Growing and caring for Crassula: what does the money tree like?

The indoor plant Crassula (Crassula and other names: Crassula, Krasula, Zhiryanka) is much more widely known as a green talisman, a money tree. It is believed that the flower attracts wealth and material well-being to the home. Crassula is also loved and respected for its character: it is not demanding and easy to care for, grows equally well in the shade and in bright light, and can do without water for a long time.

The plant looks very impressive, is easy to shape, making it ideal for bonsai and other excellent compositions. Along with the popular classic version, there are various hybrid varieties with an original appearance and low maintenance.

Growing Crassula at home is quite simple, but there are some subtleties, understanding which will allow you to provide ideal conditions for the plant so that it has a healthy and well-groomed appearance.

Despite the fact that Crassula feels good even under the influence of direct sunlight on a south window, the southeast side is most suitable for it. The tree also develops well on a window facing east.

With a lack of sunlight, the plant will also survive, but will stretch out and the color of the leaves will turn pale. If the bush is located on a north window, then the reddish tint of the leaves, characteristic of some species, will not appear. After prolonged shading during cloudy weather, as well as in early spring, it is recommended to gradually accustom the plant to sunlight to avoid unpleasant burns. During active growth, the money tree requires warmth and fresh air, so it will be grateful for moving to the garden or balcony.

In winter, the flower needs rest and peace. To do this, you need to put it in a cool room. The tree can withstand low temperatures down to minus two degrees. However, it tolerates winter well in normal conditions. The plant should not be placed near heating appliances.

If the fat plant is not removed to a cool place in winter, its shoots will stretch out and its leaves will fall off during this period.

What container is suitable for growing?

When choosing a flower pot, you should remember that the roots of Crassula are located close to the soil surface and are too sensitive to excess moisture, and the crown is wide and weighty. To ensure stability and favorable conditions for growth, the flower must be planted in a flat, wide and heavy container, the diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the crown.

At the bottom of the pot, you must place a layer of drainage, for example, expanded clay (2 cm). The greatest decorative effect is achieved if only one tree is planted in one container.

How to choose soil

The easiest way to purchase soil for Crassula is ready-made, at any gardening store. The plant is not demanding on the composition of the soil.Ready-made soil for cacti or other loose sandy substance is also suitable. You can prepare the soil mixture yourself.

Advice
The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends adding crushed charcoal to the soil to protect the roots from rotting when there is excess moisture.

How to water correctly

At home, minimal care is required. Watering is rare. It is recommended to do this only after the soil surface has completely dried. Crassula is a succulent plant, so it tolerates dry soil better than excess liquid. Excessive moisture is especially dangerous in winter. At this time, water rarely, an adult plant - no more than once a month. Soft leaves are a sign of lack of water.

For irrigation, water at room temperature is used. The most suitable time is evening.

What should the air humidity be?

The plant develops well in a dry atmosphere; no additional spraying is required. To remove dust from Crassula leaves, it is recommended to sometimes wipe them with a cloth or napkin soaked in water. The fat woman will not mind if the soil is covered with film.

How to feed

Crassula does not require frequent and abundant fertilizing. In spring and summer, once or twice a month is enough. Any fertilizer for succulents in the form of a solution will do. In winter, fertilizing is carried out much less frequently, and the concentration of fertilizer is halved.

Fertilizer is well accepted by the plant if applied to moist soil immediately after watering.

When the tree is transplanted into fresh soil, richly flavored with compost, it grows well and has large, succulent leaves; it should not be fertilized.

Variety of species

The flower is part of the Crassulaceae family and includes 300-350 varieties. Perennial and annual species of wild and indoor plants are distinguished. There are different forms: bushy, treelike and herbaceous.

The most famous types grown at home are:

• Crassula tree oval, or Ovata. This plant is in the form of a shrub, up to one meter high. The stem is woody, the branches are dense, the leaves are elongated, oval in shape. Some species may have red veins on the upper part of the leaf blade. Ovata is easy to care for and can be successfully grown at home. The flower tolerates shade well and has a large number of varieties, differing in color and shape.

• Crassula Minor. The low-growing variety is the most popular. The bush is compact, the leaf blades have a reddish tint, each is 1.5 cm long and 1 cm wide. Krasula Minor grows very slowly, so it is great for decorating a mini-garden.

• Crassula the Hobbit. This variety is a hybrid, obtained by crossing milkweed and Ovata. It is characterized by the fact that its leaf plates are of an original shape, turned outward, while they are fused from the stem to the middle. In its size and growth characteristics, Crassula Hobbit is similar to Ovata. This species is distinguished by a highly branched trunk, which makes it highly decorative. The plant is often used to form bonsai. The variegated varieties of hybrids are especially popular.

• Crassula Mix. One of the most famous varieties of the family, which is preferred by gardeners. The plant looks like a small bush. The leaves are dark green. The trunk is distinguished by its massiveness.

• Buddha Temple. This variety has an outstanding appearance. He is loved by many gardeners. It attracts attention not only with its original appearance, but also with its decent size. It remains erect up to 15 cm, then, most often, bends under its own weight.

How to replant

Young plants are replanted once a year. Mature bushes require relocation to new soil after three years. The procedure is carried out in spring, after the flower pot is filled with roots. To avoid damage to the plant, it is necessary to transfer it with a soil ball into a wide container with a diameter larger than the previous one, pouring fresh soil into the voids.

If the root system is large, it can be shortened a little to fit it into a new pot. The planted plant is watered carefully, in small portions, since overwatering and stagnation of moisture are likely to lead to rotting of the root system. It should be noted that planting in a wider container stimulates the growth of the fat plant, therefore, if it is necessary to accelerate growth, the operation is carried out more than once a year.

Advice
If you want to keep the bush compact, replant Crassula very rarely, using small containers or changing the soil to fresh one.

Features of reproduction

One of the main advantages of this plant is its ease of propagation. Various methods are used. The seed method is used very rarely, since propagation by cuttings is much simpler.

Cuttings are taken from the bush at any time of the year. However, in winter you will need additional lighting and protection from the cold.The cut cuttings are kept in the open air for 2-3 days, withering, after which they are planted in containers with a light substrate consisting of leaf soil, turf and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1.

Sometimes cuttings are pre-rooted by placing them in water with the addition of activated carbon for disinfection. After the roots appear and the seedlings begin to grow, they are planted one at a time in a container with a diameter of 5 cm.

If you want to propagate Crassula by seeds, mix leaf soil and sand in a 2:1 ratio. Scatter the seeds over the surface of the ground. Cover the container with glass, spray regularly and ventilate daily. Shoots appear in two weeks. Small plants are picked up and moved to a very bright place. When the young shoots begin to actively increase in size, they are planted one bush at a time in a permanent place. The composition of the soil used is the same as for cuttings.

How to avoid possible ailments

Crassula is characterized by excellent resistance to various negative influences. The tree successfully copes with errors in care, untimely watering and rare feeding. The plant tolerates it worse when it is overly cared for.

Excessive watering is detrimental to the crop. If there is no drainage, fluid stagnation often occurs, which leads to the occurrence of fusarium rot.

This disease is one of the most common. It first affects the root system, then rises to the root collar. A white-pink coating appears on the leaves.

A diseased bush most often dies. Rescue is possible only at an early stage of the disease. The plant is transplanted into new soil, completely removing the old soil and rotten root ends.To prevent the disease, it is necessary to fix the watering schedule and alternate watering with thorough drying of the soil.

A frequently observed ailment of Crassula is leaf drop. The reasons may be:

• excessive soil fertilization;
• increased ambient temperature;
• excessive moisture.

In extreme conditions, the flower multiplies very quickly. In wild conditions, Crassula produces young shoots from leaf blades, and this is the main reason for their falling off.

To heal a flower, you need to get rid of the damaging factor: replant it in new soil, place it in a room with a comfortable air temperature. If all the leaves have fallen, the top of the stem must be cut off and rooted.

To achieve long-term flowering, the tree is provided with good lighting, full dormancy with reduced watering in a cool room.

Pests rarely attack the plant. They can be: scale insects, false scale insects, aphids, mealybugs. Standard control methods should be used. In case of a large degree of damage, treatment with insecticidal solutions is performed. If there are few pests, it is enough to remove them mechanically: rinse with warm water or remove with a cloth soaked in alcohol.

To make your Crassula happy with its magnificent appearance, take care of it by following these simple tips.