If there’s a plant that says New Year’s Day to me, it’s the common jade plant, Crassula ovata. The reason why is a little embarrassing, and I’m trusting you not to tell anyone else.
Growing up, my family would spend the morning of New Year’s Day gathered around the television setting, watching the Rose Parade. Overtaken by misguided jags of inspiration, I’d make my own little parade floats out of little cardboard boxes and whatever flowers were available.
My family lived in the same valley as Pasadena, though inland a few miles. The two locations essentially shared the same climate profile, something around Zone 9B. Don’t believe the propaganda about the Pasadena area having gargantuan fields of roses blooming everywhere in January. Yes, you’ll find roses, but not in the same number as other flowers.
Instead, at my parents’, the plant that was dependably covered with flowers on New Year’s was the jade plant. They had a couple plants in the back yard that were about as tall as I was, and they supplied more than enough little starry white flowers to completely cover my artistic creations.
Now, all grown up, I have a jade in the front yard. This year, with the bizarrely warm fall we had, the plant was confused and started blooming in November. Here’s how it looked yesterday. Not totally covered in flowers, but with plenty of flowers to go around–unless someone needs to build a major float.
So, with that photo, let me wish you a happy New Year’s! May 2009 bring you piles of flowers and interesting plants and good times with people who care deeply for you!
The plant isn’t hardy here but I have one I overwinter in the greenhouse. It flowered about 10 years ago and never again.
I never even took a picture, not realising it was a special occasion 🙂
And the same to you, Jim! If you ever want/need more jade plants, I have plenty to share. Mine is not yet as fully in bloom as yours, however.
Happy New Year James and Best wishes for 2009
I promise that I wont tell anyone the reason why the Jade plant says New Years Day to you, but I did enjoy you sharing it 🙂
Have A good 2009
Warm regards
Karen
And a Happy New Year to you! It is a lovely, lovely plant. I never even knew jade plants bloomed:)
Thanks for the wishes, everyone! It was fun sharing one of the plants that shares some history with me…
Easygardener and Tina, blooms on these are common in the climates where they survive outdoors, but I can’t say that I’ve ever seen blooms on jades that I’ve grown indoors. Maybe it’s a lack of strong light?
nice meeting people who love crassula ovata.I have two enormous exemplaries of over 50 years old i herited.They are easy, of a total design structure.Indoor in winter and from may until late oktober outside.
Hope to hear from you all, leaving you my website, the site of my band in fact and my email.By
Mr.Kitsbeagle(belgium)