Jade Plant Losing Leaves and Stems: Root vs. Crown Rot

Dawn's large, long-time jade plant drops 10+ leaves daily, and 2–3 inch stem pieces fall off with a gentle shake. Fallen pieces show glitter-like deposits.

Diagnosis Framework

• Leaves falling bottom-up: suggests root damage/rot.
• Leaves falling top-down: indicates crown/stem rot.
• Glitter-like deposits: could be mineral crust (hard water) or pest residue (mealybug wax).

Immediate Steps

1. Send photos to gregandkat@msn.com for precise diagnosis.
2. Unpot and inspect roots: healthy roots are firm, white/tan; rotten are black, mushy.
3. If roots are bad, take healthy stem cuttings, let callous 1 week, root in dry cactus mix.
4. Discard old soil; sterilize pot.

Jades are resilient; even severely damaged plants can be restarted from cuttings.