What sort of cold will it be subjected to? Not only the low temperature(s) but the duration of that cold.

Hello Kim, with my Crassula ovata, the coldest I have exposed it is in the 20F range. It is dicey, since in my area our winter cold comes with rains. Then it still gradually warms up to the mid 50F during daytime in winter.

This is how my Crassula ovata looked like in Feb 2012 when we had that episode of winter rains which came intermittently, and dropping temps in the 20F range at dawn. I think the other factor that saved this plant, it was positioned close to our house and at that time all the city trees are dormant, so there is more light coming in to our patio. Duration of that 20F range comes around at dawn for about 1 to 2 hours. It is really enough to do significant damage as well to my other succulents. If temps just linger in the 30F range and not much rain, then they survive much better. It is after all an active winter growing succulent too.



So depending on how your winter comes around there. If you get hail, snow, rains, that will further affect the survival chances of your plant. I would certainly feel dismayed if your plant suffers too much. So in your area, if that plant is mine, I would bring it indoors. Cool and dry but with lots of sun access, preferably south facing window is the best location for it and do not water often since it is indoors and not consuming a lot. Once your overnight conditions improve at least in the 40F to 50F range then you can safely bring it out again in mid Spring so it can resume outdoor growing once more.

@kimdawncobain - I think temps in your area are far too cold for your Jade to survive outdoors even if covered.

It is always a difficult adjustment for plants when they are moved from very intense outdoor light to much less intense indoor light, even in front of a sunny window. That will cause many of the leaves that are adapted to the outdoor sun to drop off when indoors in reduced light. Other than providing as sunny a location possible, there is not much you can do about the leaf drop. It does not mean the plant is dying - just adapting.

Indoors, it will also use less water so you will have to adjust your watering accordingly. As it loses leaves and stems become leggy, prune back those leggy stems to keep the plant more compact. Just do your best to keep your Jade alive through the winter so you can move it back outside when temps warm up again.

ABSOLUTELY NOT

Denver is WAY to cold in the winter for this to stay outside = PERIOD END OF STORY

Cut it back like crazy to fit it in whatever window space you have. It will bounce back like gang busters in the spring when it goes back outside.

Im unaware of any jade plant that will tolerate even a minor freeze without dropping every leaf at an absolute minimum. I've heard the plant can live through minor short term freezes-leaving empty wody branches that look entirely dead and start new buds in spring. << that's a bad outcome in zone 8- but you live in Denver- minor short term freezes happen in Lousianna, not Denver

A hard fall cut-back is actually good for plants you want to bring indoors. Reducing leaf surface area that loose water vapor is a very protective step. It also lessens the impact of temperature fluctuations by reducing the amount of tender skin (vs hard woody stems) and it turns plant energy to producing new buds rather than sustaining the summer leaves that are at the absolute far end of every branch that may or may not survive and might already have sun damage-


This is my 8" pot on a 24" wide wall. Right now its about 9 ft sq. I dont have space for that inside! Its going to have to go from 9 sq ft to about 4. I will cut it again next fall.









You can pot your cuttings and share with friends but you can't keep a "summer" plnt alive in winter - it just drops leaves and stretches and struggles to keep everything summer alive that isn't winter compatible.