7 Reasons Why Your Jade Plant Branches Are Falling Off

Jade plant branches usually fall off due to water shortage and overwatering in the pot. It may also drop its leaves and stems because of environmental factors and natural aging.

Similarly, you will also notice droopy Jade branches due to fungus and bacteria attacks. But you can resolve these problems by adjusting the watering schedule and eradicating any fungal issues.

So, let's learn more about it in the following guide.

Jump To:

• Why Are My Jade Plant Branches Falling Off?
• List Of Common Reasons
• How To Fix Jade Plant Branches From Falling Over
• FAQs

Why Are My Jade Plant Branches Falling Off?

The Jade plant looks great when it is thriving and all the branches are growing upwards. But there are times when you will see the branches falling off from their natural position.

The primary reason why this happens is because of overwatering. When you water your plant heavily, it leads to root rot in a few days.

Source - Reddit

Further, it advances to the stem rot condition, and this causes the branches to droop and fall off. This is typical behavior from the plant, as it is not used to having too much water in its natural habitat.

The other possible reasons for this issue are too much sunlight, top-heavy plant, small pot, underwatering, and under-overfeeding. All these issues can play their roles in making plants weaker in the process.

List Of Common Reasons

Here is a list of things you need to consider before addressing this branch issue in your Jade plant -

1. Overwatering

As I discussed earlier, overwatering is the prominent cause of droopy branches and leaves in various houseplants.

The newbie gardeners often believe the plant needs to be watered every other day. This may be true for some outdoor or vegetable garden plants, but you shouldn't follow the same rule for indoor plants.

Indoor plants like the Jade plant do not require a lot of water. They need to be watered regularly with an adequate amount of water. If you water them unnecessarily, the plant will start displaying signs of overwatering.

As you know, this can also cause the branches to fall off the plant. If you don't stop watering frequently, you will have to deal with even more difficult issues.

Sometimes, your efforts to make things work for such a damaged plant won't be enough to revive it entirely. Ultimately, you will have to throw it away and get a new one as a replacement for your home garden.

2. Direct Sunlight

Have you kept your Jade plant in direct sunlight?

I know many people suggest keeping this plant in full sunlight, but the ones in your indoor garden may not like the exposure to the sun.

The indoor plants acclimatize themselves to thrive under minimal requirements, which include low sunlight and water. When you move such a plant outdoors or expose it to direct sunlight for a while, you might see its branches falling off.

In the early stages, the branches may also remain downward if the water levels deplete in the soil. So, ensure you have not kept your Jade plant in direct sunlight for too long.

You must consider this factor while addressing the problem if that's the case.

3. Underwatering or Irregular Watering

Although underwatering is not as troublesome as overwatering, you shouldn't rule it out completely.

If you have been on vacation or haven't watered the plant in 2-3 weeks, you might see the droopy branches on your Jade plant. Some of them even fall off the plant completely.

However, as I said, it's not something you should worry about. This problem can be fixed by watering the plant again, and hopefully, the droopy branches will be off the ground as soon as they get refreshed.

In summer, you may also consider misting such a plant, though the Jade plant doesn't like misting too much.

4. Overgrown Jade Plant

Does your Jade plant look like an overgrown plant?

When the Jade plant grows a lot, some of its lower branches will try to find the surface to root.

In case you don't know, the plant sends aerial roots out to get more moisture and nutrients from the air. So, in the process, the heavy branches might lean down a bit to get in touch with the soil.

If you see something similar on the plant, you can put it to good use. You can cut those hardy branches and root them again in a new container.

Since the branches already have roots, it won't take long to see a new plant growing well from this pot.

Note: This problem may not cause the branches to fall off suddenly, but it needs to be addressed immediately. 

5. Rootbound Jade Plant

The root bounding process can also lead to an imbalance in the plant's structure.

When the plant gets bigger in the existing pot, the roots don't get enough space to grow further. Due to this, they form a structure of intermingled roots underneath the soil.

The only way to confirm this issue is by uprooting the plant from the soil. Try gently removing it from the pot and see if things are alright with the roots.

If it looks rootbound, you can trim some overgrown roots and repot the plant with a fresh soil mix.

6. Small Pot

Generally, we love to have our indoor plants in small containers. They add natural beauty to the whole decor!

But the flip side of having such small pots is they don't last long. The plant will outgrow the current pot if it gets decent growing conditions.

Again, this might cause an imbalance in the structure, leading to heavy branches leaning toward the soil.

Often, the branches at the bottom try to support the entire plant. So, if you see similar behavior, you shouldn't be surprised.

Note: Again, it's pretty rare to see branches falling off entirely due to this issue.

7. Underfeeding or Overfeeding Your Jade Plant

Most probably, the above things will be the reasons for your Jade plant issue.

However, in some rare cases, you might see underfeeding or overfeeding leading to such an issue.

When the plant doesn't get enough nutrients or gets a lot of nutrients in less time, you might see its effects on the branches. In case of underfeeding and underwatering, the plant will droop.

On the other hand, the overfeeding process will strengthen the lower branches, which could again create an imbalance in your plant. And the branches will fall off eventually.

Overall, these are some of the potential issues that you must think of while attending the plant.

In the following section, let's quickly see how you can fix this problem.

How To Fix Jade Plant Branches From Falling Over

Here's how to go about it -

1. Stop Overwatering The Plant

Yes, there is no point in watering the plant if the soil looks wet. The Jade plant is succulent, and it doesn't need a lot of water.

Water it once in 10-15 days, which should be good enough to keep it growing at a standard rate. If you are unsure about the watering process, you can read this detailed guide I've shared on the blog.

Like overwatering, you should also avoid an underwatering situation in the plant, which can only be fixed by following the right watering frequency.

2. Prune Overgrown Branches

If you feel the plant is overgrown, you should prune some of its damaged and unwanted branches. It will make the plant lighter.

While performing the pruning process, you should start from the lower branches. These are the ones that generally pull the entire plant structure down.

Once you get rid of them, the plant should do alright. Having said that, you shouldn't perform pruning regularly. You should only do it if the plant is not in great shape and looks outgrown.

Also, pruning helps in many ways, including producing new branches for the plant. So, prune the branches that are falling off due to heavy weight.

Here's a video that shows you how to prune unwanted branches from the Jade plant -

3. Do Not Keep It In The Sun For A Long

Finally, you don't want to keep your plant in the sun for long. Even though it's succulent, it won't do well in harsh sunlight.

So, try to place it in a well-lit location in your house, but ensure it doesn't receive direct sunlight for long hours. Otherwise, the branches will continue to be in such a position despite taking all the care.

4. Inspect The Plant Well For Other Issues

If the weather is humid and rainy, there is a slight chance of having fungal or bacterial infection on the plant.

This usually happens when there is a lot of moisture in the soil and air. So, the above overwatering tips will help address half of the issue.

For the other half, you will have to inspect the plant closely. Look for signs on the leaves, branches, and stems. If you see something unusual, use fungicides or Neem oil spray to control the spread.

Besides these tips, you don't have to consider the different reasons mentioned in the guide. Most of the other issues will not directly affect the plant, as those can be controlled if you take care of the plant.

FAQs