In the modern generation, when people are lacking the touch of nature, having indoor gardening as your hobby is something great. Succulents are one of the best choices for this purpose and certainly, the Crassula Ovata Hobbit plant is a favorite.
The highly popular indoor plant, Crassula Ovata Hobbit, is widely admired for the shape of its leaves which gives this succulent as unusual look distinguishing it among others.
The Crassula Ovata Hobbit belongs to the botanical family of Crassulaceae and the genus Crassula.
Have you also been thinking about where is crassula ovata hobbit native to? Well, let me tell you, the Crassula Ovata Hobbit houseplant is a descendent from South Africa, and, therefore, possesses the ability to grow in rocky slopes in the brightest sunlight.
Are you already amazed by the stunning attributes of the succulent? Well, this article will help you perfectly identify the Crassula Ovata Hobbit and guide you towards its effective care.
Identifying Features of the Hobbit Jade plant
Before you know more about this extensive houseplant, you need to know the identification marks that the plant beholds. Are you ready to pick your Hobbit plant in the world of Cassulas? Here we go.
The outstanding plant grows up to a height of 90 cm and is approximately 60 cm wide with its leaves growing near about 6 cm long.
The greenish leaves are shaped like a tube and have bright red tips.
The Hobbit plant has a shape like a trumpet and is quite shrubby. Their growth rate is quite slow in comparison to other species from the Crassula genus.
They have quite an aesthetic look with its long oval-shaped leaves which tend to roll towards the inner side. They have bright flowers that vary in pigmentation.
Well, before we move further into more information about the Crassula Ovata Hobbit, let me tell you an interesting fact.
The Crassula Ovata Hobbit indoor plant got its name from the novel ‘Lord of the Rings’.
Crassula Ovata Hobbit Vs Gollum plant
People are often confused regarding these two breeds of crassula. The looks are quite familiar apart from the tip of the leaves which vary in the curling nature.
Are you too wondering about what is the difference between crassula ovata gollum and hobbit houseplant?
The leaves of the crassula gollum are quite tubular in their appearance and the tip looks like a suction cup. The base of the suction cups is reddish while the leaves are green.
The crassula ovata hobbit on the other hand has its leaves rolling backward and downwards from the edges. They appear to be more scooped and fleshy and the leaf ending is red.
Caring for the Jade Houseplant
The Hobbit Jade is quite appealing as a houseplant, but you need to remember that crassula ovata hobbit care is very crucial for its perfect growth.
It makes you worried thinking about how to successfully grow your succulent. Do not panic since the Crassula Ovata Hobbit plant can go on to live for 100 years if you efficiently care for it and it’s quite easy to do that once you are well known about its needs.
So, let me enlighten you about all the necessary facts that you need to know while growing your extraordinary Crassula Ovata Hobbit indoor plant.
Light & Temperature
The plant is best suited in bright light and unlike others of its kind, they require quite a bit more of it. The sunlight may be direct or partial, but it is essential to provide them with sun exposure for a minimum of 4-6 hours every day.
If you choose to keep the crassula ovata hobbit indoors, keep them at the brightest windowsill.
Although, the light requirement is more, remember that the Crassula Ovata Hobbit is prone to sunburn like every other succulent. So, in case you place it outdoors, make sure that you make it gradually accustomed and do not leave it suddenly exposed to direct sunlight.
On being overexposed to sunrays, you may also witness the crassula ovata hobbit leaves falling off.
The succulent is temperature-sensitive are unable to withstand extreme cold weather. In case you live in a very cold region, keep them indoors. The ideal temperature to grow them should be above 45ºF.
Soil Mixture
Just like every other houseplant, the hobbit jade plant – crassula ovate needs a well-draining soil mixture. It is also necessary for the soil to be porous so that the excess moisture gets easily removed from the soil.
You may either choose to prepare the soil mixture yourself by mixing perlite and coarse sand in a 2:3 proportion to normal potting soil or may opt for the readymade succulent soils available in the market.
Remember, slightly acidic soil with pH levels around 6 is something where your Crassula Ovata Hobbit will grow the best.
Watering
Usually, succulents don’t have higher water requirements which is also a reason for them being preferred so much in terms of indoor plantation.
Similarly, the Crassula Ovata Hobbit plant also does not require a high amount of water and be very careful not to overwater your succulent as the plant is prone to root rot.
Remember, every plant requires being watered slightly more during its growth phase. So, are you wondering when does crassula ovata hobbit active season arrive? Well, it’s the summertime when your Jade plant will be growing rapidly. You must water it frequently during this time.
In the springtime, you need to water it at least once in 2-3 weeks. But most importantly, the winter season marks its dormant phase and has the least watering requirement.
You must check the soil of your plant before watering and should only pour if it’s really dry. The crassula ovata hobbit wrinkled leaves are a sign indicating that your succulent requires immediate watering.
Potting
Most indoor gardeners are quite concerned with the house for their indoor plants. Did you get confused hearing “house”? I simply meant the house for your crassula ovata hobbit which is its pot.
Although many gardeners prefer to have the Crassula Ovata Hobbit planted outdoors to ensure enough sunlight exposure, it is better to plant it in a pot and keep it indoors.
For potting your succulent, you need to choose a well-draining pot that has suitable holes in the bottom to allow the excess water to flow out. You can also use decorative pots for this purpose since the extraordinary shape would be a perfect match for a decorative masterpiece.
People also ask about how to pot a hobbit crassula ovata gollum jade? Well, to know more about this you can always give read our article about the crassula ovata gollum houseplant.
Repotting
The Crassula Ovata Hobbit doesn’t require frequent re-potting, unlike other succulents. You can keep them in a single pot for many years before your shift.
Delighted to hear that. You should be since your gardening experience will be much easier now.
You can choose to re-pot the younger Hobbit plant every 3 years for stronger growth. Once it’s fully grown, re-potting once in every 5 years will be perfect.
Some vital facts that you should remember while re-potting are listed below.
The best time for re-potting is during the spring season.
A week’s wait is what you must do before you begin to water your succulent after it is re-potted.
You must wait for at least 3-4 weeks before applying fertilizer to the re-potted plant.
The new pot should have adequate space for the roots of the plant to spread.
Fertilizers
The interesting thing about the Crassula Ovata Hobbit is that it doesn’t require any fertilizers. But if you still want to add some nutritious value to your soil you can choose to fertilize every 3 months during its growth phase.
No need to add any fertilizers during the dormant phase, which is during the winter season.
The fertilizers that you should use in this case should be well-balanced liquid fertilizers and keep in mind to dilute their strength to half before applying.
Blossoms of the Hobbit Jade plant
The blooms of the Jade plant appear in form of stars and are very attractive with their pinkish tinge on the white surface.
Sometimes the 5-petal flowers also bloom with pure whitish or pinkish shade rather than having a combination of both.
You must be thinking about how to get your Hobbit to flower. It is quite complex but with proper guidance, you can master it and make your crassula ovata hobbit flower.
The key to blooms is the dormant phase as you need to keep your succulent in a place where it is completely dark and such that the plant receives only 2-3 hours of partial sunrays.
Remember, it is a complete NO to applying fertilizers during this phase.
Crassula Ovata Hobbit – Reproduction
The crassula ovata hobbit propagation is quite a vital element in terms of Jade plant indoor plantation. It is crucial since you can hold onto the same breed without needing to search for another of its kind.
Have you thought about propagating the Hobbit Jade plant from its cuttings? I must say you are in the correct direction. So, let me guide you for the rest of the part now.
Step 1:
You need to take a healthy plant and get a stem cutting from it. Make sure the cutting is 2-3 inches long and has some leaves (at least 3) on it.
Step 2:
Now, place the cuttings in a dark and warm room for them to dry a bit. Callous will form on the stem cutting during this period.
Step 3:
This is very important since it will safeguard from rotting and encourage the rooting process.
Step 4:
Prepare your potting mixture with a sufficient amount of moisture for helping the new plant grow.
Step 5:
Now you are ready to plant the stem cutting into the soil. Go ahead and have it planted.
Step 6:
Place your new plant, rather than the stem cutting, in a warmer spot where it receives adequate filtered sunlight. Direct sunlight is never recommendable during this phase. Also, refrain from watering.
Step 7:
Within 2-4 weeks, the cuttings will develop their root system. You can give a gentle push to the plant to ensure that it’s rooted properly.
Step 8:
Now you can begin watering the plant. At first, water very little and gradually increases it for better results.
You need to take good care of your new Crassula Ovata Hobbit plant to ensure healthy growth. Sometimes you might notice roots start rotting during propagation. Do not panic. All you need to do is cut off the affected part and re-propagate the healthy one.
Pests & Diseases
The crassula ovata hobbit is quite prone to fungal infections and has the tendency of developing root rots. The crassula ovata hobbit cold leaves are another issue that gardeners often get to see.
Sometimes, brown patches also appear on the leaves which gardeners often mistake as a condition of crassula ovata hobbit tricolor, but it is simply the result of under-watering.
Insects like spider mites and mealybugs are the ones that one can mostly find on these Jade plants and can be a serious threat to your succulent. They form white patches on the leaves and are hard to remove.
Are Hobbits Hazardous?
Is the crassula ovata hobbit toxic to pets? Is that what has been bothering you lately? Its’ quite natural to be bothered about crassula ovata hobbit toxicity mainly if you have a pet, a dog, or a cat may be.
I will be very honest here as I must admit that these beautiful creations are toxic to pets as per the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals).
So, if you are also a pet owner, you need to be a bit extra careful to ensure that the Jade plant is kept quite far from the reach of your pet. It may cause your pet to vomit or even may a slower heart rate if ingested.
Usually, the crassula poisoning cases are mild but on certain occasions, they might turn up to be the worst causing convulsions.
Let’s Sum it Up
The Crassula hobbit bonsai is quite preferable among indoor gardeners. It can be grown even in dishes and terrariums if not a pot.
The leaves of the Jade plant often fall which makes auto propagation happen and as a result, it will have a non-invasive ground cover over the place it is kept in.
For getting your very first experience with the Jade plant, you can look out in the nearby garden centers or can gift yourself one from the online marketplace.
Before you opt for your purchase, do check out all my tips regarding the crassula ovata hobbit houseplant. It will surely enhance your gardening experience.
I wish you happy gardening!