in partial shade: leaves soften and lose their characteristic blue-grey color, then rot sets in.
The pro's trick
In February, cut back the lower branches and poorly oriented growth: this creates an elegant tree-like shape and opens up the center for flowering.
Care
Light
Place your silver jade tree in full light, ideally facing south or west. It tolerates light shade but prefers direct sunlight to maintain the silvery color of its foliage and encourage flowering. Avoid intense sunburn, however, if moving suddenly from indoors to outdoors in summer.
Watering
Water moderately during the growing season (spring-summer), letting the substrate dry between waterings. In autumn-winter, drastically reduce watering. Check that water drains well and never leave standing water at the bottom of the pot: succulent roots fear rot.
Soil and compost
Use very well-draining substrate: a mix of cactus and succulent compost with added sand or pumice. Good drainage is essential; you can also let the pot dry in the sun after watering to speed up evaporation.
Pruning and training
Prune lightly in spring to balance the shape or remove weak branches. Pinch young stems to encourage more compact branching. Remove dead or damaged leaves to maintain a neat appearance.
Fertilizer
Apply diluted fertilizer for succulents or cacti once or twice during the growing period (May-July). Avoid excess nitrogen, which would promote soft growth. In autumn and winter, stop fertilizing.
Pests and diseases
Watch for mealybugs and spider mites, especially indoors in heated environments. Root rot is the main risk if overwatered or poorly drained. Quickly isolate any infested plant and improve air circulation around your plants.
Did you know?
The silver jade tree originates from South Africa, where it grows on rocky slopes and dry areas. Its silvery powdered foliage acts as a natural sunshade, reflecting intense light to prevent desiccation: it's a true adaptation to an arid climate. In Asia, Crassula are often associated with prosperity and money, hence their common nickname of 'money tree'.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring, once all risk of frost has gone. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from April to June.
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.