Jade Plant Cold Hardiness

[Subrosa]

While trimming a small shrub I came upon a pair of pots that I had forgotten about since last year. Not a question that they both have been outside since the end of last summer. Both were severely overgrown with weeds, and when I cleared them out I found one contains a specimen of native Prickly Pear, Opuntia humifusa. No big deal, they're extremely hardy. However in the pot along with the Opuntia, and in the other as well are small but healthy Jade Plants, Crassula sp. Now understand that I live in zone 6B, and we just went through The Winter From Hell. The pots were somewhat protected being under an evergreen shrub at the base of a south facing brick wall, but even that trick is only good for a zone or so increase. I was under the impression that Jades aren't remotely cold hardy, and that a freeze would end them. I GUARANTEE that those pots were frozen solid 24/7 for a week at a time at least twice last winter, and saw temps in the low single digits. Anyone else have a similar experience?

[WhiteRabbit]

Awesome!

[campchi]

Jade plant survive in frozen winter...exciting.

[Paul]

Very surprising. Never heard of one doing that before.

[stonedragonfarms]

I've not had similar experience; though is it possible that they were bone dry and then covered by snow through the winter? If that was the case, I can see how they may have made it through. With many of the succulents, cold+wet=rot/death; cold+dry=very slow/no growth (and they bounce back rapidly once it warms up...)
Adam

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

I've not had similar experience; though is it possible that they were bone dry and then covered by snow through the winter? If that was the case, I can see how they may have made it through. With many of the succulents, cold+wet=rot/death; cold+dry=very slow/no growth (and they bounce back rapidly once it warms up...)
Adam

That makes sense. The pots were definitely sheltered from rain by being under an evergreen shrub. And they were totally neglected.

[Hiester]

I knew the Jade Plant would survive in an unheated, untended greenhouse in U.S.D.A. zone 7a during January and February, and this was a rather large specimen plant that was too large to move, potted in about a five gallon container. It bloomed magnificently in April and May each year with such treatment and after the greenhouse had resumed business for the next season.

[tarev]

Jade plants can survive the cold well, as long as they are kept dry. Or even if they get badly cold damaged especiallly a deep freeze, they bounce back fast as soon as warmer temps return. But I do find that if I place my plants nearer to the house they fare better.

We have no snow here, but we do get the rains around winter time if it does come or sometimes the occasional deep freeze. I notice if it is like Jades with more mature stems, it can survive it. But if it is younger ones, it may not make it.

To give an example here: This is my Crassula ovata 'Gollum' badly damaged during our winter of 2012:
Badly damaged tips,


I repotted it and this is how it looked like later in the year:


And same plant this 2014


My other jade plant, the more common Crassula argentea which I have placed nearer to the house just made that deep burgundy chilled color on its leaves, but otherwise, it was okay.


If you have an overhang or even patio cover, and keep them dry they should do good. I have learned not to touch the leaves if some goes really awful looking, most succulents will form a scab at the most badly injured area, effectively protecting the rest of the plant. So I do my maintenance/clean up/repot in Spring when temps warm up. So if they are planted in containers, and you see the damage, just move them back in a dry spot, leave them alone, and just wait for better temps and conditions to return, to lessen the stress.

[Leafmite]

It is amazing what plants can endure to survive.