Should I prune my Green Jade Vine to the ground?

I have 3 large jade vines in my greenhouse. All are blooming size with trunks about 6" diameter and have been blooming for about 5 years.

I am considering pruning the largest most space hogging one almost to the ground and letting it start over.

Will this kill it?

I already have to prune all three---HARD pruning---twice a year. When given almost perfect conditions,they grow with a rampant speed unmatched by anything else I have ever seen except possibly air potato or kudzu.

I don;t mind losing the blooms for a while because I have the other blooming vines.

Just curious if anyone in a 'real' tropical location has ever done this, and what was the result?

I suggest you get in touch with AlohaHoya - she grows them.

I am very envious of you growing this vine so successfully. I have killed two plants.

Over the past week, I have pruned ten 35 gallon trashcans of jade vine and composted it. This is just so that I can see the plants that were growing under and around it again. I am not certain why these vines have done this well for me. I guess its because I provide the winter warmth and the water they want. I don't want to kill it though. I just want to get a breather from it in the one area and enjoy some of the other things that it is trying so very hard to engulf.

It isn't necessary, but any cuttings you do make can be turned into new plants.

David - I thought they were very hard to grow from cuttings?

Gina lovingly shared cuttings with me, this past summer. I can root most things, but not these - they are difficult to root, I believe!

Taking the time to do air layers is more productive. Cuttings need to be kept moist and warm.
Semi-ripe stem cuttings are rooted with bottom heat.

Well, I did keep the cuttings moist and warm - it's been really warm here, and I stuck them, with rooting hormone, into a pot out in the sun.

I have air layered huge vines in the past and both given them away and traded them away. I rooted some this past July and have traded some as well. I don;t really have the space, time or inclination to try to root a ton of Jades. I'd be overrun with cuttings if they all took. I guess that's why I compost the majority of the vine cuttings. That, and because most people who you send unrooted cuttings to, aren't able to root them.

So back to the original question...can I chop it?????

I think it may be better to reduce the existing vine, rather than chop it all down.

Well, that's what I meant really. I want to cut it down to maybe 4-5 stems. By 'stems' I mean branches that have a diameter of about an inch, and leave they smaller tendrils attached to those stems in place.

That shouldn't be too hard on the plant, and this is the right time of year to do so.

gothqueen, if you ever have any rooted plants available I'd be very interested. I'd love to try this vine again.

OKay, I reduced the size of this vine to three large stems that I am going to train up a hanging rope trelllis. I can't believe what a difference this has made in my greenhouse!!! Quantum more light is able to come in! The Jade had completely grown over and through one of my circulating fans at the 12 ft level, and I had to liberate that. It had also grown completely over one of the sprinkler heads and was keeping it from watering a ton of stuff. LIBERATED!

I rediscovered several plants that I had forgotten were there...one is this huge Anthurium. Can anyone give me the name? The tag is long gone.