Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ Jade is a great addition to any garden or house plant collection. If you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings movies and low maintenance succulents, you might have found the right plant for you. Unlike Tolkien’s Gollum, this Jade is much more beautiful, with its long finger-like appearance.
There are quite a few members of the Jade plant family which have inherited names from famous movie characters, such as Shrek, Hobbit’s Pipe Jade, and ET’s fingers – you get the idea.
This stands as proof that people can get creative with names and let their imagination run wild. Crassula Gollum can become the focal point in any garden or dull corner of the house.
This weirdly gracious plant is great for beginner gardeners as well, and in no time, it will become your precious… succulent.
Moreover, it is a great conversation starter if you have guests over. As a pun, you can even place a ring on its tubular leaves and see your friend’s reaction. If well taken care of, Crassula Gollum will reward your time and patience with lovely star-like pinkish flowers.
Read on to find out more about growing, watering, planting, and propagating this fantasy sci-fi plant.
About Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade
Contents
- Crassula Gollum Jade is a fun and fashionable plant that once established becomes thick and forms intricate shapes and patterns.
- Jade plants are truly no-fuss, as they can grow both indoors and outdoors and require minimal water. Although Gollum Jade is a symbol of good luck, you don’t need the luck to be able to successfully grow one. Jades are an excellent choice for beginner succulent growers.
- Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ Jade is the result of a mutation caused by the mycoplasma bacterium. This mutation causes the usual flat leaves of jade plants to curl on themselves and fuse, creating a tubular appearance. Just like Gollum is a disfigured hobbit, Crassula is a disfigured Jade plant.
- Crassula Gollum Jade is also known as Green Coral Jade or as Green Trumpet Jade. Some people call it Shrek’s ears or Finger plant.
- Gollum Jade plants can live a long life if well taken care of. They can live up to 100 years and can be passed from one generation to the next.
- Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ Jade can be toxic to humans or pets if ingested. Skin contact with its sap can cause skin irritation while ingestion can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Make sure you keep them away from children and pets and always wear gloves when repotting or propagating them.
Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade Features: An Overview
- Gollum Jade plants have long, green leaves with puckering tips that remind of a trumpet. They curl up like bony fingers in search of their precious ring. In full sun, the tips of its green leaves turn red.
- Crassula plants can show small white or black dots on their leaves. These are water-transferring pores called hydathodes and are totally normal.
- Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’ Jade is an evergreen succulent that becomes thicker with age. In full sun, the tips of its green leaves turn red. During periods of stress (cold temperatures or restricted water), red, yellow, or orange accents can become more noticeable.
- In warm climates (zone 9 or 10) this succulent can grow into a shrub. If given ample space outdoors, they can grow up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall and 2 feet (60 cm) wide. Just like Gollum, they remain quite small in pots. If pruned, it maintains a petite, bonsai tree appearance.
- Some Crassula species will only bloom at the end of their life cycle, after many years of growth. Its flowers are considered unimpressive in comparison to its slender branches.
Growing Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade
Crassula Gollum Jade can be successfully grown outdoors in warm climates, but most often you can find them indoors, as they are susceptible to the cold. If you live in a region with temperatures that stay above 41°F (5°C), you can grow them as landscape plants all-year-round without having to bring them inside. This succulent prefers low to average humidity conditions, so avoid misting it or keeping it in the rain.
Gollum Jade plants can flourish in full sun to partial shade conditions. Just like Gollum, it can survive the darkness, but it won’t look as pretty. To obtain those eye-catching red hues, make sure you place it in brightly lit areas where it can get 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight.
An east-facing window will work best when grown indoors, but south and west-facing windows will work. Outdoors, be careful not to place it under the scorching afternoon sun and choose a more shaded location.
Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade will not tolerate low-light conditions for too long. If you notice the plant starts stretching out and becoming leggy, move it to a brighter location. If you cannot provide adequate lighting, consider using a grow lamp to supplement its lighting requirements, especially during dark winter days.
During summer, you can move your Gollum Jade outdoor to give it more indirect light. To avoid plant sunburn, gradually increase sun exposure for a couple of weeks.
To encourage Crassula Gollum Jade to bloom, you must provide it with ideal environmental factors. However, if the plant is too young, it means it is not ready to reproduce and will not bloom.
Usually, plants that are over 3 years old are mature enough to flower. Besides providing it with ample sunlight, you will need to create a cooler night temperature of at least 60-65⁰F(15-18⁰C) indoors and 50-55⁰F (10-13⁰C) outdoors.
This will mimic their natural habitat and encourage the plant to bloom. During winter months, keep Gollum Jade cool with temperatures between 35-44⁰F (1.5-7⁰C).
Planting Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade
Like all succulent plants, Crassula Ovata Gollum requires well-draining, porous soil. A cactus and succulent potting mix combined with perlite at a 2:1 ratio.
Alternatively, you can make your succulent soil by mixing 1 ½ bucket of soil with ½ bucket of perlite and 1 bucket of sand. This mix will make sure the roots stay in place and the plant gets the ideal amount of moisture.
Although fertilizing is not necessary, it can help your plant get all the nutrients it needs and encourage blooms. Producing flowers takes a lot of energy, so a little bit of help is much appreciated. It is best to fertilize Crassula Gollum every two weeks during the active growing season, summer and spring. Use a balanced fertilizer diluted to a quarter of half strength. Avoid fertilizing during the winter months.
Repotting should be done at the beginning of spring every 2-3 years for younger plants and every 4 -5 years for mature plants. After repotting Crassula Gollum, wait about a week before you water it and a few weeks before applying fertilizer to allow the roots to settle in.
- All of our listings have very representative pictures of what you would receive.
- This plant comes fully rooted in a 3" pot, ready to grow in and your beautiful home or your office.
- California Tropicals
- Perfect gift for any occasion!
- All of our listings have very representative pictures of what you would receive.
- This plant comes fully rooted in a 4" pot, ready to grow in and your beautiful home or your office.
- Enhance Your Environment
- Perfect gift for any occassion!
- We guarantee plant's safe arrival otherwise we will refund or send you a replacement plant
- Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ is a small evergreen, sparingly branched, shrubby succulent, up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall and up to 2 feet (60) wide, with interesting tubular leaves that have a reddish tint. The flowers are small, star-like, white or pinkish-white in color.
- Unique among jade plants, 'Gollum' has tubular green leaves that become tinted red along their concave tips when weather becomes cooler. Small starry white or pinkish flowers provide additional ornament from spring to fall. Mature specimens are very compact, so this is a good choice for smaller containers and garden spaces.
- Almost everyone knows the ever-popular jade plant. This South African succulent is a rubbery-stemmed evergreen shrub with fleshy bright green leaves that look outstanding year round. In late-winter or spring it produces a wealth of tiny, starry white or pinkish flowers borne in small clusters. It is best known as a popular house plant, which can reach substantial proportions over the years, but also makes an outstanding landscape specimen in arid regions where winters are very mild.
Watering Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade
Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade is not a fussy plant, but like most succulents, it is sensitive to overwatering. Make sure you use the soak and dry method, meaning you drench the soil thoroughly and then wait until it is completely dry before watering again.
You can check for dryness by sticking your finger inside the soil. If the top inch feels dry, you can water again. Keep in mind that it’s always better to underwater succulent plants than to overwater them.
During winter, you can cut back watering to every 2-3 weeks, or not at all. If your Gollum Jade is outside, you can rely solely on rainwater. The plant goes dormant and slows down its growth, so it won’t need as much water as during the growing season. Indoor plants should be watered only once or twice during their dormancy period.
Propagating Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade
Propagating a plant is a great way to increase your collection without having to buy another specimen. Although they take roots slower than other succulents, Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade can be easily propagated by leaf cuttings or stem cuttings.
Propagating from leaf cuttings is more time consuming, so it is best to propagate from stem cuttings. However, you need to have a well-grown Gollum plant before trying to propagate it. Here’s how to propagate your Gollum Jade plant from stem cuttings:
Start by taking a stem cutting that is at least 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) long and has two or more pairs of leaves on it. Allow it to dry in a warm place until you notice a callous forming. This will prevent root rot and help the plant grow roots. Next, stick the cutting into the soil upright like a tree.
Place the pot in a warm area with plenty of indirect light. Wait a couple of weeks for the plant to be firmly rooted before watering it. Pour the water carefully so you don’t damage the new roots. Continue caring for your new Gollum baby as you would for a mature plant.
In conclusion
Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade is a strangely beautiful plant with a finger-like appearance that gets its name after the famous The Lord of the Rings character. Gollum Jade are low-maintenance succulents suitable for beginner gardeners as well. Like all succulents, they like to have plenty of light, warmth, well-draining soil, and not too much water. With the proper care, this plant might even outlive you!
Are you growing Crassula Ovata Gollum Jade succulents? Share your experience in the comments below!
