The jade plant, also known as Crassula ovata but lovingly referred to as the "lucky plant," is a succulent with beautified dwellings and workplaces, beautiful dark-green foliage, and a low-maintenance attitude. The intrinsic beauty of this plant is not limited to its aesthetics but goes beyond cultural values and is often seen to bring good luck and fortune.

In this piece, we will investigate the Jade plant as an essential element of Vastu Shastra, demonstrate its practical applications, and unveil how it can affect every part of one's life, clarifying its prized location in many families.

The Jade plant is linked with the Vastu Shastra, the Indian classical system that deals with the harmony of philosophical principles exhibited in architecture and other human-environment designs. Following the Vastu, this plant, evergreen and immune to changing seasons, is regarded as a powerful analogy of wealth, prosperity, and good luck.

According to Vastu Shastra experts, placing the Jade plant in the southeast corner of your home or office is better, as this direction is associated with prosperity and good fortune. This tradition relies on the notion that the jade plant, with its beautiful, jade-coloured leaves and its ability to grow even if not treated incredibly well, represents the continuous growth and riches in a person's life.

Additionally, the plant's correlation with luck and goodness in various cultural beliefs, including Feng Shui, represents its good-luck-and-wealth connotation in Vastu Shastra.

The Jade plant is supposed to be a lucky talisman, especially in Asian communities. The widespread notion is that it brings harmony to one's home and business and draws in financial fortune. Potted Jade plants are the favourite gift in Fengshui when a person moves into a new home, which signifies friendship and prosperity.

They were also showcased to new businesses and were considered to bring good luck and prosperity to their establishments.

As Vastu Shastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture and design, says, there are some preferred placements for jade plants. Vastu principles recommend placing these auspicious plants North-East or East because these directions are the most energising regarding growth, new beginnings, and prosperity.

Interestingly, the Southeast area is known as the Wealth Corner, and it is believed to enhance the ability of Jade plants to entice financial abundance and professional promotion. Placing a Jade plant near the main entrance is a good idea to encourage entry and bring immense good fortune and positive energy into the business space.

In office or work settings, this Jade plant will have the best effects if placed at reception or the secretary's desk, making the office or work area conducive to prosperity and productivity.

The Jade plant, with its full-leaved foliage and restoration trait, appeals to the eye and endows with more. This succulent's extraordinary medicinal properties are reflected in some traditional remedies.

1. Treating Skin Warts

Traditional Chinese medicine utilises the sap of the Jade plant as a medicinal material. When used topically, it is believed to be the best remedy for treating skin warts.

2. Diabetes Management

In Chinese traditional medicine, tea infused with the leaves of the Jade plant is highly reputed to have a blood sugar-regulating effect. This herbal tea is supposed to be a remedy that maintains the optimum blood sugar level in the body.

3. Wound Healing

The leaves of a Jade plant are popular for their healing powers. When applied, their antiseptic qualities quickly repair cuts and inflammation.

4. Stomach Ailments

When brewed with milk, the leaves of the Jade plant are thought to be the natural treatment for stomach-related illnesses like diarrhoea, cramps, and even epilepsy in certain traditional medicines.

5. Stress Reduction

Humans loving greenery can sustain the jade plant, and these plants can, in turn, work as stress relievers. Taking care of these thriving succulents helps to relieve stress and uplifts mood.

Jade plants are easy to clone, and we recommend them to first-time growers and experienced gardeners alike. Here's how you can grow new Jade plants from cuttings or leaves:

1. Propagating from Cuttings

• Take a 2-3 inch cutting off a specimen which should be healthy and mature.
  
• Let the end of the cut sit for a couple of days and dry out a bit.
  
• Dip the end of the calloused root into the hormone-rooting powder.
  
• Soak the cutting in water, then plant it about an inch deep in a mixture of half potting soil and half vermiculite or perlite.
  
• Water slowly at first and then lengthen the time between watering once the roots are established (usually around 2-3 weeks).
  

2. Propagating from Leaves

• Take a clean and healthy leaf with the stem intact and gently twist it off.
  
• Next, dry the leaf-cutting, leaving it to cure for a day.
  
• Dip in the rooting hormone to the calloused end slightly.
  
• Position the leaf-cutting on top of adequately draining soil mixture to provide contact.
  
• Moisten the soil periodically until the new plant grows from the leaves' edges.
  

Jade plants prefer a warm, sunny locality over a damp, cool one. These succulents prefer daytime temperatures of nearly 18°C to 24°C (65°F to 75°F) and nighttime temperatures from 10°C to 13°C (50°F to 55°F). While they can tolerate cooler conditions for a short period, it is essential not to leave them outside in temperatures below 50°F (10°C) for longer periods.

In winter, it is vital to ensure your Jade plant will not be exposed to cool drafts or frosty windows since it is not cold-hardy. If you reside in a region with extreme, frosty winters, it is crucial to take your Jade plant indoors or provide insulation and protection for its warmth.

Jade plants thrive in sunny or dappled light from a south-facing window but are happiest in full sunlight. Sunlight is the key to the best possible growth and health. They need at least four hours of undisturbed direct sunlight.

Here are some essential care tips for maintaining healthy indoor Jade plants:

1. Lighting Needs

Jade plants are known for their high tolerance to light and can grow well in bright, indirect sunlight. Strive for 4-6 hours of filtered light per day. Severe sunlight may burn the leaves, and the plants can stretch without enough light.

2. Watering Wisely

Overwatering is the most common mistake in this case. Water when the soil is dry, typically once a week or a month. Use your finger to check for soil moisture and examine the leaves—puffy leaves mean overwatering, and withered leaves translate to underwater. Use filtered H2O to avoid scale formation.

3. Well-Draining Pots

No drainage system is complete if the root rot problem is not addressed correctly. Terracotta clay pots work well as they are visibly permeable and provide for faster water absorption, although any pot with suitable drainage holes will produce good results.

4. Fertilising Schedule

As light feeders, jade plants grow well from early spring through the first autumn. Fertilise once a year during this period.

5. Repotting

As the plant grows, the roots become longer and need more space. Young plants should be replanted every 2-3 years and grown every 4-5 years. The best time to do this is at the beginning of the growing season.

6. Propagation Potential

If your Jade plant needs more room than its current space, you can propagate new plants through stems or leaf trimmings. To begin, put the cuttings into a pot filled with a well-draining cactus/succulent soil mix.

7. Pest Patrol

Monitor pests such as mealybugs, spider scales, and soft scales. If needed, alcohol can eradicate these "bugs," especially on the plant's surface.

Here are some of the versatile uses of the Jade plant:

1. Improving Indoor Air Quality: Jade plants have a natural air-purifying function, pushing off VOCs such as formaldehyde, acetone, benzene, and toluene into the indoor atmosphere. These plants efficiently remove two solvents, i.e., toluene and acetone, that can cause severe problems like difficulty breathing and damage to the liver and kidneys when these are at higher concentrations.
2. Increasing Humidity Levels: These succulents help minimise indoor humidity variations. Low humidity can cause skin dryness, electrostatic effects, and a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. Like other houseplants like pothos and peace lilies, Jade plants create moisture in the air via transpiration and raise the humidity level to a comfortable 30% to 60%.
3. Nighttime Air Purification: The jade plants utilise an unusual Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) function, dissolving the carbon dioxide at night. This feature makes them one of the few indoor plants that can improve air quality despite dark rooms and an excellent bedroom choice.
4. Aesthetic Appeal: The jade plant features glossy green leaves that form a compact tree-like shape, ideal for indoor decoration. Their low maintenance and ability to produce tiny pink or white flowers in late winter and spring years make them land in many homes and offices.
5. Easy Propagation: Jade plants have a fantastic propagation process using stem and leaf cuttings; that way, you may grow as many as you wish and share their new plants with your family and friends.

Here are some dos and don'ts for Jade plants, according to Vastu Shastra:

Do's for Jade Plants as per Vastu

• Ensure bright indirect sunlight for at least 4-6 hours daily so the plants develop healthily and not become too stretched or stalky.
  
• Make sure the soil is arid between waterings. This will prevent overwatering, which can, in turn, cause root rot.
  
• For good aeration and drainage, select high-quality succulent or cacti potting soil. The soil should be high-aeration and well-draining.
  
• During the growing season (the ever-increasing season starts typically from spring to fall), you can fertilise your jade plant using water-soluble fertiliser diluted to a half-strength.
  
• Prune or shorten the dead, decayed, or tall stems to give the plant an appealing and compact shape.
  

Don’ts for Jade Plants as per Vastu

• Do not expose your Jade plant to too much water, as these succulents may develop root rot and fungal diseases in constantly wet soil.
  
• Avoid placing your Jade plant in direct, very bright sunlight. Such exposure can leave burn marks on the leaf surfaces, which may develop as red or brown patches.
  
• Make sure you put your pot upside down without drainage holes, which can lead to root rot and other diseases.
  
• Please do not fertilise the jade plant during winter, when its growth is minimal, as this will harm the plant.
  
• Do not expose Jade Plants to temperatures below 50°F (10°C) for long periods. These succulents do not tolerate cold and may suffer damage or slowed growth.
  

The jade plant is perceived as a symbol of prosperity and happiness, and it is truly honoured for its cultural importance and material gain. Properly placing the resilient succulent can bring the wind of optimistic and harmonious energy into the home.

In addition to its promising meanings, the Jade plant is one indoor plant that can purify air, increase humidity levels, and add a touch of natural beauty inside your house. Follow the real treasure that this evergreen jewel holds for you and see how it improves your life and influences your path to success. Use Jade in your home or workplace to draw out its unlimited energy.