Jade Plant Meaning: Wealth, Luck and Friendship as a Gift, and What the Victorian Flower Dictionaries Leave Out
Jade plant meaning: wealth, luck and friendship in feng shui tradition, the business-opening and housewarming gift custom, and what a winter bloom signals.
In short
- Jade plant means wealth, luck and friendship in tradition, per UConn Extension and a 2004 Honolulu newspaper column.
- Its name, Crassula ovata, means thick and egg-shaped; none of six Victorian flower dictionaries lists it.
- Winter flowers point to a mature plant and cool nights; folklore reads them as luck.
- Checked against: PlantZAfrica, RHS, NC State Extension, UConn Extension.
Jade plant means wealth, good luck and friendship in tradition, and feng shui supplies the wealth reading. The plant is Crassula ovata, a South African succulent that the RHS also lists as friendship tree, jade tree and money tree. The meanings are tradition and retail lore, not botany: the oldest account of the business-opening custom I found is a 2004 newspaper column, and six Victorian flower dictionaries I searched give the jade plant no meaning at all. Below, each meaning is set beside the source that states it, so you can see how much weight it carries.
This page is part of our flower symbolism and meaning guide. Where sources disagree, the disagreement is shown rather than smoothed over.
What does a jade plant mean?
A jade plant means wealth, luck and friendship, and those three words are the ones the sources share. The University of Connecticut’s Home and Garden Education Center writes: “In some cultures, they are considered symbols of good luck, prosperity, or friendship.” The RHS lists friendship tree, jade tree and money tree among its common names.
Get a free pre-planned flower bed (vase-worthy from June to frost)
Printable planting plans for a cut-flower bed and a cottage pollinator bed — plant list, spacing, and calendar included.
Wealth is the meaning with the most detail, and the detail is about the leaves. A 2004 column by Michael Miyashiro in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, which describes its author as a flower connoisseur and University of Hawaii horticulture graduate, says the roundish leaves are “said to mimic coins” and stand for “money multiplying with each new set of leaves”. The feng shui experts quoted by Homes and Gardens put the plant in the southeast corner, which that article calls the “Wealth and Prosperity Gua”, or near the front door.
The wealth reading is not tied to one country in the sources. PlantZAfrica, written at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, says that in the Far East, Germany and the USA the plant is traditionally grown in square porcelain tubs with “lion feet” to bring good financial luck. It adds money tree, penny plant, dollar plant and tree of happiness to the list of names. None of the pages I read measures any effect on money, so treat the meaning as the story people tell about the plant.
Where does the name Crassula ovata come from?
Crassula ovata means a thick plant with egg-shaped leaves. PlantZAfrica says Crassula is the diminutive of the Latin crassus, thick or fat, for the fleshy nature of the genus, and that ovata means egg-shaped, for the leaves. NC State Extension gives the same two meanings. PlantZAfrica says the species was first described in England in 1768 and cites it as “(Miller) Druce”.
Two synonyms are still in circulation. The RHS lists Crassula argentea and Crassula portulacea as synonyms, and the ASPCA still files the plant under Crassula argentea.
The word “jade” has two explanations in the pages I read, and they differ. Homes and Gardens says the coin-shaped leaves also resemble the gemstone the plant is named after. Chinese Wikipedia explains the Chinese name 翡翠木 (fěicuì mù, “jade wood”) by the leaves being thick, deep green and glossy, and lists 發財樹 (“wealth tree”), 玉樹 and 燕子掌 as other names. None of the pages says who first called the plant jade, or when.
“Money tree” is a shared name. NC State Extension lists Money Tree and Money Plant among the common names of Pachira aquatica, a different plant, and lists Money Plant and Lucky Plant under Crassula ovata. Our jade plant vs money tree comparison and our guide to the four houseplants called money plant sort out which care sheet belongs to which.
Jade plant meaning by context
The table sets the four contexts people ask about, plus the Lunar New Year custom, against the sources that state them. The business-opening and Thanksgiving uses are the thinnest.
| Context | What the sources say it means | How well it is documented |
|---|---|---|
| New business | Prosperity and luck: the Star-Bulletin column calls jade plants “excellent gifts” for the business; Garden Guides says they suit “a new business or marriage”; The Next Gardener suggests one for a friend setting up a business for the first time | A 2004 column plus lifestyle and retail pages; I found no earlier account |
| Housewarming | Prosperity and friendship for a new home (The Next Gardener); “a perfect housewarming gift” (Garden Guides); a newspaper columnist gave one as the housewarming gift to every friend who invited them | Lifestyle pages and one first-hand column; no historical source |
| Friendship | A symbol of friendship in some cultures (UConn); “friendship tree” is a common name (RHS) | Named by a university extension and the RHS; neither gives a reason |
| Lunar New Year | Large pots set on stock and mutual-fund certificates, with red ribbons, lai see envelopes and Chinese coins tied to the branches, so the value grows with the plant (Star-Bulletin) | One Hawaii column describing the practice as common (“often”) |
| Thanksgiving gift | No meaning found | Not documented: no source I read links the jade plant to Thanksgiving |
The takeaway is that wealth and friendship are the two meanings that several sources name, while the Thanksgiving use has none. The Thanksgiving cactus that NC State Extension lists among the holiday cacti is a different plant, and a University of Nevada, Reno Extension host-gift list names a succulent terrarium, Christmas cactus, cyclamen and gloxinia, not jade. For other occasions, our flowers as gifts guide covers what to give.
Is the jade plant really a business-opening gift?
Sources describe the jade plant as a business gift, but the oldest account I found is a 2004 newspaper column. Miyashiro’s Star-Bulletin column says jade plants “make excellent gifts” for “the business, the start of new families and for money-conscious friends”, symbolizing prosperity and good luck. Garden Guides repeats that jade plants suit a new business or marriage, and its reference list credits the Star-Bulletin’s “Jade luck”, so on this point the two overlap.
The Next Gardener, a plant retailer’s blog, adds that many Chinese restaurants and enterprises keep a jade plant by the door because it is thought to bring in customers. The post names no source for that. The Homes and Gardens experts talk about placement rather than gifting: a plant near the entry “to invite wealth and prosperity”, or in an office or work-from-home space, to “enhance the prosperity of your business, career, or work”. The same article links the southeast corner of an office or desk to wealth.
That gives a practical reading of the custom. In the tradition as these pages tell it, a jade plant for a new shop belongs by the entrance or in the southeast corner, and the reason is symbolic: round leaves for coins, a plant that keeps growing for a business that should. I found no account of a particular opening-day ceremony, and no evidence that a plant changes takings. If the shop has pets, check the toxicity note near the end of this page first.
What the Victorian flower dictionaries say about the jade plant
Six Victorian-era flower dictionaries I searched for jade, Crassula, money and wealth give no meaning to a jade plant. They are Dumont (1851), Tyas (1869), Flora’s Pocket Dictionary (1870), Greenaway (1884), an 1884 New York edition and Hill’s manual (1887). PlantZAfrica says the species was first described in England in 1768, well before any of the six books.
| Plant | What the books say | Why it matters here |
|---|---|---|
| Jade plant (Crassula) | No entry in any of the six | No Victorian meaning is recorded in these books |
| Houseleek (same plant family) | Greenaway: “Vivacity. Domestic industry.” Flora’s: “Vivacity. Domestic economy.” Hill’s: “Domestic economy.” | A relative of the jade plant carries a domestic-economy or industry meaning, not wealth |
| Stonecrop (same plant family) | Greenaway: “Tranquillity.” | Another relative, with a calm meaning |
| Wheat and corn | Greenaway: wheat stalk “Riches”, corn “Riches”. Flora’s: wheat “Wealth” | The books did have wealth plants, and these were it |
| Beech tree | “Prosperity” in Greenaway, Flora’s and Tyas | A tree of prosperity, not a succulent |
The takeaway is that the Victorian books had words for riches, wealth and prosperity and gave them to wheat, corn and beech, so the jade plant’s wealth meaning is not recorded in these six. That does not date the meaning; it shows only that these books did not carry it. For how the dictionaries differ from one another, see our floriography guide, and for the nearest succulent in the books, our cactus meaning page.
Does a blooming jade plant mean good luck?
In folklore a blooming jade plant is a good-luck sign, and in botany it is a sign of a mature plant given cool nights and a quieter winter. Garden Guides writes: “If a jade flowers, it is the result of great care given to the plant. Flowering jades reflect well on the owner and symbolize great friendship, luck and prosperity.” The Next Gardener says a blooming jade is an indication of prosperity and growth, and quotes an old Chinese saying that the iron tree does not bloom for thousands of years and the jade tree for ten thousand.
Stop missing your zone's planting windows.
Select your US zone and month — get a complete checklist of what to plant, prune, feed, and protect right now.
→ View My Garden CalendarThe saying needs a check. The dictionary entry for the idiom 鐵樹開花 (tiě shù kāi huā), in Zdic, is about the iron tree, which it identifies as the cycad (蘇鐵), an evergreen tree that rarely flowers, and the phrase means something extremely rare. I found the jade-tree half of the saying in no source other than that retail post.
The botany explains why the bloom is rare. UConn says mature plants produce starry white or pink blossoms in the winter months, and that cooler nights and no supplemental light after sunset encourage bud formation. Gardening Know How adds that even in the wild the plants need to be very mature before they form flowers, and that a rest period comes before buds form. The Star-Bulletin column calls cool nights “a must” and tells readers not to fret if the plant never blooms, since jades are grown for foliage rather than flowers. NC State says the plant does not usually bloom in home environments.
| Source | When it says jade plants flower | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PlantZAfrica | Cool winter months, June to August, with masses of sweetly scented pale-pink star-shaped flowers | South Africa (species description) |
| UConn | The winter months, on mature plants | Mature houseplants (fact sheet) |
| NC State Extension | Spring, on plants grown outdoors; does not usually bloom in home environments | Outdoor plants and houseplants |
| RHS | Late summer | RHS plant description (UK) |
The takeaway is that the flowering season depends on where the plant lives, from late summer in the RHS entry to winter in the PlantZAfrica and UConn entries, and that both the folklore and the botany point at care. The sources also disagree on how cool is cool enough: the Star-Bulletin column says low to mid-60s °F nights, while UConn says nights can drop into the 50s. Our guide to jade plants that won’t flower covers the fixes.
A jade plant as a gift: what to tell the recipient
A jade plant is a gift that can be shared, because its leaves root. PlantZAfrica says any discarded leaves left at the foot of the plant send down roots and grow into new plants, and Garden Guides says fallen leaves are lucky if they land on soil because they can grow on their own. That fits the friendship meaning, since a cutting is a way to pass a plant on, but neither page says the custom began that way.
Pet owners should know the plant is toxic. The ASPCA lists the jade plant as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, gives the clinical signs as vomiting, depression and incoordination, and lists the toxic principle as unknown. Our jade plant toxicity guide covers what to do if a pet chews a leaf.
From meaning to care: keeping a jade plant alive
A jade plant carries its meaning only while it lives, and overwatering is the usual way it dies. UConn calls overwatering “the biggest killer of houseplants, especially succulents like jade plants”, and says the plants slow their growth and need less water in the cooler, shorter-day half of the year. The News Courier columnist, who gave jade plants as housewarming gifts, recommends a clay pot and a coarse, fast-draining mix, which matches UConn’s advice on very well-draining potting mixes.
Our complete jade plant care guide covers watering, pruning and propagation in full. If the plant is meant for a feng shui spot, our feng shui houseplants guide shows where each of eight plants goes.
Jade plant meaning FAQ
What does a jade plant symbolize?
A jade plant symbolizes wealth, luck and friendship in tradition, and feng shui supplies the wealth reading. UConn says that in some cultures the plant is a symbol of good luck, prosperity or friendship, and the RHS lists friendship tree and money tree among its common names.
Why is the jade plant called a money plant?
Sources say the round leaves look like coins. The Star-Bulletin column says the leaves are “said to mimic coins”, and none of the pages I read dates the name. Money plant and money tree are also names for other plants, so match the botanical name.
Is a jade plant a good gift for a new business?
Tradition says yes. The Star-Bulletin column lists the business among the good recipients, with prosperity and luck as the meaning. The oldest account I found is that 2004 column, so I found no documented older custom, and pet owners should check the ASPCA’s toxicity listing first.
Is a jade plant a good housewarming gift?
Garden Guides calls it a perfect housewarming gift, The Next Gardener ties it to prosperity and friendship for a new home, and a News Courier columnist gave one to every friend who invited them. It is also a plant that UConn calls tolerant of less than favorable conditions.
What does it mean when a jade plant blooms?
In folklore a bloom is a good-luck sign, and Garden Guides reads it as the result of great care. In botany it means the plant is mature and has had the cool nights and unlit evenings UConn describes. NC State says it does not usually bloom indoors.
When does a jade plant flower?
It depends on the source and the place: June to August for wild plants in South Africa (PlantZAfrica), the winter months for mature houseplants (UConn), spring outdoors (NC State) and late summer in the RHS entry.
Is the jade plant the same as the money tree?
Not always: money tree is a shared name. The jade plant is Crassula ovata, and NC State Extension lists Money Tree as a common name of Pachira aquatica, a separate plant. Both are sold as lucky plants, and each needs its own care.
Is a jade plant poisonous to pets?
Yes. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with vomiting, depression and incoordination as signs, and the toxic principle unknown.
Did the Victorians give the jade plant a meaning?
Not in the six dictionaries I searched. Greenaway, Flora’s and Hill’s give the houseleek “Domestic industry” or “Domestic economy”, and Greenaway gives the stonecrop “Tranquillity”, but none of the six lists a jade plant.
Sources
- Malan, C. and Notten, A. Crassula ovata. PlantZAfrica, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (May 2005)
- Royal Horticultural Society. Crassula ovata, RHS plant page
- NC State Extension. Crassula ovata, Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- NC State Extension. Pachira aquatica, Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- University of Connecticut Home and Garden Education Center. Jade Plants
- ASPCA. Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Jade Plant
- Miyashiro, M. Jade luck. In the Garden, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 16 January 2004
- Owen, T. The Meaning of a Jade Plant. Garden Guides (updated 6 September 2022)
- Homes and Gardens. Feng Shui Experts Reveal the 6 Best Places to Put a Jade Plant in Your Home
- The Next Gardener. Why Call Jade Plants Lucky Plants? (8 March 2022)
- Gardening Know How. My Jade Plant Won’t Bloom: Tips on Getting a Jade Plant to Bloom
- One Gardener to Another: Jade plants a nice addition to any home. The News Courier, Athens
- 漢典 (Zdic). 鐵樹開花 (idiom entry, in Chinese)
- Chinese Wikipedia. 翡翠木 (Crassula ovata, in Chinese)
- NC State Extension Gardener. Holiday Cacti: What’s the Difference?
- Andrews, A. Holiday Host Gifts for Plant Lovers. University of Nevada, Reno Extension (2015)
- Greenaway, K. Language of Flowers. George Routledge and Sons, 1884 (Project Gutenberg ebook 31591)
- Tyas, R. The Language of Flowers: or, Floral Emblems of Thoughts, Feelings, and Sentiments. George Routledge and Sons, 1869. Internet Archive
- Flora’s Pocket Dictionary: A Lexicon of the Language and Sentiment of Flowers. Porter and Coates, Philadelphia, 1870. Internet Archive
- Dumont, H. The Language of Flowers: The Floral Offering, a Token of Affection and Esteem. H. C. Peck and Theo. Bliss, Philadelphia, 1851 (Project Gutenberg ebook 71779)
- Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms: A Guide to Correct Writing (1887 edition, flower-language vocabulary). Internet Archive
- The Language of Flowers, Including Floral Poetry. R. Worthington, New York, 1884. Internet Archive
