Have you decided to liven your living spaces with a unique-looking plant with a quirky name?
Look no further!
The Gollum Jade and Hobbit Jade, with names inspired from J.R.R Tolkien's books, are unusually shaped plants that require little to no maintenance.
If you are new to owning plants, opt for one of these plants as they can be used as decoration for your outdoor garden or terrariums, too!
This article points out the similarities and differences between the two succulents so that you can choose between the two easily.
What Is Hobbit Jade?
The Hobbit Jade is an unusually shaped, tender succulent that is popular for its leaf shape and among fans of J.R.R Tolkien.
The plant is shaped like a trumpet and resembles a tree when it matures.
The Crassula is often referred to as money plant or jade plant, and the other names the plant is referred to as is Hobbit Fingers, Finger Jade, Organ Pipe Jade Plant, and Hobbit Jade.
The botanical name of this plant is Crassula Ovata Hobbit.
It belongs to the Crassulaceae family and is a native of South Africa.
The Hobbit is naturally found growing on rocky hillsides that do not receive rainfall but plenty of sunlight.
What Is Gollum Jade?
The Gollum Jade (Crassula Ovata Gollum), otherwise known as Money Plant, is a small succulent shrub that grows up to 3 feet in height and 2 feet in width.
The leaves of the Gollum jade are finger-like with red tips on the top.
Occasionally, the Gollum jade produces tiny, star-shaped white flowers, usually towards the end of fall or the beginning of winter.
This plant does not need much attention and can be kept healthy without constant intervention.
Hobbit Jade vs. Gollum Jade - Similarities
The Hobbit Jade and Gollum Jade are extremely similar.
In fact, these plants barely differ other than one aspect of their appearance.
The striking similarity causes people to use both the names interchangeably.
The second "similarity" is that both the plants have the same maintenance needs.
Did you accidentally buy a Hobbit Jade instead of the Gollum Jade?
Do not worry!
Both the plants can be cared for in the same way.
Light
Succulents prefer plenty of sunlight.
In their natural conditions, these plants grow in arid, low-rainfall areas where there is bright and direct sunlight.
Place these succulents in a very bright area of your home.
They can also be kept outdoors if you prefer.
Water
As mentioned above, succulents can survive without water as their natural environment does not receive much rainfall, either.
Water the plant only as much as it needs and when the soil is completely dry.
Succulents like these need water to keep their leaves plump; when their leaves begin to shrink, you will know that they are underwatered.
Temperature
Succulents do not like cold winds and drafts.
Keep the temperature of the room they are kept in neutral and consistent.
The ideal temperature should be 65-85 degrees.
However, if the temperatures drop to around 45 degrees, that is totally fine, too.
Hobbit Jade vs. Gollum Jade - Differences
It is fairly easy to get confused between the Hobbit Crassula and the Gollum Crassula.
These two highly similar plants have only one difference, which is the shape of their leaves.
The Gollum plant's leaves are tubular, and the top of the leaf is a suction-like cup that is slightly red from the interiors of the cup.
In the Hobbit plant, the leaves are curled backward, and the leaves on the sides bend downwards.
The tips of the leaves are lined with red.
Quick Tips To Care For Hobbit Jade And Gollum Jade
The Hobbit and Gollum Jade are low-maintenance plants, like almost all succulents.
However, it does not hurt to put some effort into ensuring the well-being of your plants.
Here are some tips to keep the plant healthy -
Give The Jade Plant Plenty Of Sunlight
Giving the jade plant 4 hours of bright and direct sunlight will help the plant remain healthy.
Keeping the plant in partial shade will not harm it, but the colors of the succulent will not remain vibrant.
You might find that the entire plant will turn green instead of having red tips.
Soak and Drain Method
When watering the Jade plant, use the soak and drain method, where you bring the pot to the sink, give it a nice soak and allow the water to drain fully from the bottom of the pot.
Before doing this again in the next 7-10 days, wait for at least 2 inches of the soil to be completely dry.
Well-Draining Soil
Succulents thrive in well-draining soil as root rot will set in if the soil does not drain well.
If you do not want to make your own soil, you can purchase soil suitable for cacti or succulents and mix it with perlite and coarse sand in a roughly 2:1 ratio.
5 Tips To Make Gollum Jade Bloom
Gollum Jade plants are known to bloom during late fall or early winters.
The flowers are ale-pink or white, shaped like a star.
Here are a few tips to help the plant bloom -
1. Mature Plant
Ensure that the plant is mature first, as only mature Jade plants can produce flowers.
If the plant is younger than 3 years, it will not bloom.
2. Bright Light
Bright sunlight is a necessity for the plant but more so if you want the plant to bloom.
Since the plant flowers during winter, keep the plant outdoors or anywhere else where it can get direct sunlight.
3. Temperatures
Succulents can tolerate a bit of cold weather during the winter months.
If they are kept outside, the Jade plant can survive in temperatures of 50-55⁰F (10-13⁰C) or 60-65⁰F(15-18⁰C) indoors.
Gollum Jade plants actually prefer cooler temperatures during the nighttime and warmer temperatures during the day, as this is how it is in their natural environments like the desert.
4. Winter Temperature
As a desert-dweller, this Jade plant needs to experience winter-like temperatures during its blooming period.
If the plant is kept in a warm room, turn off the heating during the winter months.
5. Fertilize
Fertilizing is not necessary, but it will definitely give your plant the extra boost it needs to flower.
The plant should be fertilized only when during the growing months, that is, spring.
It is best to avoid fertilizing during winters.
Now, let's take a look at the FAQs related to this topic.
FAQs
Wrinkling in jade plants is the physical sign that your plant needs immediate watering.
Succulents store water in their leaves.
When they are underwatered, their leaves will inevitably shrink and wrinkle.
The Gollum shade is a slow grower.
It might take years before the jade plant starts to reach the height of a small bonsai tree.
The Gollum grows 5-20 cm every year.
During summers, watering the plant 7-10 days a week is enough, and during colder months, you can go 2 weeks or more without watering them.
Yellowing, droopy, soft, and dry leaves are the main signs of overwatering.
If you continue overwatering the plant, you will find that the roots of the plant will begin to rot.
To make your Jade plant appear thicker, you can prune the part right above brown rings on the stem.
This part is known as the 'leaf scar' with a sharp instrument like a knife or pruning shears.
New stems will pop up in the pruned area.
Choose which item you want to prune, depending on where you want the jade plant to appear thick.
Over To You
Well, I hope you enjoyed this comparison guide of Hobbit Jade vs. Gollum Jade.
If you really liked this guide, please consider sharing it with your friends and family.
Have any questions?
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