Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 11:50 am
The standard houseplant suitable for beginners, crassula arborescens undulatifolia is a succulent that can be grown in low light. The leaves on this plant are fleshy and waxy with serrated edges. They come to an undulating point at the end of each branch. Generally seen as green or grayish-green, this plant may also have a pinkish hue.
This houseplant can grow up to 18 inches tall with some even reaching 24 inches in height.
Origin of crassula arborescens undulatifolia
The Crassula Arborescens Undulifolias live in the deserts of Africa. They are native to South Africa and Namibia, where they grow as shrubs, in low light and partial shade, with long trailing stems that can reach up to two meters (seven feet) in length. The plant’s leaves are oval-shaped and range from 12 to 16 centimeters (about five inches) long. They have a thick coating of white or yellowish hairs on the underside, which is where water droplets accumulate and provide extra moisture for the plant when it’s dry outside.
Although this succulent can be grown indoors in a shady location or as an outdoor houseplant, it does not do well under artificial light sources because they are too hot for its fleshy leaves.
The crassula arborescens undulatifolia enjoys a lot of sunlight and thus does well when planted outdoors in the summertime or under the sunniest window indoors.
It is generally propagated by taking cuttings from an established plant, which can be done any time during the spring to summer months and then placed in a pot filled with cactus soil mix.
The plant requires little care and can be watered about once per week, but needs to have plenty of sunlight in order to thrive. It usually grows up to 18 inches tall while some even reach 24 inches if given the right conditions long enough.
Description
The leaves on the crassula arborescens undulatifolia are green and waxy, with serrated edges. The end of the leaves reaches an undulating point on each branch to give the plant its distinctive appearance.
Propagation
Crassula arborescens undulatifolia is usually propagated as a cutting. Cutting can be taken from the soft, green stem of an established plant in spring or summer and plant into pots filled with a cactus soil mix (potting mix should not contain any organic material). A well-drained potting mix is recommended, as this succulent does not like to over-saturate the soil with water.
This plant can also be propagated by division of a rhizome or cutting from another plant that has already rooted in an appropriate pot.
There are two ways to propagate crassula arborescens undulatifolia: from seed or stem cuttings. As a general rule, the air should be warm and humid when propagating this succulent plant by either method.
Propagation from seed
-Fill an appropriately sized pot with potting soil
-Place the seeds on top of or underneath the surface of the soil, spacing them an inch apart. Lightly press down on the soil over each seed to ensure good contact with soil and moisture.
-Cover pot with a clear plastic lid that lets light in but does not let water droplets escape
-Water sparingly often.
-Once the seedlings start to grow, they will need occasional pruning.
-Allow the plant to mature for two years before transplanting outdoors or giving it as a gift.
Propagation from cuttings
-Take cut stem pieces of desired height and sterilize with alcohol or boiling water
-Grease stems with Vaseline or use a rooting hormone
-Place cutting in potting soil and cover with clear plastic lid
-Water sparingly often.
-Once the plant starts to grow, it will need occasional pruning.
The cuttings can be rooted by placing them into pots of dry sand or by burying them in moistened sterile potting soil
-Allow the plant to mature for one year before transplanting outdoors or giving it as a gift.
The propagation process may take up to two years and will vary depending on how you are rooting your cutting.
Ripple jade plant care information
The crassula arborescens undulatifolia, ripple jade plant, requires little care, but it does need a lot of sunlight. The plant should be watered about once per week, and in excessively hot conditions more water may be necessary to prevent dehydration.
Light requirements
The Crassula Arborescens Undulifolias are very sensitive to light levels; they need to be in a partially shaded area, otherwise, they will dry out and die.
They have the ability to handle low light levels because of their succulent nature. However, without enough sun exposure, it can lead them to becoming weak and unhealthy plants that won’t grow as well.
The Crassula Arborescens Undulifolias need a lot of sunlight, as they are succulent plants that expect to be in or near direct sun exposure at all times. The more sun the plant gets, it is able to grow and thrive its the best way possible – with an abundance of water!
Soil/potting mix
The soil that the Crassula Arborescens undulifolias grow in is very important for their growth because it not only provides nutrients and moisture but also a place to anchor themselves.
Higher quality soils will provide more drainage, so you don’t have as much of a chance of overwatering or underserving your plant with nutrients.
If you’re not sure what kind of soil to use, we recommend using a cactus mix that has sand and clay in it. This type of potting mix will best suit the needs of these plants because they need good drainage and also some nutrients from time-to-time as well.
The Crassula Arborescens Undulifolias also thrive in a potting mix that doesn’t contain any nutrients, so you can just use soil from your garden to plant the plant its roots.
Fertilizer
Since crassula arborescens undulifolias are succulent plants, they can thrive with just water and nutrients from time to time.
However, if you want your plants to grow even more quickly than usual (or get rid of some pests) then we recommend fertilizing them with organic fertilizer or a mild chemical fertilizer in the spring.
Watering
Crassula arborescens undulifolias need to be watered very well.
Watering the plant too much can lead them to get fungus, which will cause plants to die or rot away from their roots. It’s important for these succulent plants to have enough drainage so that they don’t get soggy at the roots.
Temperature
The crassula arborescens undulifolias are pretty hardy to the cold, and they can grow in regions that have cool winter weather.
These succulent plants aren’t very picky about the temperature they live in, and can grow in climates that have cool winter weather. If you live in an area with a warm climate then these plants will do best if left outside during all seasons of the year.
The ideal temperature to grow these plants in is between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you live in an area that has more extreme temperatures then they will need a little extra care.
Humidity
The crassula arborescens undulifolias don’t require any humidity to grow.
Although it is best if they live in an area with less than 40% relative humidity, the succulent plant can still survive as long as there’s no more than 60%.
Repotting
When you’re growing the crassula arborescens undulifolias from a cutting or seed, they’ll need to be repotted every three years.
If the plant is already established and has been in its pot for more than five years then it’s not necessary to repot them again.
Pruning
The crassula arborescens undulifolias don’t need to be pruned unless they are overgrown and have too many leaves.
If the plant is getting large or has too many leaves, it’s best to just cut off all of its branches instead of trying to trim them away with shears.
Growth rate
These succulent plants can grow up to six inches in a year.
Hardiness zone
These succulent plants can grow up to six inches a year, and they thrive in the cold weather of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zone 9 through 11.
Pests and diseases
The crassula arborescens undulifolias are susceptible to pests and diseases, but they’re not too much of a problem.
Pests might be attracted by the sweet nectar that these plants create to attract pollinators, so you’ll want to have them in an area where there aren’t any other succulent plants nearby.
Diseases are a problem for these succulent plants as well, and they’re especially susceptible to mealybugs or powdery mildew which will make their leaves look covered in white spots.
