My Jade Plant Has Curled Leaves

Jade plants (​Crassula ovata​, U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12) are hardy, relatively easy-to-grow succulent plants, so if your jade plant has curled leaves, it can be a mystery. These plants do well in warm, dry conditions and can tolerate dim lighting.

They grow very slowly, but with the right treatment, they can get up to 6 feet in height. Most climates are too cold for jade plants to grow outdoors, so grow them indoors in a pot or other container to protect them from frost. While jade plants can tolerate drought, poor soil and nearly any lighting condition, they do suffer from some problems, including curled or wilted leaves.

Exposure to chilly temperatures can cause jade plant leaves to curl and go limp. Freezing temperatures actually cause the water inside the jade plant to turn to ice, breaking leaf cells. If your jade plant was exposed to freezing temperatures for only a short time, it may have suffered only light damage. Specimens that suffer a freeze several hours long are unlikely to recover. Treat frost-damaged jade plants by reducing irrigation and pruning the jade with sanitized pruning shears to remove any part that appears to be damaged.

While jade plants can survive long droughts due to their ability to store water in their succulent leaves and stems, they can still dehydrate. Failure to water a jade plant for long periods of time can cause leaves to shrivel, become very thin and eventually fall off. Dehydrated jade plants may also suffer from shriveled stems.

Water a dehydrated jade plant thoroughly, then monitor its condition for two weeks. If the plant shows no improvement, discard it. If the jade plant bounces back, get into a regular watering routine, allowing the soil to mostly dry out before watering, which could mean watering anywhere from weekly to monthly. Jade plants need less water during the dormant season, from fall to winter, but watch for curled leaves to determine if the plant is dehydrated.

Jade plants can live in partial shade, but they need at least a little sunlight. If your jade plant has curled or shriveled leaves with a yellow tinge, it may not be getting enough light. It might also develop leaves that curl under in a spade shape. Plants in overly dim conditions may eventually lose their leaves and die.

Move a jade plant with this problem into a sunnier location and watch for improvement. For an established jade plant, look for a spot with at least 4 hours of sunlight. For younger jade plants, stick to an area with bright, indirect light.

Jades do best in full sun, but plants that have been growing in dim conditions won't grow well if you move them to a brighter area suddenly. They can develop sunburn or shriveled and curled leaves. The leaves may also yellow, producing similar symptoms to a jade plant in poor light. Move jade plants gradually. If you have a jade plant that's suffering from too much light, place it in a slightly dimmer location until it adjusts.