Over the last several years we have grown a number of the crassula commonly known
as jade tree or money plant. The Crassula ovata is an evergreen plant with thick
branches and smooth, rounded, fleshy leaves that grow in opposing pairs along the
branches. The leaves are a rich green, becoming a lighter shade the more it is
exposed to direct sun, and developing a red tinge on the edges of leaves when
exposed to high levels of sunlight. The name Crassula is the diminutive of the Latin
crassus which means thick or fat, referring to the fleshy nature of the genus as a
whole. The species name ovata means egg-shaped, referring to the leaves.

It is considered to be an auspicious tree in many parts of the Far East. In Germany
and the USA as well, it is traditionally grown in square porcelain tubs with 'lion feet'
to bring good financial luck, and has attracted more common names including the
penny plant, dollar plant and tree of happiness. Many people who practice Feng Shui
say that having one of these plants in your home, with their coin-like leaves, helps
to bring money into your life. Money or not, we just love the plant.

We like it because, as well as being easy to keep and grow, it is a wonderful,
sculptural plant for pots and lends itself particularly well to a kind of bonsai form,
which means that anyone, even with no experience of growing bonsai, can become
a tabletop arboriculturalist! We have found that the plant certainly prefers having its
roots confined and does not thrive if it is grown in too large a pot.  ....more