Gollum Jade

Overview

Gollum jade is a quirky cultivar of the classic jade plant whose leaves have rolled into slender green tubes, each flared and often red-tipped at the end like a tiny trumpet or a row of little suckers - hence the nicknames 'ogre ears' and 'finger jade'. Just as tough and forgiving as ordinary jade, it brings the same easy care with a much stranger silhouette.

Origin & Natural Habitat

Crassula ovata 'Gollum' is a cultivated form of the South African jade plant, selected for its tubular leaves. It shares the jade's origins in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces, and all of its famous toughness.

Appearance

A slow, shrubby, thick-stemmed succulent whose leaves are rolled into narrow green tubes, each opening into a shallow, often red-rimmed cup at the tip - like little trumpets or fingers. With age it thickens into a characterful miniature tree. Clusters of small white-pink star flowers may appear in winter on happy, mature plants.

Why People Love It - Qualities & Benefits

People love the bizarre tubular 'ogre ear' leaves, the way the tips flush red in sun, and the fact that it is every bit as bomb-proof and long-lived as ordinary jade. It makes an easy, sculptural, conversation-piece bonsai-like plant.

Care

Light

Bright light with some direct sun keeps it compact, thick-trunked and red-tipped - a sunny windowsill is ideal. In low light it grows leggy and stays plain green.

Watering

Water like a jade: soak thoroughly, then let the soil dry out completely before the next drink - often 1-3 weeks. It stores water in leaves and trunk and far prefers drought to soggy soil, which rots it. Water even less in winter.

Soil & Potting

A gritty, free-draining succulent or cactus mix in a pot with drainage.

Humidity & Temperature

Warm, dry air suits it; ordinary room air is fine. Keep it above about 10°C - it is frost-tender.

Feeding

A dilute succulent feed a few times through the growing season is plenty; it thrives on lean conditions.

Repotting

Repot every couple of years in spring into fresh gritty mix. Let it settle a few days before watering, as with any jade, to avoid rotting cut roots.

Propagation

Very easy from stem or leaf cuttings: let a piece callus for several days, then set it in dry-ish gritty mix. It roots reliably, like ordinary jade.

Common Problems & Pests

Overwatering rot is the number-one killer - soft, shrivelled or dropping leaves and a mushy base signal it. Mealybugs can appear. Leggy, all-green growth means too little light. Wrinkled tubes usually mean it is finally thirsty.

Toxicity & Safety

Gollum jade is a crassula, like the common jade plant, and is considered mildly toxic to cats and dogs if eaten - it can cause vomiting or lethargy. Keep it out of reach of pets, and if a pet chews it and seems unwell, contact a vet.

Pros & Cons

Pros: bizarre tubular 'ogre ear' leaves, red tips in sun, as tough and long-lived as jade, easy to propagate. Cons: mildly toxic to pets, slow-growing, rots if overwatered, needs good light for colour and compactness.

Best Suited For

For anyone who loves the jade plant but wants something stranger - an easy, sculptural, near-indestructible succulent for a bright windowsill, kept away from nibbling pets.

FAQ

Why are the leaves tubes instead of flat? 'Gollum' is a cultivar bred for rolled, tubular leaves - it's normal, not a deformity.

Do I care for it like a normal jade? Exactly the same - bright light, soak-and-dry watering, gritty soil; it is just as forgiving.