Money tree
It is probably difficult to find a living space that does not have indoor plants.
Crassula, or as it is popularly called “money tree,” is one of the popular plants grown at home.
This is not surprising, since it tolerates room temperature well and develops even in extreme heat or cold.
The only thing is that it does not tolerate frost.
Next, we will consider the types of plants, Crassula mix, care at home: how to water, what to fertilize, rules of propagation and replanting.
Description of varieties and types of money tree
This flower belongs to the Tolstyankov family. There are about three hundred varieties of it.
Crassula in pots
The plant can be either annual or perennial. It grows as a tree, bush or even grass. At home, Crassula mix is found in the following versions:
Ovata. This is a variety of oval-shaped plant. It has the shape of a small bush, not exceeding one meter in height. Juicy, rounded leaves are densely located on the trunk. Among the varieties, along the edge of each leaf there may be a red stripe or a small white fluff. Ovata is an absolutely unpretentious perennial plant. It can be grown both in the shady side and in bright sun.
Crassula minor has a slow growth rate. This plant is great for compositions and decoration of mini gardens. The leaves have a red tint. Their length is no more than one and a half centimeters. The leaf is one centimeter wide.
Thanks to the crossing of varieties of the milk tree and ovata, a variety was created - a hybrid called the hobbit. The leaves of this plant are fused from the very base to the middle. In appearance they look like they have been turned inside out. A very unusual and original plant. This flower is also considered an ornamental flower grown at home. The trunk has dense branches with leaves. Hobbit varieties include species with very brightly colored leaves.
One of the most common species, which is found in almost all homes, is Crassula mix. The flower has a massive trunk, saturated with an abundance of branches and medium-sized oval leaves. There is a red stripe along the edge. The leaves are succulent. They reach two centimeters in width and up to four centimeters in length.
Reproduction methods
If you want to grow Crassula mix, you can do this in several ways:
- Sowing seeds. The material is sown in prepared soil. You need to sprinkle a little soil on top, water it and cover the box with the seedlings with glass. When the seedlings have 2 pairs of leaves, the root of the seedling is pinched and planted in a pot. Care for new plants in the same way as older ones.
Roots have formed on the Crassula cuttings
- Propagation by cuttings. Take the stem of an adult crassula and place it in water. When the roots appear, the cuttings are planted in a permanent place.
- Germination of leaves. The plant leaf is dried and kept in soil or water until roots form. During this period, good lighting and warmth are necessary. This is the riskiest method of reproduction.
- Dividing the bush. When transplanting an adult plant, take one bush and divide it into several parts. The shoots take root quickly, because they already have a formed root system.
Advice! In order for the flower to grow not only in height, but also in width, it is recommended to pinch the first leaves on new shoots.
Complete conditions for plant growth
Young Crassula
This plant is not particularly whimsical, but like any house flower, it reaches the peak of its beauty with proper, professional care.
In order for Crassula mix to constantly please your eye with green, juicy leaves, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for its cultivation.
They depend on the thermal regime, lighting, soil and air humidity, as well as the fertilizer used specifically for this plant.
Knowing all these nuances, you can grow a large flower that will not lose leaves during growth. The trunk and branches of which will be saturated with juice and will not bend under their own weight.
Problems in growing
If you follow the recommendations for growing a money tree, difficulties arise extremely rarely. If care requirements are grossly neglected, the following problems may arise:
- if you water the fat plant with cold water or place it in a draft, its leaves will begin to fall off;
- red, yellow or brown spots appear on the leaves - this is sunburn;
- if the crown of the plant has become pale, you need to reduce the frequency of watering;
- if the trunk is bent, it means the tree does not have enough light.
Diseases rarely affect flowers, most often due to an excess of moisture combined with a violation of the temperature regime.
Rotten
Crassula mix can get gray or root rot. In the first case, a dirty or yellowish coating, similar to mold, will appear on the leaves. To prevent the plant from rotting completely, you need to remove the affected parts and treat the flower with an antifungal drug.
If a money tree gets root rot, the root system and the stem at the base suffer - they begin to turn black and rot. To prevent the plant from dying completely, it needs to be transplanted into a new pot with a complete replacement of the soil. In this case, it is necessary to cut off rotten roots during the process.
Important! To protect Crassula from root rot and other diseases, you need to disinfect the soil before planting.
Late blight
First, the fungus attacks the above-ground part of the plant. The leaves lose color and brown spots with fluff appear on them, similar to mold. The flower as a whole looks unhealthy. Treatment with antifungal drugs is necessary. Otherwise, the fat woman may die.
Late blight infection
Pests
Among insects, a spider mite can attack a flower. If cobwebs are noticed, you need to treat with insecticides or soap solution.
Another pest is the mealybug. White bugs, which can be seen with the naked eye, drink the sap of the plant. They live on stems and leaves. To combat insects, wipe the leaves with a cotton pad soaked in an aqueous solution of alcohol.
Crassula mix is an unpretentious flower that pleases the owner with a beautiful crown. It can be easily grown at home. It is believed that the money tree attracts money, cleanses the apartment of negative energy and has bactericidal properties. Crassula is often given to relatives and friends as a talisman that brings good luck.
Temperature during care
There is a change in temperature in the room where the plant is located in summer and winter. From the very beginning of spring and throughout the summer, it is necessary to maintain the room temperature between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius.
In order for the plant to grow better, send out new branches and not fall off its leaves, you should put it on the balcony. In a private house, it can be placed in the corridor or veranda during the warm season. In such a room, the temperature will be determined arbitrarily, and the plant will comfortably adapt to climate change.
In the cold season, the flower should be in a quiet period. This time is called the hibernation period for the plant. The flower does not sprout many shoots, does not grow as in the warm season and does not produce leaves.
In winter, you should not keep the plant near radiators, fireplaces and other heating devices.
The temperature in the room should be between eight and eleven degrees. If dormancy is not ensured during the winter, the flower will shed its leaves and will not sprout new shoots as spring approaches.
Botanical characteristics
The flowering culture includes more than 300 species, growing mainly in Africa and Arabia. Approximately 100 species have been introduced into domestic crop production.
When transporting Crassula to Europe, botanists considered it inappropriate to note each species separately, combining them into one large family. This is how the second word appeared - “mix”, meaning a mixture - a mixture of plants of the Crassulaceae family.
Cultivation of the Crassula has made it possible to obtain new hybrids, which explains why it can have a different appearance on the window sills of flower growers.
Lighting and humidity for full growth
This is what a flower looks like when well cared for
The plant can be grown in indirect sunlight, but in a sufficiently lit place. A favorable place for growth and reproduction is the south-eastern side.
It is here that the plant receives the necessary amount of sunlight, but spends most of its time in the shade.
In a place that is darker from the light, the plant is more comfortable. In spring, when the sun becomes hotter every day, the Crassula mix is placed on the windowsill in the morning, and at lunchtime it is put into the shade. Thus, the plant gradually gets used to sunlight and tolerates it favorably in the future.
Juicy, fleshy leaves gain more strength in full shade. Therefore, if your windows face east and you don’t know which plant to choose, then Crassula mix is right for you.
To fully care for this plant you need very little time. The flower does not like excessive sunlight and abundant watering. When the top layer of peat soil dries, then you can water the plant with settled water. This will require a small amount of it.
Crassula mix is watered directly to the very root of the plant.
The flower tolerates drought better than excessive amounts of water. In winter it is worth watering even less often. It is during this period that the plant may die from excess moisture. This happens due to rotting of the root system. In the cold season, watering is required no more than once every forty days.
The most favorable time for watering is late evening. If you find that the leaves of a flower have become dull and have begun to wither, this means that the plant does not have enough moisture. There is no reason to spray the leaves of the plant. Crassula tolerates drought well. Dust from leaves and branches can be removed using damp gauze.
You can also wash the leaves under low shower pressure. Only in this case it is better to cover the soil with polyethylene.
How to transplant a crassula
To transplant an adult plant, you need to choose the right container. With a powerful trunk and lush crown, Crassula has a small root system. Therefore, the pot needs to be heavy and wide so that the flower does not turn over.
Gymnocalycium: mix and other popular plant species and cactus care at home
Transplantation is carried out in the spring. The young fat plant must be moved to another container with a change of soil every year. An adult plant requires replanting every 3 years. If the money tree is already very old, in order not to damage it, you just need to periodically replace the top layer of soil.
When an urgent transplant is required:
- the root system has grown;
- the pot broke;
- the flower is sick.
Attention! Before planting a flower in a new pot, you should inspect its root system. It is better to remove rotten or broken parts.
Comments (2)
Varya
08/05/2018 at 21:55 |
Crassula is one of my favorite plants. It does not cause allergies, is easy to care for, beautiful to look at - in general, there are many advantages, in addition, they say it brings prosperity and good luck to the house.Answer
Yulia Expert Plodogorod
03/21/2019 at 22:00 |
Hello, Varya! You are absolutely right, this is quite unpretentious for the plant. We would like to note that there are several simple rules that will help you grow a beautiful and healthy flower.
It is important to follow the watering regime and not to over-water these plants, because they are succulents. In addition, in winter, the temperature must drop slightly. Good lighting is required to ensure decorative effect.
You must initially choose the right pot. It is better that the container is wide and not very deep, made of some solid material.
A drainage layer should be installed at the bottom. Expanded clay, gravel, sand, and shells are suitable for this purpose. The layer of these materials should reach 30% of the total volume of the container.
If a narrow, high-shaped pot is chosen for planting, the growth of the flower will slow down and may stop altogether. The main secret: the diameter of the container should be equal to the diameter of the crown of the plant.
You should be more careful with fertilizing. The fact is that from an excess of minerals and organic matter, the appearance of the flower deteriorates, the color changes, and the condition of the crown worsens. Also, the plant ceases to be compact.
If a flower begins to have problems with the foliage, for example, it falls, dries or turns yellow, then you need to analyze its care.
The most common mistakes in care: excess heat in winter, insufficient lighting, or missed replanting time.
If you water this plant too intensively, leaf fall may also occur.
Drafts, watering with cold water and other stresses for the plant are also harmful. If the container with the flower is on the floor, it may freeze. Ugly, limp and elongated shoots usually indicate a lack of light.
Answer
Landing
When planting Crassula "Hobbit", special attention should be paid to preparing the substrate and choosing a pot. You can pick up the soil mixture in the store
It is better to stay with a composition intended for cacti and succulents. However, you can make the substrate yourself from available components. You need to take:
- 1 part sheet soil;
- 1 part river sand;
- 1 part turf.
All components can be assembled in an environmentally safe place away from major roads and highways. It is also necessary to add a little crushed coal, zeolite and fine expanded clay to the prepared mixture. All components must first be calcined on a baking sheet in the oven - this will destroy the larvae of insect pests, as well as pathogens of fungal, viral and bacterial infections.
You should definitely put drainage at the bottom of the container; it should occupy at least a third of the pot. Usually pebbles or expanded clay are used
This is very important, since stagnation of water leads to waterlogging of the soil, and this has the most detrimental effect on the condition of the root system and leads to the shedding of leaves
The root system of Crassula is superficial, so it is better to choose a low, but wide and flat pot for the plant. It is in such a container that the fat woman will be as comfortable as possible. The diameter of the pot should approximately correspond to the size of the crown. If it is smaller, the roots will be cramped. If you take a larger pot, the Crassula will grow and develop very slowly.
The container can be made of any material, but since the flower looks very impressive and resembles a bonsai, it will look best in a ceramic or clay container. If you wish, you can even choose a special bonsai
There is also one important requirement for Crassula pots - they must have several drainage holes to remove excess moisture from the substrate
Appearance
In a wide variety of species, you can find both small compact bushes and large tree-sized plants.
But no matter the size of the fat plant, in all species the leaf blades grow on the stem opposite each other and resemble helicopter blades.
Over time, the trunk becomes coarser and the plant becomes tree-like.
The plant blooms extremely rarely. Depending on the variety, the blooms can be red, blue or white, collected in racemes or umbrella-shaped.
Crassula decorates homes, offices, classrooms, kindergartens and schools; flower growers love to cultivate this plant due to its hardiness and ease of care.
