May I ask how did you try to encourage roots to grow?

Jade would be OK in temps down to as low as about 40F, as long as they are dry - that means not sitting in wet soil. How cold does it get in that sunroom?

Soft branches falling off suggests overwatering to me. From little I can see in photos, it may be potted in water retaining soil. If you repot it into fast draining mix and give it good light, I believe it will soon respond with new growth. What kind of soil did you use?

If my plant, I would take it out of the existing soil. Get rid of all of it from the roots. Inspect the roots, cut off any dry, broken and rotted or rotting if any. Cut off any very soft branches to make sure there is no rot (if you see dark and soft flesh, it is likely rotting). Pot into better draining mix, and let it recuperate and show any new growth.

Depot it immediately, knocking off the soil as much as feasible and set it aside to dry - take a picture and show us what's left of the rootball - we'll then be able to see what you have to work with and advise accordingly.

I repotted it with cactus soil mix. There may be a touch of normal soil on the top though. It was bone dry when I repotted it - the old soil was compacted so much that I couldn't even see roots - it was like a rock. I just scratched the sides and bottom to loosen the old root ball.

Given the rotting brancges, I was worried it was overwatered as well so I repotted it again a week or two ago. And it was bone dry. So I can't imagine it is too wet?? I only watered it once since then and gave it a good soak, but my problems started long before when I hadn't watered it in ages. Does this change anything??

What soil type do you recommend - I will happily change it out if it will save it! The sun room will get into the teens in the winter (no insulation, Philadelphia area). Although I was recently able to turn on the heat in that room and it is end of winter, so perhaps it is time to move it back to that room for the extra sun.

Something needs to be improved at the roots' level, hence my suggestion. Cactus soil, depending on the type, can be too water-retentive. Cutting most of them with 50% perlite is a good place to start, and an easy one too. There are as many soil mixes as there are stars in the sky, however, and reading this forum will brighten you on them. I'd imagine at some point it was too wet - plants shouldn't be watered for several days after a repot, all things being normal.

If the roots ball was as hard as a rock, it was possibly hydrophobic peat moss. The roots may be gone, or just very few left.

You should really get rid of it all. It will be difficult, but it is suffocating roots. If not wet, plant could be totally dried up. Water will not penetrate that hard ball around them, so plant may have not get water for a very long time.

Hydrophobic peat is very difficult to rewet. It is easier to do with hot water - but you can't burn the plant. So use warm water (what you would comfortably wash your hands in), see if that will help to soften it up. As it softens, pick with a bamboo skewer or chopstick, try to get it all off.

Even thick will grow new roots in proper conditions. So even if you loose some roots, new ones should grow in.

Btw, is it just one plant? Looks like few trunks are growing there.

If the sunroom stays above 40F overnight, it should be good to keep plant there if it is brighter. But I would keep it warmer if it lost most of the roots, until new ones start growing. All it needs is bottom heat: heat mat or even just a lightbulb below should keep I warm enough.

I will definitely change the soil asap. Here are some photos of the roots. So I should cut back any branches that seem to be rotting? I am worried I am losing the entire plant...

More of the soil removed would be a good start there - it's still, as Rina points out, largely hydrophobic with such soil in a pot.

Agree with Jeff above. Get that soil off.

I would cut at least 1 of the soft branches and see the flesh inside. They could be totally dehydrated, or rotting. It is impossible for us to tell. If rotting, they should be cut off. If dehydrated, I would chance leaving them on - maybe they will re-hydrate and improve. If not, they will dry up and fall off.

Another possibility is some frost damage if it was in cold temps - but that would have to be below 32F. Was plant in those temps?

ETA: here is photo of washed roots. That plant was in fine sand when given to me, and it was very hard. I managed to get it off (sorry, photo isn't that great):

It definitely is not frost damage - it has been inside. I cut a rotting branch and found it to be very mushy inside. So even though it looks super dry at the roots (they were so brittle that many seemed to just snap off), I guess it is too wet. I just removed as much soil as I could from the roots, and I am not feeling super optimistic! But I will repot with the 50% perlite and keep it very dry. I will also remove the rotting branches. And keep it in the sunroom. Thank you!

It is permanently resting.

You mean it is done? Not coming back?

Take some cuttings and root them, in case the large plant doesn't survive.

Thanks all for your advice. I really worked the old dirt off the roots, and replanting it in new soil and moving it to a sunnier spot now that winter is (almost) over. I will let you know how it goes, but I appreciate the input. I am also getting my head around potentially losing it...

j

Is that a main stem or one of the stems in your last photo?

That one is dead, and any that are same will be too. If other branches feel soft, keep cutting until you see green flesh. Hopefully there are some left.

That stem was one that was already gone - the branch had previously fallen off and I cut deeper to find it was rotted. I do have a few left which feel much healthier. I will cut back and see what I have left. Is it typically the bright green shown in the photo someone attached above of washing the roots? Do I take it back far or just to the bifurcation? Will it recover if I cut it further back if needed?

Do you know for sure that you have viable stems? We wouldn't want all of your work to be in vain.

Healthy flesh should be greenish or little yellowish-green and without any black spots or rings. It may be just a bit darker immediately next to the outer skin, but still not dark brown or black. only way to find out (if the stem feels firm) is to keep slicing off thinner pieces, until you get that uniform color. If it 'crumbles' and is dark, or soft & dark, that has to be cut off. If not sure, take a clear photo & post.

In the photo I posted with washed off roots, there is a fresh cut where I pruned off a branch. It is very fresh, and it has that uniform green color = healthy.

If you have any healthy piece, it would start growing again. Even quite short & thick stub.

OK so there are some branches which are greenish. I attached a few photos. The largest stump has one very leggy branch left, and I can cut it back if you think that'll be the best chance of saving it. Thoughts? I did remove all rotting branches I think.

Pic #1:

it doesn't look really healthy to me. Is the stem soft just above and/or just below? I could be wrong since am only looking at the photo & they are sometimes misleading. If my plant, I would keep cutting.

Pic #2:

perhaps personal choice, but I don't like look of it. I would 'clean it up', cutting close to main trunk. Pls. use sharp blade, if using pruners they squish the stem and leave it more vulnerable. It is very good practice to wipe off the blade with some rubbing alcohol (or even bit of bleach) moistened paper towel or cloth before using again. My drawing isn't that great but hope you see what I mean - I would cut 1/4" to 1/2" at most from the main stem:

Pic #3:

I would do much more pruning. See red lines for suggestions:

You could leave plant as is for now, as few remaining leaves will produce food and that may help. But if plant is in good conditions, it will start growing new leaves and branches soon. If you leave it, do additional pruning when you see new growth starting.
These are JMO, maybe you get different suggestions.

Thanks for your input. I have been reading a ton of boards and I think you are right. I am going to do it. I was trying to save the leaves on the plant but I am going to replant a bunch that fell off (and some are already growing in the base). Think I need to size down the pot? Also, I live in Philadelphia - think it should go outside even if it'll be rained on in the summer? I move a lot of my plants out in the summer and they do really well, but never moved my jades out. It's hot and sunny here in the summers. Thank you!

As long as you acclimatize plant to full sun, it will love it. I don't know how much rain you get there and if it rains usually for many days non-stop, but if in fast draining mix, it should be OK. I use mix that is very grainy for all my succulents - lots of grit, perlite, some turface - and water runs thru it well. On few occasions when we had big storm with heavy rain for few days, I covered them with plastic sheet.