Crassula ovata ‘Variegata’ - Lemon Lime

2 years ago

Hello everyone. I would like to share an interesting experience I've had regarding my Crassula ovata plant. A little background info: I was at my friend's house visiting and noticed he had a Crassula Lemon Lime. I thought it was beautiful and he gave me a few leaf cuttings. I was able to get it to take root. The plant has grown quite a bit by now and looks very healthy. This is the interesting part - none of its leaves show the lemon lime colouration. To me, it looks like a typical Jade Plant. Has anyone experienced this? I have it growing indoors at the moment since it is too cold for it to be outdoors and it is under T5 flourescent light. The only explanation I could think of is maybe it needs more direct sunlight to get that colouration? Other than that, it's a very healthy plant.

I could take photos of the plant if that will be helpful.

Thank you for reading my post and I look forward to your feedback.

Featured Answer

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Duc

Can you post a photo? How big is the plant? I have the same (at least that was the name on the tag...)

That is the same plant, in different light. It was much more geen in less light. But not plain green. Maybe yours reverted as Jeff suggested? That is not uncomon, as much as I don't know how much of your plant has reverted.

I also agree that leaves from variegated plants produce, usually, a green/common jade. But not all; I have many variegated jades from variegated leaves - I would say probably 30% or slightly more. See photo below - there are some that grew completely green, and few variegated plants growing - that is NOT Lemon Lime but Tricolor. I didn't try to grow them from the leaves of Lemon Lime, but I will now.

Plants that grew variegated stayed variegated, to this day (photo of the leaves is in 2017)

Comments (12)

cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hi Duc,

A variegation reverting to normal is a common occurrence, but I think you might very well get a reversion back to the sport form that you're looking for. Whether it's colour, as in your case, or other mutations (cristate / monstrose growth), having both normal and abnormal growth on the same plant is common. Some people remove the normal growth to keep the less-common growth only.
John (Zone 5b/6a, IN)
2 years ago
While it's possible that it will show some variegation later on, this will only be the case if you got enough if the stem with the leaf cuttings. Leaves taken from the variegated jade cultivars produce plain old C. ovata. You wanna prop it, you'll have to get a stem cutting.
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Duc Nguyen
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hello everyone and thank you for the responses. I have taken a few photos and am attaching here. Unfortunately, the original leaf pulling I had has shriveled up so you can't see the original 'Lemon Lime' colouration. And additionally, as you can see, this looks like a typical Crassula ovata. I'm hoping by some luck, it'll display the variegation sometime in the future...or will i have a regular Jade plant? :) Either way, I'm happy since it's a very healthy plant. And to answer the question from above, it is approximately 4 inches in height.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years ago
Duc

TY for the photos. It is still quite small plant, but looks very healthy. It looks completely green. Maybe you will be able to get a small stem cutting? It will grow into variegated plant. I'll try to root ew leaves & will report back with results - but that may be quite some time. BTW, was the coloration similar to photos I posted? Just wondering...Here is another photo of the plant I have: top is original when I bought it in 2017, & folowing 2 photos show the different colors in different light. It has grown some since, & is currently blooming. It has bloomed 1st time in 2018, & every year since. I would send you stem cutting, but I am in Canada...are you in the US?
Duc Nguyen
Original Author
2 years ago
Yes I am in the US - in Texas specifically. The parent plant I got my cutting from looked very similar to the last photo from your previous posting. I found a photo online here:

Crassula ovata 'Lemon Lime'
John (Zone 5b/6a, IN)
2 years ago
Yeah, the names of all the different variegated jade cultivars get tossed around and incorrectly labeled on websites and at nurseries all the time. I usually see the one you linked a pic of called Tricolor as Rina said.

Rina, now how did you do that? With the variegated leaves into variegated plants? My understanding was that was only possible if you had some stem tissue. Do you know if there was any on the ends of the leaves you pulled off? Either way, impressive propagation.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Duc

That looks very much as Tricolor/Crassula ovata Variegata. It is easy to buy around here.

Lemon 'n Lime has different colors. Here is the originl plant Lemon 'n Lime with the label:

Tricolor is more green & white (or whitish/cream). It gets purple on the undersides of the leaves in summer when I keep it outdoors, in lots of sun:

This is original plant I received in 2012 from my daughter as a B-day gift:

All my other Tricolors were propagated from this original plant (there were probably more than 100 over the years); almost all from stem cuttings/prunnings like this:

John

I propagated some leaves because I found a falen leaf that grew into variegated plant - photo below - and I read that plants grown from leaves reverts. I don't think it had any stem tissue - it was just a leaf that fell off:

I had (I think) 4 pots of leaves that I started; here they are after they grew plantlets:

As you can see, about half are variegated plants. They were just leaves that I twisted off. I can't tell if there was any stem tissue because I didn't know there was supposed to be any!

I agree that names are 'tossed around'. I have seen photos of the Tricolor with the name Variegated jade (or Crassula ovata variegata). Tricolor is probably correct name - as seen here
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
For anyone interested:

I had some leaves of Tricolor/variegated jade grown into a variegated plants (as posted & pictured in the previous post). Approx. half of the leaves grew into plain green jades. Couple of plants have different characteristisc: plant in the following photo has plain green leaves - no variegation whatsoever, but they are pointy rather than oval:

Here is 'plain green jade' - regular Crassula ovata:

Difference in shape of the leaves is obvious.

Another difference is the type /shape of the trunk. Here is the close up of the trunk (plant with pointy leaves):

It is much like any other Tricolor trunk I have. Here is the close-up of the trunk of 'plain green jade' - regular Crassula ovata:

It is much smoother than previous trunk. The 'rings' are not as prominent. The leaf scars (where petiole was attached to the trunk/branch) don't have the 'fuzz' like previous trunk has.

I don't know if this means anything, probably not...& maybe no one is interested either...lol. I find it interesting thou...
PRO
Succulents Greener
2 years ago
Crasulla ovata is easier to gow learn how: https://www.succulentsgreener.com/crassula-ovata-gollum-jade-plant/
Duc Nguyen
Original Author
2 years ago
Ok - so I went ahead and got myself a 'Tricolor' Jade plant. I picked one that had some variety in its colouration. The majority of the plant has more green in its leaves and then I saw one section where it has more cream colour in its leaves. Here are several photos I just took. You can see the entire plant and then I took several photos showing the cream colouration. There's the variant like the photo link I shared previous that I want as well. I've seen it for sale before so I will need to keep my eyes open for it to add to my collection.

Thank you everyone for all your input. To be honest with you, I am still very confused on the biology of this plant regarding leaf pullings. I would think if you rooted a plant via leaf pulling or stem cutting, the resulting plant should be the same. What makes the stem cutting any different? Is there an article or is there literature out there that can help me understand? Thank you everyone! :)

This photo really shows the heavily creamed coloured leaves.

And the above photo here shows the other type of leaves. These exhibit less cream colouration.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Duc

Tricolor is a cultivar. The leaves are striped green & white/yellow. There is occasionally leaf(s) that are more cream/yellow, sometimes completely. You don't want whole plant like that: if there is no green (no chlorophyll), plant can't phtosynthesize. Few leaves are OK, but even those often perish. So more white/yellow color, less 'food' is produced for the plant.

I have many Tricolors, all grown from the cuttings from the original plant. The variegation is NOT excatly the same on the plants. Similar, but not exactly same, even if the parent is the same plant ...

I believe that 'Variant' you mentioned is the same plant as you purchased. JMO...