Gollum Jade (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’) is the jade plant gone delightfully weird. Instead of the classic oval jade leaves, every leaf rolls into a glossy green tube that flares open at the tip like a tiny trumpet — often rimmed bright red in good sun. It grows into a thick-trunked, tree-like shrub that looks like a ready-made bonsai, shrugs off neglect, and roots readily from a stem cutting, which is why it’s one of the most-loved oddball succulents you can grow.
| Common names | Gollum Jade, Trumpet Jade, Finger Jade, E.T.’s Fingers |
| Botanical name | Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ |
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Mature size | 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) tall, shrubby with a thick trunk |
| Light | Full sun to bright light (sun brings out the red tips) |
| Water | Low — soak, then let dry completely |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining cactus/succulent mix |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 9–11 (protect from frost) |
| Propagation | Stem & leaf cuttings — very easy |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats & dogs if ingested (like all jades) |
🌱 Buy Live Gollum Jade Cuttings
Fresh-cut Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ cuttings from our Los Angeles garden — thick, healthy stems ready to root.
Shop Gollum Jade Cuttings on Etsy →How to identify Gollum Jade
Once you’ve seen those trumpet-tipped leaves, you can’t mistake Gollum Jade for anything else: tubular finger-like leaves, suction-cup tips, glossy deep green, red rims in sun, and a thick woody trunk with age.
Each leaf is a nearly closed tube 2–3 inches long that dilates at the end into a puckered, cup-shaped tip — the “suction cup” look that earned it the nickname E.T.’s Fingers. Under strong light the cupped tips blush red to burgundy. The closest lookalike is Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’, whose leaves are only partly rolled and curl back on themselves rather than forming a full trumpet-tipped tube. Both grow into the same handsome, thick-trunked mini-tree.
Gollum Jade care
Light. Bright light to full sun keeps growth compact and paints the leaf tips red. It tolerates bright indoor windowsills well, but with too little light the stems stretch and the tips stay plain green.
Water. Classic soak-and-dry: water deeply, then wait until the soil is completely dry. Jades store months of water in their trunks and leaves — overwatering is the only easy way to kill one. Wrinkled, softening leaves mean thirsty; yellowing, dropping leaves usually mean too wet.
Soil. A gritty, fast-draining mix (cactus soil cut with perlite or pumice) in a pot with a drainage hole. Gollum Jade is top-heavy with age, so a heavier terracotta pot helps.
Temperature. Happiest between 55–85°F. Not frost-hardy — below about 30°F the leaves are damaged, so grow it in a pot you can move under cover outside zones 9–11. Mature plants may produce starry white-pink flowers in winter.
Gollum Jade video
How to propagate Gollum Jade from cuttings
Gollum Jade propagates the way all jades do — almost too easily. A single stem cutting becomes a full, trunked plant in a couple of seasons.
1. Take a stem cutting. Snip a 2–4 inch stem tip (or use whole leaves, though stems are much faster).
2. Callus 3–5 days. Let the cut end dry and seal in a shaded, airy spot.
3. Plant shallowly in dry, gritty soil. Insert the callused end about an inch deep and support it upright.
4. Bright shade, sparse water. Water lightly every week or so — roots typically take hold in 2–4 weeks, faster in warm weather.
New to cuttings? Follow our step-by-step 21-Day Rooting Guide.
Skip the wait — start with rooted-ready cuttings
We ship fresh, thick-stemmed Gollum Jade cuttings that callus in transit and are ready to pot the day they arrive.
Get Gollum Jade Cuttings →Common problems
Why are my Gollum Jade’s leaf tips red? That’s sun stress, and it’s the look most growers want — bright light and cool nights push red pigment into the cupped leaf tips. If you prefer an all-green plant, grow it in bright shade instead.
Gollum vs. Hobbit? They’re sibling cultivars and constantly mixed up. A complete tube with a trumpet or suction-cup end is Gollum; a partly folded leaf that curls back on itself is Hobbit. Care is identical.
Is it toxic to pets? Yes — all jades are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, typically causing vomiting and lethargy. Site it where pets can’t nibble.
Why is it dropping leaves? A few lower leaves now and then is normal aging. Lots of soft, yellowing leaves at once almost always means too much water; wrinkled, deflated leaves dropping means the opposite — give it a deep drink.
How fast does it grow? Slowly but steadily — a few inches a year with good light, developing its bonsai trunk over several seasons. Pinching stem tips encourages branching, and every pinched tip is a free cutting.