Mine has never had roots growing from the nodes, even my very old plants that are root bound.
However, today, I found one with flowers in bud, which has never happened this early in the year for me. I learn something every day. Norma

I've had one do that some years ago. I didn't try to root it from the bend then, but I'd be surprised if it wouldn't, if provided with some soil at the right height to root into. You wouldn't necessarily have to cut it off first (though you could).

What does it mean? My guess is that it means that the plant's not getting enough light, and it's growing toward whatever source is handy until the stem gets top-heavy and falls over, at which point it starts trying to grow upwards again. The roots are just because its little plant mind is thinking, oh, I'm at the bottom of the stem, I must be supposed to grow roots. (Some other kinds of succulents will do this too: I have an Echeveria with a couple U-bends right now.)

If it's been growing in strong light (at least 4 hours of unfiltered sun) and you're sure that that couldn't *possibly* be the problem, then maybe the pot's just not getting turned often enough.

Wow norma lucky you to have a flower bud!! I've never had a flower ever.

Mr subjunctive....thats just the thing thats a mystery to me, is that it sits in full outdoor sun & there is nothing blocking light to it. Its there 24/7 unless we have continuous rain for more than 2 days, then he comes in till it stops raining. I took 3 leaves and planted them in a new pot 2 months ago so i could hopefully have a normal upright plant some day. One cutting has a bunch of tiny leaves coming up out of the soil a few days ago. Hopefully this plant doesn't grow downward too.
As far as the hairy roots coming out of the nodes, could this be from an injured area? When i look up the branch from the hairy roots it looks as tho the branch was snaped 1/2 thru and the plant managed to heal the wound and the branch stayed alive.

Thanks to you both for your help!
Tonia

The plot thickens . . .

The only other guess I can come up with is that maybe it needs fertilizer, or repotting? Clearly somehow it's not getting what it needs to build strong stems, and if it were in depleted soil, maybe that could do it.

[pause]

Another guess: maybe you don't have a jade plant, maybe you have a hybrid of a jade with something that grows like that normally.

Another guess: maybe it's just not getting pinched back often enough? I don't know if they spontaneously branch (I would guess that they do), but maybe that would help?

I don't know; as you can see, I'm a little stumped.

Another guess: maybe it's not a jade. It could be Sedum dendroideum, which is similar to Crassula ovata. Sedums do grow roots from the nodes and they have the appearance you described, down and up again.
Read the article.
There is also a good photo at: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Sedum_dendroideum_2.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: Sedum dendroideum

I have a Sedum dendroideum, I do not consider it similar to Crassula ovata, it grows straight up on slinder stems that has a thin skin that peels back as it grows, it's not a chunky plant at all, and mine are light green, rather a dainty plant. I'm going to look at that photo though, I may learn something more today, I promise to keep an open mind. Kalanchoe also send down roots from the nodes.
Just curious, could it me like a brown moss, like deer grow from their racks before them come out, like a felt down? 'Jades' some species do have a downy growth at the nodes where the leafs come out, but not all of them. Norma

There was a post on here about a month and a half ago with the same exact thing minus the roots. The jade was in a window where it wasn't getting enough light and so became droopy. The owner noticed this and moved the plant so that it was getting more light, and all of the branches turned toward the light. It's phototropism and it's normal. If could have happened if your plant wasn't getting enough light over winter and now is getting sufficient light with summer upon us. If the spot that is growing the roots is the part that is bending and is close to the soil, it doesn't shock me that there are roots there either. We know roots can grow just about anywhere on the jade. That's why we whack them and root them so readily. It may not be getting enough water and so is sending those out in search of water. Take a cutting and set it on a plate. It will send out roots pretty rapidly, especially at this time of year. Put it near soil that is slightly moist or put it in a humid room with no soil, and it will do it faster. At least this has been my experience.

Speaking of flowering Jades...last night we went to Home Depot..they had a small, and I do mean small, Jade in a 3" pot..One stem, and growing atop the uppermost part, a stem w/baby flowers..it was most unusual..Toni

They may have taken it off of a large flowering plant, and potted it up. I was looking at my Sedum dendroideum today, and yes it is growing adventureous roots on the stem. But not my Jades, which I did water today. They are turning red already in the Sun. Norma

Thanks for the help everyone!
Its not a sedum for sure.
I didn't fertilize last yr & we have lots of humidity so it must be a combination of those as it was in full sun when it grew that way.
Enjoy your day
Tonia

On a positive note, you have the makings of a particular style of bonsai. Check out the site listed below, (and keep on clicking through the pages, to see if your plant matches any of the ones showing) and maybe you can change that "oops" into something intensional. ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonsai Styles