By tri-color, I assume you mean varriegated jade, because thats what I have...
You are correct in surmising that Full Sun in Florida is different from full sun in Cali.

Only after a week or two of acclimation was I able to put mine in full sun.

With too much water, the leaves lose the red. So let it dry between waterings and then soak it.

It grows painfully slowly, but since being in full sun, it has picked up considerably.

Good Luck
Bob

You're more familiar with your own conditions and what has worked / failed in the past. If you feel that full sun would be too strong, I think you should follow your inclination. Whatever amount of sun you allow your jade, though, you should do it in stages. Allow your new plant to get used to being outside where you are.

It sounds like a lovely plant. Please post a picture if you can.

Ok. It is NOT a variegated Jade. It is a Tri-Colored,...mainly yellow, with splashes of green, and red stems, and red around the rim of the leaves. It is not green and white. Well I have potted it up in a 4in clay pot,to try and get it pot bound as soon as possible. And it is inside for now in an east window to get what sun there is till noon,since it is raining nearly constantly,and I know it needs to be dry,after the first watering after planting. Right?? So will this lighting be considered the acclimating light? IF I knew how to post pictures it would be easier..but I dont know how. So..is this window light considered the 'break in' period?

All Jades need dry cruel condition. Poor soil, and very little water in the summer. They start to grow in the spring, most grow on rocky sloops out in the open in Africa. Love to be pot bound. don't be afraid to prune the plant to get more flowers and a stockier trunk, which I think adds to the beauty. In Africa the animals keep them pretty well pruned. They will root from every piece cut off, don't be afraid of this plant. Do not plant in any kine of moss. Watch the watering, it will absorb moisture from the air. You have more Tropical heat, we have hot dry heat 5% humidity. Santa Ana winds, desert conditions. Norma

Norma is totally correct. Just ignore it and shelter it from constant rain and it will thrive. I very seldom even water mine. It is outside all year....only comes in if there is going to be a hard freeze. It has survived 28 degrees on a sheltered porch.(The weatherman got that forecast ALL wrong!) The soil was totally dry. Ever since I moved it outdoors about 4 years ago, it has bloomed profusely every year!

I don't know who told you that tricolor and variegated were different, but they aren't as far as I can tell. I've included a link that shows both names on the same plant. The amount of white/creamy yellow color as to do with the genetics of the plant. The red tips has nothing to do with water and everything to do with getting enough sun. Genetically, most variegated forms have some red in them, but it can come and go depending on amounts of light the plant gets. If you leave yours indoors, the red tips will go away the same way they did on mine that I brought indoors. After four months back in the sun, the red tips came back.

You keep saying that you have red stems. I'm wondering if you don't have portaluca afra variegata, which has reddish colored stems. C. ovata do not have red stems. They are green and turn to brownish bark. Are your leaves small and rounded or are they larger and oblong? Where did you get the plant. It sounds like mail order, maybe. A lot of times they try to say that you're getting something really rare and unique, and though this plant is pretty cool, you can buy it at Wal-mart. I'm just curious because I have seen several on e-bay that are being sold for 5 to 8 times what you can pay at the garden center of your local box store. I've sent e-mails to several of them telling them as much, but they keep posting them the same way and ripping people off that don't know any better.

Regardless of all this, the care is the same. Actually, you shouldn't water right after replanting. It is better to wait a week before you do so that any bruised or damaged roots have a chance to heal and begin taking in water efficiently again. Personally, I would make a really fast draining soil (75% aggregate/rock/decomposing granite and 25% organic soil) and put it back outside. With this mixture, the water will run right through the soil and won't rot your plant - no matter how much it rains. I am in Houston and we get the afternoon showers almost everyday as well. I don't bother mine, and they are fine. You will not get sufficient growth indoors, especially with a variegated/tricolor plant. They are slow growers by nature.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crassula Ovata Variegata/Tricolor

"Norma is totally correct." Ditto!
"So..is this window light considered the 'break in' period?" NO!
Have you ever gotten a sunburn thru a window? (esp an east facing one?) Once it is exposed to sun *outside* is when acclimation must occur. One way to do this is to use a large tree: first place the plant near the trunk where it gets bright shade/no sun, then move it half way out of the canopy where it gets dappled light, then to the edge of the canopy where it gets direct light for part (preferably morning) of the day. Whatever method you come up with - Don't worry too much: Jades are very hardy. If a few leaves get burned, pluck them off; they will grow new ones. Just Do Not overwater - you'll do fine! hth - Jo

Another thing- if you get any stems that produce only green or only white leaves, cut them off. The only green ones can cause the plant to revert back to all green and the white ones can thrive with no chlorophyl. They will deplete the rest of the plant's energy trying to survive.

I'll ditto here as well... the Latin on variegated Jade that I have is Crassula obliqua 'Tricolor'. "Variegated" does not always mean dark green with white or cream variegation - it just depends upon genus, species, and cultivar.

I saw one mentioned here on GW and as soon as I found out there was/is a variegated Jade, my search began in earnest... because I love variegated plants. :) I was surprised to find one (just one!) at the newest Home Depot to pop up in my area (grand opening was this past October). Mine is a light, almost lime-ish, green with yellow-tinted cream - in more typical variegation patterning, AND red edges on the leaves. I'm in TN, so like you, "my" full sun is not like CA full sun conditions - and like you, I also have the humidity factor. What I did for/with mine was:

In its original pot I placed it on the second shelf of some rigged/make-shift shelving on my front deck (which is roofed but open on the east, south, and west sides), south-facing. There it received diffused bright light and at different times of the day, some shade. Each time the original pot dried out completely (the potting medium retracted from the sides of the pot), I would sink the pot into a tub of water - holding the potting medium and plant in place with one finger so it wouldn't float out - for a minute or two and then lift it out, put it back on the second level shelf and drain out. It was so dry that while I did dunk it, the medium didn't fully expand - but that was okay.

After a couple of weeks of "that", I moved it up to the top shelf which is about level with the topmost rail of the deck's surrounding railing. There it received bright light - not diffused, but also no sun bearing straight down on it. I continued with the same watering pattern - letting it completely dry out (bone dry!) before the dunking.

After a couple of weeks of that, I did a saturating watering - the potting medium that it came in fully expanding and swelling to the edges of the original container it was in. I selected a stone-like pot for it (it's not terra cotta, it's not glazed, but I can't be sure what material the pot is made out of - but it feels similar in properties to terra cotta in that the pot itself will likely absorb moisture as well) with a drainage hole in the bottom. I layered in the bottom with small stones and such to insure I'd have good drainage through the one hole, the next layer was sand, perlite, and OM, and then the bulk of the potting medium I used was a standard potting mix mixed 50/50 with perlite (again, for drainage - and to keep the mix lightweight and inhibit compaction) and transplanted the plant with its original potting medium with the roots in it, into my mix in the new pot. I gave it a thorough watering from the top, double-checking that the water drained through well, and placed the plant/new pot onto the railing itself. It receives full sun there, BUT, since it is right at the edge of the roof above, unless we get rain strongly from the east, south, or west, the most it will get of rain water watering it out of my cycle, is some splatter or misting - not enough to be concerned with.

Thus far, it appears to be pretty happy where it's at - but I am still in the observation phase because there are many variegated plants that do NOT do well with full sun.

Like you in your climate (even though we are currently experiencing drought-like conditions this year), I do have to take into consideration natural rainfall with my cacti and succulents. I do worry about them ending up overwatered. If you are having as much rain as you indicate - and you want to save yourself the routine of having to bring the plant in and you don't have a place outdoors where it can receive full sun or at least bright light BUT with overhead cover to keep natural rainfall from soaking/saturating it - consider being creatively inventive with a transparent "umbrella" of some sort where it can still receive the sunlight, but rainfall can't fall directly onto the pot/plant. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.

Depending upon the diameter of the plant - you could recycle say a 2 or 3 litre bottle for the purpose - cut off the bottle just below the neck. Turn it upside down, make two cuts about an inch or less apart at four equal points around the bottle and up (remember, the bottle is upside down, so up is down) to within a couple inches of the bottom (now the top) of the bottle. Remove (by cutting) the larger sections between each of these four "strips". Use the strips like legs or stakes to place into the soil around the plant. The bottom of the bottle upside down will function like an umbrella over the top of the plant. If the strips/legs aren't sturdy enough on their own - you can reinforce with wooden skewers, thin plant stakes, or even cut lengths of wire coat hangers.

The only reason I suggest a recycled plastic bottle is because it is stiffer - you could just make a frame out of a wire coathanger and attach a thinner clear plastic ... I wouldn't go as thin as "saran wrap", I'd use something thicker/heavier... because rain can readily beat down a plastic that flexible... and you'd probably have to use something like florists tape (green stuff) or such to attach it to your frame...

But I'm sure you can get the general idea about an "umbrella" for your plant so that you can leave it out in full sun and not worry about the rainfall - just remember that the idea is an "umbrella" - not a greenhouse... your humidity levels are high enough without adding to it (and making a breeding ground for fungi, a welcoming environment for pesky pests/bugs, etc.)... you just want something over the top - you still want good airflow. Play around with whatever you think will work - you know the size of your plant (both height and diameter), your pot, etc.

"Each time the original pot dried out completely (the potting medium retracted from the sides of the pot), I would sink the pot into a tub of water - holding the potting medium and plant in place with one finger so it wouldn't float out - for a minute or two and then lift it out, put it back on the second level shelf and drain out. It was so dry that while I did dunk it, the medium didn't fully expand - but that was okay."

Hermit,
The reason that "the potting medium retracted from the sides of the pot"; the reason you can hold "the potting medium and plant in place with one finger"; the reason it will "float out" are all the same: your plant is planted in *peat*. The reason "the medium didn't fully expand" is because peat is hydrophobic when fully dry. This really is not "okay". Especially if you "transplanted the plant with its original potting medium with the roots in it, into my mix in the new pot". The roots are now encased in a hydrophobic ball of peat, surrounded by a nice, free-draining soil. When you water it is likely that the water will run freely all around that peat ball and never fully wet it, thereby starving your plant. If you attempt to compensate for that by watering more heavily or more often, you run the risk of root rot as peat dries out more slowly too. Now the wettest soil is being held right at the most vunerable part of your plant. (Peat is not our friend.)
I highly encourage you to remove your plant, rinse all the peat from it and replant in what you know is good soil.

FB - Once you have acclimated to sun, I would not be too concerned about it being in full sun. I have 5 Jade cultivars, including one variegate, and all in full blazing Texas sun (much worse than anything I experienced in my 13 yrs in Fla). Acclimate it well, then if you don't like the way it colors up, move it to a bit less sun. We have had an unusually wet spring thus far. My plants were drenched literally everyday for nearly 3 mos - but - my mix is so sharp that I've had no sign of rot whatever. If you check your plants after a storm and there is water standing in the pots...make it sharper. Water should run freely and immediately through your pots. Adjust your soil to match your clime.

addendum: I was remiss to say that also, once repotted into a "permanent pot" (leastwise until such time as rootbound and indicating it needs to be moved up in pot size), I did add a layer of small stones across the top. It helps for inhibiting soil compaction, especially if one top-waters. The only thing I am careful about where this layer of stones is concerned (and I apply this to all of my plants, not just this one or genus), is that I make sure none of the stones are actually touching the stems or trunk of a plant.

SJV7873: I know why it floated (and other plants I get from such commercial sources) - like about the layer of stones I added, I was remiss to mention that when I transplant (again, not just for this one, but all plants going from one pot to the next), I break away the potting mix from the roots as much as I feel safe to. Some plants are more persnickety than others about root disturbance, so how much I break away depends upon the plant - and my experience with any given type/thing. In the case of this "Variegated Jade", much like the "Indian Corncob Cactus" (not a cactus at all actually), I was especially prudent about pushing off the top-most potting mix. The latter plant I acquired was beginning to rot at the store, at soil-level - so I HAD to get that peat-mix away from the base of the plant or the rotting just would have continued until the whole thing died.

I was surprised however, in the case of this Variegated Jade, that the potting mix was much less peat than most other commercial plants I've gotten at such a small size. A fair amount of OM, but I was disappointed in the high amount of large "chunks" of OM, like blatant tree bark, and the very, very low amount of perlite (or even styrofoam for that matter) - which most other succulents or cacti I have gotten, even when small, their "factory" mixes had at least 10% perlite and an equal amount of sand (even if not the coarser grade of sand). I guess it's just a difference in companies - or maybe whoever is in charge on any given day, of making up batches of rooting/potting medium/mix for the next group of cuttings to be rooted.

FloridaBear: I don't know if there's any truth to it - I can't confirm or deny at this point myself, but from what bit of research I have done, it is my understanding that this particular Jade's "red" is supposed to increase with the greater amount of sun/bright light. The votes aren't in yet on my experience though. Mine has gone from about 50% of the leaves having red along the edges, to only a few leaves having the red tinges. I can't make a fair comparison to the store's lighting conditions, because I know that I got my specimen right when the shipment came in - so it wasn't there long enough for the lighting of the store to cause much if any effect on the colouration, and I have no way of knowing the exact lighting (or temperature, humidity, etc.) conditions where it originated from. So I'm in the "time will tell" observation phase myself. Thankfully I'm not terribly picky about whether it has the red or not - I'm in love with the variegation regardless. :)

Floridabear - I wonder if you're talking about something like Hummel Sunset? If there's no white, that rules out Variegated. Your description of your Tricolor matches my Hummel Sunset, all the way to the red branches.

YES! DragonStone. It is a 'Hummel Sunset'. I got it off of EBay and it cost a small fortune. The leaves are large and oblong,and cupped upward a bit,..totally golden yellow,with tiny splashes of green and rimmed in red. The new stems are red and turn to a 'bark' color. The name tag just says Tri-Colored Jade. And thats what I bought. BUT he had a 'Hummel Sunset' for sale as well..he must have mixed them up. I bought a yellow one from him,...and it has a name to it. Other than 'Tricolor'. But I forgwt what it said. BUT I remember 'Hummel Sunset',and it cost like 2 times as much as what I paid for this one. Maybe I lucked out and got it!

There is NO white and green on the plant. Thank you for the information from you all. I assume that until it roots in...I should keep the watering on the higher side??? Till it is rooted in well???

Or was the first time soaking it enough,and now keep it dry and let the wet humid air and light watering take care of it??

I looked up my sale on EBay, and it is called Crassula Argentea Tri-Color. The description SAYS 'mostly green to all yellow/golden yellow. With Red stems'. And the picture showed what I received. A plant that is all golden yellow with red trim and red stems and only splashes of green. The Hummel Sunset is over $17 for a small plant. This small plant was over $12. Thats a lot for a 8in tall jade with about 4 stems. Compared to plain old green jade,I think. And it is very pretty. Thus the reason I bought it and want to keep it alive:).

"Or was the first time soaking it enough,and now keep it dry and let the wet humid air and light watering take care of it??"

I will suggest that the first time soaking is enough and to let the plant go dry before you give it another soaking. Light watering is not the best way to water Jades. And if the humidity is high, you may not have to water for quite a long time. Jades will absorb moisture thru their leaves.

There is also a tri-color that matches the description of a Portulacaria afr. I have a tri color of this species as well. You are right, Crassula ovata 'Hummel's Sunset' several others have taken the plant and changed it's name and claimed as a new form. They needed something new and different to sell. johnh or You are correct and said that much better than I could ever do. I'll gladly send any one who is responding to this a 'Crassula
ovata 'Hummel's Sunset'. The plant should sell for no
more than $5.00 for a small plant + the postage, so don't
pay more. How do you know that it is an Crassula agentea
These are the synom. of Crassula ovata 1. argentea
2. portulacea
3. obliqua
4. articulata
5. nitida
6. arborescens
7. lucens
Then there are the hybrids, forms, varieties.
Taken from Flora o;f Southern Africa the world expert Dr. H.R.Tolken I don't argue with Dr.Tolken nor will I challange his designations. P.S. I wait for postage before I send any plants now. Norma

Yes, John has it exactly right. Drench and dry...NO light waterings. GL w/your plant. Hope you'll post a pic soon. Jo

I don't know of any "Jade" with red stems. I have 23 different. Even the variegated one has some pink on the leaves, but no red stems. I still think it is Portulacaria afra var. foliis-variegatis There is one more form of this species with very pink/white/red leaves, and should be called tri-colored. In the wild they have many different size/shapes of leaves, and barks. (epidermis) They are all Crassula ovata, and grow the same and still need the same growing conditions.
I hear that they can't or don't grow well on the Eastern seaboad, Example: No. and So. Carolina, Florida, or in the gulf states, meaning New Orleans, Georgia, Alabama. due to far to much moisture and then the owners watering it also.
This is just my reports from these states. Norma

Ditto to Normas post about growing them on the East coast..... I have read the same thing. Seems that the folks who do alright with growing them keep them out of the rain totally and hardly ever water them. Humidity and wet soil are their worst enemy.

Hi Norma,

These are pictures of my jades with stems that are red.
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You may be right with your reports as I live in NC but it's never stopped me from trying. I love jade plants.

Doh! "small fortune"? Eek... I hate to say it, but I got my "Hummel's Sunset" for under three bucks at either Home Depot or Lowe's... pretty sure it was Home Depot though.

I just moved my "Sunset Jade"/Hummel's Sunset into a bright light position from a full sun one... to see if I can note any difference with the plant. The next trial area will be diffused light. It hasn't done badly in either so far, but I'm working on finding the "prime" spot for that one (along with others, it's the summertime shuffle to see what works best for various C&S here that are new to my collection this year).

Beware of eBay... and other online sources. While I understand sometimes they are seemingly the only place to get something specific, you might be surprised what can be found without having to deal with online prices, bidding-wars, and shipping. I've been turning up some really cool specimens in the mixed shipments that Home Depot and Lowe's and other such places have been getting in, and their prices (since they are big chains and can order in bulk to distribute throughout their stores) are highly competitive. While I am a longtime eBayer myself, I see a lot of people just getting royally s****ed there ESPECIALLY on plants, seeds, and plant material. It bothers me even more when I see things intentionally misrepresented or people's fervent interest but innocent lack of knowledge being preyed upon... :(

Hermit I was just thinking the same thing. I've seen a bunch of supposedly rare succulents at Lowes and HD lately for $3 or less.

It's challenging growing jades in my neck of the woods too. It gets humid in SE Michigan in the summer. The first summer I had jades they rotted. Even though the soil had been dry for quite a while before I watered. Now I only water when the leaves are flattened and rubbery.

DragonStone those pictures of yours look a lot like mine..except the leaves on mine are much more golden/yellow. But the stems are as red and the rims of the leaves are red like that to. Thanks. Well on EBay they want a fortune for little plants. I got my 8in tall one for $16.00! plus shipping, The 'Hummel Sunset' is over $19.00! One I will not be buying. I have never seen anything but plain old green jade at Lowes and Home Depot. Lucky you 'Hermit'. Well I have it outside now in the morning sun...to get it ready for the heat of summer here in Fla. It gets sun till noon. So far so good.

floridabear - The colors are stronger in winter when there's less humidity and water.

I purchased this jade plant from the nursery. The nursery owner told me that it was just a regular jade plant. The leaves were very yellow and the sides were very strong with red. I decided to buy it anyway because my original jade plant never looked like it in any possible way.

That year, it kept its colors for a long time but I don't think I've ever managed to get the colors to be so bold again.

I think I found this guy's listings. WHOA! Crazy pricing. The thing he has listed as a Hummel's Sunset looks like a cross with a Gollum. Some of its leaves are almost tubular. Mine isn't like that. I have done a search of a the name he gave for yours and the only place I keep going to is his one site that shows pics that he either copied and pasted for his ebay page or it's his site. I can't get any pictures to come up with that name either. Variegata and tricolor are usually considered synonomous with one another. It really doesn't matter because the care is more or less the same as it is with any Jade. You will find that yours is not that slow of a grower if you have it outside. If you have red stems, I really think you have a Hummel's Sunset. I think I read in an earlier post that yours had no roots yet. If this is the case you shouldn't water until you see new growth. You'll rot the stem. It should be in barely moist soil.

Hey all

I found this thread because I just bought a Jade marked obliqua "Tri-Color" at Lowe's for $2.50

It doesn't look anything like the linked photos above (yellowish with red stems), it looks like what I would call a more normal varigated cream and green. When I got it the roots were coming out the bottom of the pot and it looked liek it needed potting up NOW.

I bought fast draining potting mix for Christmas Cactus and moved it up to a pot about 1 inch larger in diameter than the tiny one it was in, and watered it well. It is in the east window of a south facing sun room getting morning sun and diffused light the rest of the day. My only concern is that it is pretty cool out there right now - probably in the 50's

SHould I move it into the main part of the house which is warmer and put it in the south window instead?

It wasn't expensive, but it is awfully neat looking and I would hate to kill it off the bat.

THanks for any suggestions.

Alexa

Hi alexa,

I'm not an expert by any means, but from what I have read about variegated jades, you seem to have it in the right type of light, "morning sun and diffused light for the rest of the day". I have read that they don't like as much direct sun like the regular jades. So I would only give it a few hours (2-4) early morning sun and the rest bright but indirect sun the rest of the day. I think too much direct sun bleaches, or washes out the variegation? As far as the temps go I'm sure it will be fine in the 50's. I would only worry about temps that go below mid 30's. I think they are similar to the regualar jades in that respect, no frost. Enjoy your new jade!!

Thanks Puglvr!

I really hope this one does well.... and I couldn't resist, I bought one that didn;t have a name tag, but it is similar varigated leaves that are much smaller and red stems. I will try to see if I can track down the name.

Thanks so much for the advice!

alexa