Jade Tree Branch Damage - Tips/Help

acgerstenberger

Hey everyone,

I've wanted a jade tree as long as I can remember. I have several smaller jade plants in my house that are growing and healthy, but are no where near "tree" status.

My mom bought me an amazing jade tree for my birthday two weeks ago. The plant is amazing; I'm over the moon with it.

About four hours after it entered my home, my kitten (who is still alive, despite being a HUGE jerk), knocked it over. Broke off a few small pieces, which I let callous over, and now have them rooting in soil for new jade plants. One smaller branch did get a crack in it.

I've been monitoring the crack on the tree branch. It started to turn squishy, and dark. I cut the gross flesh away until I reached healthy, green tissue, and dusted with cinnamon.

The branch will support its weight, but I'm worried about the healing process. I hope the plant will heal it, seal it, and make this area of the branch thicker with a scar.

Anyone here have experience with something similar?

Worse case scenario - I cut it and start it as a new plant. I was hoping to save it on the tree, as my kitten did quite enough pruning with the small parts that broke off completely (the little jerkhole). 

wild edges

I'd get rid of it personally. Sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth. Maybe replace it with something more suitable and better? Plenty of options if you shop around. Dogs are very popular and tend to be more plant friendly but maybe a lizard or tortoise if you don't have time to walk a dog. Tropical fish? Maybe too much maintenance but they do help to raise the room's humidity if you want to try more plants that enjoy it a bit damper.

madpenguin

I would cut off the whole branch and cut out all the affected areas so you are left with healthy 'wood'.Let the wound callous over.It may look unsightly for a while but new shoots should appear eventually.

hogweed

Please do not get rid of the kitten - the kitten is doing what is natural - ie getting up to all sorts of mischief!
If you don't want to cut the branch off, I would support it with a cane until the wound is completely callused over - you don't want the weight of the branch to 'pull' on the wounded area. Then keep your fingers crossed it all works out ok! 
And play with your kitten...……...

acgerstenberger

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

The tree is strong; there are new little shoots where the smaller pieces broke off already.

I have the damaged branch "resting" on a much thicker branch, to help keep the weight off while it heals. I'm going to give it a chance. If it goes soft again, I'll lop it off, cut back the margins on the branch and the tree, let the brand and tree callous over. I know new growth will occur on the tree, and the branch will make a lovely start.

I'll keep you all posted! And, of course, any new insight is welcome.

The kitten will NOT be rehomed. He's my baby. I've had him for a year, so he's more like a teenager. Curiosity. It was new. He didn't bite or scratch it; he started rubbing his face on the trunk, and it tipped over. It really scared him, so he's been a bit wary of it ever since. I put the pot of the tree into an even larger, heavier cermaic pot for added stability.  And, put some bubble wrap around it, which he will not step on. No issues since. I think that I was so obsessed with it, that something needed to happen as a reality check.

My other cat, who is six years old, completely killed a nice jade bush that I had when she was a kitten. So, I'm already doing better with fur baby number two. She is indifferent to the jade tree. Her focus remains on my two spider plants, which have been moved out of her reach! The calico is my older baby, Sai (sigh), and the black smoke is Ronin, destroyer of jades.

I have three aquariums in my house. Two small tanks (five and three gallons), but the third is 75 gallons. Tropical freshwater fish, snails, shrimp, and the big tank is all axolotls. I run a fan across the surface of the 75 gallon to cool the water, and to keep biofilm from forming across the surface, so gallons of water are evaporated into the air on a constant basis. In case you don't know what an axolotl is, attached is a picture!

wild edges

hogweed said:

Please do not get rid of the kitten - the kitten is doing what is natural

So does a bull in a china shop. Just saying...

I wouldn't get too precious about pruning your tree. I have one that is about 3' or more tall now and I have to cut it back by up to a third each year to keep it from growing into a monster. You have to prune jades back quite hard to keep them in a nice shape. You'll be pleased to know that mine get no more care than lots of light and water from the fish tank. Used aquarium water is the best water you can get for plants.

I like your axolotl by the way. I've always wanted one of those but never had the space.

acgerstenberger

I have eight axolotls. And yes! The tank water is loaded with nitrates. Super yummy for plants.

One axolotl would be comfortable in a 20 gallon tank. Just saying...

My kitten "pruned" all of this for me...

Dovefromabove

You can root all those ... you’ll have a forest of Jade trees 

wild edges

Dovefromabove said:

You can root all those ... you’ll have a forest of Jade trees 

I've seen some amazing bonsai jade forests on Google. I think there's some good tutorials on Youtube too. It looks like you've got a perfect starter kit there.

I can finally see all the photos now. Some of them were far too large to load on my phone. Will you be moving the tree more towards the window? It looks a bit dim where it is.