The downward growth will not reverse regardless what you do...but it looks like the plant is OK otherwise.

It will need more good light - while it grows, it is very etiolated. All of the shoots/branches have really long stems and leaves far apart - plant is looking for more light.

Only way to get it growing upwards is major pruning. You would have to cut quite close to the base. Original trunk could be planted more upwards and all of the cutting (you will have a lot of them!) could be grown into new plants. Would you consider doing this? Even if you don't want to cut much, some pruning is necessary.

Could you tell us what general area/growing zone are you in?

Do you have window area with more light? Could you keep it outside - weather permitting?

Rina

Healthy is not how I would describe this struggling plant.

As advised, more light is the most immediate requirement.

I took an "upside down" branch once, planted it rightside up in the ground, and it re-erected itself. That cutting has turned out to be my favorite "Gollum" bonsai. To do the same with a plant of this size would take a long time, a lot of support, and generous lighting.

Josh

Wow, that's one bad case of an upside down Jade! I also dispute the fact that it's healthy, for a start it's very etiolated plus it's putting out aerial roots, a sure sign of under watering at some point. it must have been struggling 15yrs ago to gave fallen over in the first place! It's a real wonder it's still clinging to life, and that mantle in its current state.

OK, my suggestion would be to cut off all those dangly bits right back to where the edge of your mantleshelf is, not all at the exact same length, give them some variation, maybe keep a centre one longest and cut the outer ones shorter. Remove all the remaining green growths and repot the rootball (if it has one as I think that may also be compromised) allowing the old downward pointing stems to point as upward as they will allow. The roots may well end up pointing upwards too but they will sort themselves out given time and better conditions. You will need a new mix and a search on here will point you in the right direction in that respect. Give it as much light as poss without scorching...please add your country and zone after your name via you profile page in order to tell us help you as we have no idea if you temps etc....water once and don't keep in a very cold area. The pot needs to drain almost instantly so it has to have holes, don't let it sit in the run off either. Don't water again till you see growth buds forming and then sparingly....but that's dependant on your zone and conditions you provide it with. No fert for time being till growth gets going properly. Lots of info on repotting, ferts, pruning, soil etc on here, search box at the top of page. You could take a couple of cuttings as a back up, also do search to get info on how.

Maybe others won't agree?? Just my thoughts, but that's what I would do....if it were mine, but it isn't......all my plants grow in the proper direction! Good luck.

Gill UK

The others give good advice. I agree, it seems to have lived at least half its life with insufficient light. I would give it a severe whacking, removing the top two thirds of the plant, and stake the stem to get it growing upright again. I would also repot into a faster draining potting medium.

But first, I would remedy the lighting situation. It does not belong on the mantle, it belongs near a bright window, and preferably outside during the summer. It can be brought back to health, but will take some work and commitment. If you cut the plant and leave it where it is, the same situation will happen all over again.

Christopher

Christoper, on thinking about this poor plant even further, it is obvious it's been struggling for its first fifteen years, as we said, that was the reason it got in such a bad way to cause if to give up and flop over around its sixteenth birthday....only to struggle for its second fifteen years in its current depressing state!

It doesn't stand a chance of recovery in its current form, it needs drastic action with the secateurs, new mix, better light, food and general care, plus a securing stake as you rightly mention Christopher, something I missed, oops. It's new pot needs drainage holes and a saucer where you can observe any run off and dispose of it after watering, I doubt if the current pot allows adequate drainage? Whilst on drainage talk, the rootball will need to be checked, it could well be damaged...... soft smelly roots are rotted and need to be pruned off as do dry thin brown papery dead ones while white firm roots are healthy.

I hope the OP returns with some insight as to what to do with it as I fear I will either pull itself in two under the strain of its own weight, or fall off its perch, literally : /

Gill UK

UPDATE:

Thank you all for the suggestions and guidance. I removed the majority of the branches about halfway down, cut them into sections, and propagated. Even the sections that had no leaves were able to sprout roots and leaves. Now I have an entire garden of happy jades! I moved them all into brighter, more direct sunlight to fix the drooping problem, and re-potted into a mix of soil, sand, and peat to fix the poor drainage. Eventually, I was able to rotate the original plant fully upright and it has been growing really quickly ever since! The old, bloated leaves are falling off and new healthy ones are growing in their place! As it grows more leaves I am removing the last few branches that are sideways or upside down.

Project Success!!

So much better! I really like the one the white pot. Really nice!

Now you have plenty of plants to offer to your friends ;)

Nice job! I'm propagating a bunch of cuttings off a jade I whacked down because of pulling sideways upside down growth too :D

nice job!

Great job in pruning-chopping-propagating new plants.

I don't want to sound negative or critical, but the sand + peat is a poor choice of potting mix. Eventually, sand will clog up any air spaces. Peat stays either wet or if dried up, becomes as hard as rock and hydrophobic - water will not penetrate it. With all that great work you have done, they - and you - deserve better mix. And if you don't mind my opinion, it doesn't even look good - kind of cement-like.

I see couple of plastic containers - hope they have drainage holes (especially with the mix you used).

I certainly have to agree that the soil does not look good for the long term, and soil is just as important as light. You can research gritty mix, but even a simple mix of store-bought cactus soil mixed 50:50 with perlite would be a better choice.

This advice seems to fly in face of the success you have had, but that is a short-term success that I'm afraid will not look so good in the long term as that soil compacts.

If you change the soil as advised, and continue with the higher light level, I am pretty sure you will have more growth in the next three years than you've had in the last thirty.

Thank you all for the comments! I have replaced all the soil with a mix of cactus mix and perlite, and I see a huge difference in the drainage and the soil is not hard like the sand was. This is a lot better!

Was just about to mention your 2 previous choices of errrrr, dare I call it 'growing medium' but am pleased to see you've ditched it in favour of a better faster draining mix that your plants will thank you for othe long term. Just make sure they've got drainage holes in all this pots as you didn't say so. Pinch out tips of stems that are trying to grow too long or in the wrong place, it will back bud and branch out for you.

Gill