My Jade Plant Stumps Have Mold

The jade plant can develop mold if overwatered.

Mold-like substances on houseplants usually mean moisture issues, but it also can mean lack of sunlight, parasites or lime in your soil. If your jade plant (Crassula argentea or Crassula ovata) has something on its stumps that looks like mold, it probably is. However, don't count out other possibilities, especially if you know you have not been overwatering it.

Moisture and Sunlight

Jade plants, also called money plants, are succulent houseplants. In their native environs, they can grow as large as 10 feet tall. Jade plants like a moderate amount of water, and it's best to let them to dry out between waterings. Too much water can lead to mold on your jade plant and eventually kill it. Sunlight should be moderate. Too much burns the plant, while too little allows mold to grow.

Bugs

Jade plants can be plagued by mealy bugs or spider mites, which leave behind a powdery substance. The substance looks like mold, but is not.

Lime Deposits

Lime in tap water can leave residue on plants that looks like mold.

If you live in an area with a lot of lime in the water, and you water your jade plant from the kitchen tap, the moldy substance actually might be lime deposits.

References

• Old Fashioned Living; Growing Jade Plants; Brenda Hyde
• Melinda Myers: Jade Plant