This Old Jade

Commonly known as jade plant, friendship tree or Money Plant, Crassula ovata is an evergreen succulent native to South Africa where the environmental conditions are dry with little rainfall.

Charmaine has had this huge plant (or a relative of it) for as long as I've known her. It takes a knockin' and keeps on rockin'.

The plant itself can be identified by it's thick grey branches and smooth, rounded and fleshy jade-colored leaves that grow in opposing pairs along the branches.

In the summer time it lives out on the back patio, mostly in the shade. In the winter it comes indoors to the four season room.

Here's a growing tip: Jades require a normal watering when the soil is dry in the summer, and very little water in the winter. Overwatering will cause them to lose their leaves and eventually the stem will rot away. It is best to keep them on a 10 - 20 day cycle in the summer, and even less (up to a month dry) in the winter. Letting the soil dry between waterings is essential for a healthy and happy jade. They are also very easy to propagate into small plants to give as gifts.

Our old Jade reminds me a little bit of John McCain, taking a beating, almost having his campaign collapse, then coming back stronger than ever. I can hear you loyal readers saying, "John McCain? Why are you talking about him?" Because the right wing talkers (led by Rush,) hate him. They think he's too liberal for the conservative movement.

A win for McCain is a win for the Democrats. Go get em' Johnny!