What is decorative in a fat woman leaves, flowers, stems. Money tree: care secrets. Caring for a fat woman at home. Briefly

Crassula plant ( Crassula) or a money tree can be safely considered one of the most undemanding and common indoor flowers. It has earned such popularity due to its unpretentiousness to growing conditions. In addition, it is believed that this culture can attract wealth and good luck to the house. Such an association with the attraction of money is caused by a special shape of the leaves of the flower, which are very similar to coins.

Even though undemanding, there are still some recommendations for caring for a flower. They should be adhered to in order to grow a beautiful plant, and see how the fat woman or money tree blooms. To achieve this at home is quite difficult, but possible.

By providing optimal conditions for the plant, you are sure to wait for tender and strong-smelling inflorescences on the branches. It is worth noting that if you find a very old copy, do not hesitate - take it. Plants bloom at the age of at least 10 years. For some species, this period is reduced to 5 years.

What does the fat woman money tree look like and how does it bloom?

• Family: Crassulaceae (Crassulaceae).
• Homeland: South Africa. Wild species are most often found in the southern hemisphere. The Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar is the birthplace of this plant.
• What does this plant look like? Almost all types of crassula or crassula flower have a rather unusual appearance, so some of them (for example, Crassula capitella) are grown as indoor flowers.

The rhizome of plants is located in the upper parts of the soil. The roots are quite tender and thin. The stem at the base is thick, compacted and juicy. Further in its growth, it is prone to branching. May be erect or creeping. In the way, the flowers of many varieties of Crassula (Crassula ovata, Crassula arborescens) can easily form a crown.

The foliage is fleshy, round or oblong-oval in shape, sessile.

Flowering is a very rare phenomenon, but even in room conditions a tree can give color.

This family includes more than 300 species, among them are dwarf plants reaching 10 cm in height, and fairly large specimens growing up to 4 m. Most of them are perennials, but there are also annuals that die after their flowering.

Crassula, depending on the species and variety, may have a leaf color from dark green to yellowish. For example, Crassula argentea has silvery foliage, while Crassula ovate minor has purple tips on the leaves. It has been noticed that in a plant that has been under direct sunlight for a long time, the greens can be repainted red.

The shape of the leaves is also varied: from scaly-like formations on the branches to large round, oval and even triangular.

The edges may be rounded or serrated. In species of crassula that grow in particularly dry regions, grooves, cilia, appear on the surface of the leaves, which help moisture not to evaporate so quickly under the scorching sun.

Types and varieties of fat women: photos, names and descriptions of indoor flower varieties

All types and varieties of indoor flower called fat woman belong to large groups:

• Tree-like.
• Columnar.
• Creeping (lycosus).

The former are plants with fully or partially woody stems that lend themselves well to crown formation.

These include such types of flowers of the fat woman, such as Crassula ovata, Crassula arborescens , which are quite large in size, but bonsai trees can be easily formed from them.

One of the most common fat women of the tree group is the species Crassula ovata- the so-called money tree.

It is it that is most often found on the windowsills of houses, apartments, offices. It looks like a bush up to 100 cm high, its stem becomes woody as it grows.

Below is a description of some varieties of the species Crassula ovata:

Crosby's Compact has thick ovate leaves, painted green with a red border.

"Hummel's Sunset" distinguished by the presence of yellow stripes on the foliage. This variety is more like a tree in its shape.

Tricolor - a bright representative of Crassula ovata with a tricolor leaf shade, where green is combined with white stripes and a red border at the tips.

"Coral"- a variety that got its name due to the unusual shape of the leaf, which has an external resemblance to these marine inhabitants.

An interesting representative of the home indoor flower of the fat woman is the view Crassula arborescens , which differs in larger size from the species Crassula ovata and can reach 150 cm in height.

In room conditions, it is not grown as often, as it requires more careful care. But among the varieties of the species Crassula arborescens, one can also distinguish those that are used in home gardening.

Curly variety ( Crassula arborescens curviflora) has a trunk and crown, very reminiscent of parts of a tree, differs from the above varieties of Crassula ovata in a leaf plate. It is thinner, light green with a reddish trim at the end. The leaf margins are slightly wavy, giving the plant a decorative appearance.

A variety of undulatifolia is also considered very similar to curly crassula, but its foliage has a bluish color, and its edge is not wavy, but, as it were, slightly wrinkled.

See how the considered varieties and varieties of the above types of indoor tree-like fat women or money tree look like, in the photo:

The columnar group are plants that do not form branches during their growth. Several processes immediately depart from the root, and the leaves seem to cover the stalk.

A classic example is the hybrid variety "Buddha Temple".

The bright representatives of the crassulas of the columnar group are the varieties discussed below.

Group ( Crassula socialis): characterized by a medium-sized trunk, leaves, fused in pairs, having a triangular shape, reddish-green in hue with cilia at the end.

broad-leaved ( Crassula rupestris): has large shoots with leaves. The latter are rhomboid, densely located to the trunk, smooth, dense.

Perforate ( Crassula perforata): a variety with erect stems, which are covered with small, fleshy triangular-shaped leaves with a bluish color and interspersed with a whiter dark green or red hue.

Creeping (lycopsform)- a group of herbaceous type crassula. These are plants that quickly fill the space allotted to them.

Look at the crassula species Crassula lycopodioides in the photo:

The names of some forms fully convey their external characteristics, for example:

• pubescent.
• False-moss.
• Spot.

Pubescent or woolly got its name because of the silvery pile that covers the entire plant, from the root collar to the flowers. It grows as a very small shrub that spreads along the ground.

False lycopsus is one of the forms of the species Crassula lycopodioides, which is distinguished by its curved stems, and its leaves are not so strongly pressed against it and can have a variety of colors (yellow, silver), depending on the variety.

Crassula picturata - This is a type of creeping crassula, which is considered highly decorative, characterized by rosettes of fleshy leaves, completely covered with reddish dots.

It is quite difficult to list all the types, varieties, shapes and varieties of flowers of a fat woman or a money tree, many have changed in the process of selection work and look little like the familiar and well-known "inhabitants" of apartment window sills.

How to make a fat woman bloom at home: basic growing conditions

Crassula or Crassula is a tropical plant, therefore, some moments in caring for it will be such as to bring the conditions as close as possible to those native to the flower. It is important to remember that the period of active growth is spring and summer, and autumn and winter are the time of rest and slowing down of all life processes in the plant.

Before planting a fat woman or a money tree, choose the right pot: it should have holes in the bottom where excess water will go.

The main condition for growing a light-loving fat woman is to provide it with a bright, sunny place, but at the same time without exposure to direct midday sun. To create such conditions, in summer the flower is exposed to the air in a place protected from rain and not in the sun.

When growing in an apartment, a southeast window sill would be ideal, where the plant will have enough light with a minimum amount of direct sunlight. Here it can stand for the entire period of its active growth.

But for the winter it can be safely moved to the windowsill of the south window. During this period, the sunlight will not be as intense. It is noticed that the plant gives its color faster if you provide it with a shorter daylight hours. This is one of the ways to make the fat woman bloom faster at home.

Temperature: indoor, in winter you need coolness (about +10 ° C), which will help the plant survive the dormant period. If you can’t create such conditions in the cold season, then place the flower away from heating appliances. Otherwise, it will begin to stretch in growth, as well as let out very small leaves.

In summer, the ideal ambient temperature will be from +20 to +25 ° С. Try not to expose the plant to drafts during the period of active growth. After all, this is one of the factors why the flower of the fat woman turns yellow and the leaves fall off.

Air humidity: doesn't matter.

Substrate: flower soil mixture with 1/3 sand and 1/3 loam. Drainage is necessarily laid as the bottom layer. It is better to use expanded clay for this, which absorbs excess moisture well.

Watering: economical; keep the substrate almost dry in winter. Moisturizing a fat woman (money tree) is an important step in caring for a plant at home. You can’t fill it - this is the right way to rotting the root system, shedding foliage.

Humidification should be carried out only with settled water, the temperature of which will reach room temperature. If the plant is in the sun, then the top soil in the pot will dry out quickly, and its lower layers can remain quite wet.

This must be taken into account when caring for a flower. The easiest way to know when to moisten the soil is to check the top layer of the soil. If it has dried out 3-4 cm deep, then it's time to water.

The first indicator that the soil is waterlogged, and the plant is suffering from an excess of moisture, is shedding of foliage. It is these changes in the crassula that indicate the beginning of the decay of the root system.

Spraying is a necessary element in plant care. It is appropriate to carry it out on hot days or when the flower comes into contact with heating devices. Sometimes a crassula can also have a warm shower. If this does not work out, then in the process of growing and caring for the fat woman, ensure periodic spraying from the spray bottle.

Before showering for a plant, pre-wrap the pot with polyethylene so that excess moisture does not get into the soil. In the sun, a money tree can only be taken out after water has drained from it.

Top dressing: in the summer every 2 weeks to fertilize for cacti. But during the dormant period, it is quite enough to add excipients every three months. Do this the day after watering, so you save the root system from getting burned.

How to cut a fat woman at home and how to pinch it to form a crown (with video)

The version that the money tree does not require pinching is not true. In an apartment, the plant often branches a little, branches and processes are formed quite long and thin. Also, the problem of growing in the house is the fact that the stems do not always have time to become stiff, under the weight of the leaves they tend to the bottom, they can easily break off.

To prevent this from happening, you need to know how to properly cut a crassula or a fat woman, and carry out the procedure if necessary. In addition, pinching makes it possible to form the crown of the plant, which will have a beneficial effect on its external decorative characteristics.

The form of the crassula most often found in apartments is precisely a tree. It is important that there is only one sprout in one pot. If this rule is not observed, then over time, in the process of plant development, you will get not trees, but thickets. Under such conditions, the flower stretches upwards, branches poorly, the shoots do not allow each other to develop normally.

In order for your fat woman to grow correctly, you need to know how to form a crown. To perform the pinching procedure, wait until at least 4 pairs of leaves grow on the branch. As soon as a kidney appears in front of the last pair, remove it with tweezers or a fingernail. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the last pair of sheets.

In place of pinching, new buds will appear in greater numbers over time - these are the first signs that the plant has begun to branch. Remember these basic steps on how to properly pinch a fat woman plant. Rarely, but still it happens that subsequently one unnecessary process grows, and it should be removed immediately.

It is not advisable to pinch below 4 pairs of leaves - this will lead to the formation of an irregular crown. It is this distance that is guaranteed to provide the correct shape for your money tree in the future.

If you want to form a crown at an overgrown tree, then it is important to know how to properly cut a fat woman at home. Pinching an adult incorrectly formed plant will not give a result. Break off or cut off the upper part of the stem, and sprinkle the cut with ash. Over time, the “wounds” will heal, and new buds will grow in the axils of the old leaves. After 4 pairs of leaves appear, pluck the young shoots.

For more details on how to cut a fat woman, see the video below:

It may take more than one year to form the correct crown of an adult crassula. The flower grows quite slowly, so be patient. Do not prune in the first months after transferring the plant to a new pot - this can lead to disease and wilting of the fat woman. Give her time to take root in the new soil and you can carry out the formation.

How to plant a fat woman at home and how to transplant a money tree into a new pot

Transplantation is carried out if necessary.

Before transplanting a fat woman or a money tree, you need to know that the plant does not grow quickly, so you can carry out the procedure every 2 years. The most favorable period for this will be early spring.

If we are talking about a new seedling that you purchased in a shipping pot, then transplantation should be carried out no earlier than 2-3 weeks later. During this time, the plant will be able to adapt to new conditions and will more easily endure this procedure.

The main thing to pay attention to when transplanting:

• The soil.
• Pot.
• Drainage.

There are a number of rules, like crassula or fat girl in a new pot.

The ideal potting soil for a money tree would be a cactus mix, but you can also use an all-purpose potting soil. If your choice fell on the latter option, then it is advisable to add some sand.

The choice of a crassula pot has already been mentioned. It should be slightly larger than the previous version, wide enough, but not too high, with obligatory holes at the bottom. It is good to choose the diameter of the pot, based on the size of the crown of the tree.

They should be almost the same. If you notice that the tree has slowed down significantly in growth, it means that the pot is not sized correctly, it is too small for the plant, it should be replaced.

Before you properly plant a crassula or crassula in a pot, line the drainage at the bottom (expanded clay) in an even layer on the bottom up to 2 cm high. It absorbs excess moisture well and protects the plant from rotting of the root system due to waterlogging of the soil.

A money tree will survive transplanting more easily if some old soil is left on the root system. Such a process is called transshipment, while the plant, together with a lump of old earth, is transferred to a new pot, which is covered with an updated soil mixture intended for crassula.

How to care for a jade flower (money tree) at home after a transplant

When growing flowers of a crassula or a money tree, the owners are interested in how to care for the plant and what to do if traces of decay are noticed during the transshipment process. The first thing to do is to clean up those places. This is done by removing rotten areas with a sharp knife and drying the plant for 24 hours. After that, you can plant a copy in a prepared new pot with soil.

Be careful when handling the plant as it is very fragile and delicate.

The fat woman requires special care at home and after transplantation, and one of the important points will be to protect the plant from active sunlight. To do this, the first weeks after transshipment, the plant should be kept in partial shade.

Important! Outdoors, protect from sunburn. Watering is reduced to almost a minimum and is carried out only when the upper layers of the soil dry out to a depth of 3-4 cm.

Do not forget about spraying Crassul, which should be carried out no earlier than 2 weeks after the procedure. The first top dressing - not earlier than after 1.5 months.

How to propagate a fat woman (money tree) at home

Reproduction: apical cuttings, leaves - these are the most effective types of plant reproduction. Perhaps also seed, but it does not retain the maternal properties of the fat woman, and is quite complex, laborious. Therefore, the use of the vegetative method is considered the most acceptable at home.

Reproduction of the fat woman with apical cuttings gives almost 100% result, while maintaining all the features of the mother tree, and the rooting process can take place in two ways: in water or in the ground.

First you need to separate the planting material from the adult plant. Inspect and find a well-developed shoot about 10-12 cm in size on the bush. Separate it from the plant with a sharp knife, remove the lower leaves and leave to tuck for 24 hours.

If rooting is carried out in water, then the process is lowered into a container with water, to which any drug is added to enhance the development of the root system, for example, Kornevin. Try to install the planting material so that it does not drown in the liquid.

Leave the container with the sprout in partial shade, out of direct sunlight. The first roots will appear already in the 2-3rd week. The young plant is ready for planting in the ground. You already know how to transplant an adult fat woman at home, according to the same principles, the plant is planted after the roots appear. Prepare a small one, put drainage on the bottom, and fill half with soil.

Place the planting material and cover it with the remaining soil. Make sure that the soil does not affect the leaves, but only covers the place with the appeared roots. Moisten the soil and leave in partial shade for 2-3 weeks.

Rooting of the cuttings can be carried out immediately in the prepared soil. This is done in the following steps. Prepare pots: old ones should be washed with soap under running water, and new ones should be soaked in boiling water.

This will help to avoid the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the new soil, save the fat woman from the transfer of diseases and pests, such as mites, scale insects, fungal or bacterial bacteriosis, etc.

Pots choose small in height, but wide enough. There must be holes at the bottom of the container without fail.

Lay out the drainage and fill the pot with soil up to half. Use your finger or a pencil to make a small hole in the prepared soil and place the planting material there. Pour the earth, not reaching the edge of the pot by 2 cm, do not tamp.

The soil can be purchased at any flower shop (for cacti or universal), or you can cook it yourself by taking garden soil and sand (1: 1).

How to grow a fat woman at home after propagation by cuttings or leaves

You need to know a few rules on how to properly grow a fat woman at home from cuttings in order for rooting to be successful. Protect the seedling from direct sunlight. Watering should be moderate and only when the topsoil dries out. Water must be given to the plant at room temperature and poured along the edge of the pot. Over-watering will cause the cuttings to rot, so it's best not to overdo it.

And most importantly - in the first year, the location of the cutting, which is undergoing the rooting process, cannot be changed. After 12 months, you can safely transfer the young plant to a permanent place in a new larger pot.

If you are faced with the question of how you can propagate a fat woman with a leaf at home, then this process can also be carried out in the two above ways: in water with the addition of a root system growth accelerator or in a prepared soil mixture.

First you need to separate good planting material from the mother plant. Carefully inspect the crassula and find a well-developed leaf (choose among the lower ones). Separate it with a sharp knife and leave for a day.

When rooting with water, you should choose a suitable container in which you can conveniently place the planting material. It should be immersed in the liquid by 0.5 cm. Leave the leaf in a warm and bright place (without direct sunlight).

Reproduction of the fat woman in water with leaves passes quickly. The first roots are already visible for 3 weeks. Ready planting material is planted for a month in a shallow dish so that the root system continues to grow. After this time, a leaf with a more developed root can be moved to a pot 5-7 cm high. In one year, the first stems should appear, after which the young plant can be transferred to a looser dish.

The basic rule that tells you how to propagate Crassula without rotting planting material is to moisten it in a timely manner with a spray gun when the top layers of the soil dry out. After about 3 weeks, the leaf will take root. And then you should follow the recommendations for transplanting, as with rooting in water.

Why does the fat woman fall leaves: diseases and pests of the plant, treatment of the money tree

Diseases in a fat woman plant most often occur when the rules for caring for it are violated, and the main signal of such processes is the abundant fall of foliage.

Among the mistakes in growing, the following can be distinguished:

• Excessive watering.
• Insufficient hydration

The first leads to decay of the root system. The leaves become pale, lose their gloss, fade and crumble. Further, the damage passes to the stems, and it is very difficult to save the plant at this stage. The lack of moisture is manifested by yellowing and wilting of the foliage.

The answer to the question of why the leaves of an adult fat woman or a money tree fall may be to water the soil with cold tap water.

If you notice excessive reddening of the foliage and loss of firmness, then it is likely that the plant should be moved to a location with less sunlight. If, on the contrary, Crassula does not have enough lighting, she begins to stretch in growth. Its stems become thin, and the leaves are rare.

The fat woman is affected by such diseases and pests:

• Spider mite.
• Shchitovka.
• Mealybug.
• Rust.
• Powdery mildew.
• Bacteriosis.

It is better to get rid of them at the initial stage, when the defeat has not acquired a large-scale character.

So that a fat woman or a money tree is not exposed to diseases such as bacteriosis, rust, scab, it is enough to follow simple rules for caring for it, inspect the foliage and, at the first manifestations of the disease, carry out treatment.

There is a belief that the money tree attracts money to the house, and if the hostess has this flower in the house and grows well, then there is prosperity in the house. The scientific name of this flower is Crassula or Crassula. Caring for a plant is not difficult, the main thing is to follow some recommendations for caring for it.

The money tree can become the main part of the interior. It can also help in creating decorative alpine slides and the beautiful design of artificial reservoirs.

Description and types of money tree

Crassula plant was named for its thick fleshy leaves, capable of accumulating and retaining moisture in their leaf plates during the rainy season. Depending on the type of fat woman, it has leaves of various shapes:

• round;
• heart;
• oval;
• elongated, branch-like.

The size of the leaves is from 0.5 cm to 7 cm. The color of the leaf plates is from light green to dark green, sometimes the leaves, when exposed to sunlight, acquire a red border. The arrangement of leaves on the trunk opposite each other, and two pairs on one trunk form a cross of leaves.

Flowering at home is rare, as this plant needs certain conditions. The flower comes from southern Africa, but recently it has spread throughout the world, thanks to flower centers. Since the demand for them is not weakening.

Types of fat woman

This genus has a lot of species more than 350, but no one knows the exact number yet. Among them there are succulents and herbaceous species, there are even species that live under water. And all of them are divided according to their structure into three groups:

1. treelike;
2. columnar;
3. creeping.

But not all species are grown at home. The money tree belongs to the tree-like appearance of the fat women. Since with its trunk and leaves it resembles a tree in miniature. The light, stiff trunk is sprinkled with green leaves, in which the lower side acquires a reddish tint in summer. Almost every housewife has this common species in the CIS.

How to care for a money tree

Caring for this plant is not difficult even for a novice flower lover. But in order for the flower to grow compactly and resemble a small tree, you still need to follow it, know what land to plant it in and its other preferences.

Watering

Watering should be moderate at any time of the year. Since leaf plates tend to accumulate moisture, and therefore its excess can lead to plant rotting. Therefore, it is better to underfill than to overfill. There must be drainage at the bottom of the pot so that excess moisture does not accumulate at the bottom of the pot. Otherwise, root rot disease may occur.

You can actually adjust the watering by observing the condition of the leaves. If they become light and pale and wither slightly, then the flower receives too much moisture. In this case, watering is stopped until the soil is almost completely dry, and subsequently watering is reduced. In summer, one watering every ten days is enough.

Watering the money tree should be done only with settled warm water, so as not to cause the leaves to fall.

Lighting

Since the plant comes from a hot country in Africa, it will not have anything against a great sunny place on the windowsill. Therefore, the southern windowsill for the whole year, except for the summer months, is an excellent habitat for this plant. But strangely enough, in the summer it will require some shading there and it can be placed deep into the room or even transferred to another window sill. Also, the flower will grow well on a non-glazed balcony, but not on the south side.

With sufficient lighting, the money tree will look compact, the leaves will be located close to each other. And if there is not enough light, the trunk of the tree will stretch and bend.

In order for the trunk of the fat woman to be even, it should not be leveled with the help of various devices. It just needs to be rotated evenly with respect to the sun. In this case, the foliage will grow evenly and the plant will not skew.

Soil for Crassula

And here Crassula is not capricious and often grows in any soil. But it is best to provide it with soil that is more suitable for its proper cultivation. For this, ready-made soil for cacti and succulents is suitable, to which a little nutritious soil is added, for example, for ficuses. The soil ratio for cacti and ficuses is 3/1, respectively.

Nutrition

Since the earth in a pot does not have endless nutritional value, then some time after transplanting, the flower must be fed. For this purpose, specialized fertilizers for cacti and succulents, which are sold in flower shops, are perfect. The dosage is done as written on the label or in the instructions attached to the fertilizer.

The flower is fed once or twice a month during strong vegetative growth. You can water every week with fertilizer for cactus plants, but then you need to water the plant, diluting the fertilizer in water in half the dose.

Watering with fertilizer is carried out on slightly damp ground, so as not to cause a burn of the root system of the fat woman. In winter, fertilizer is usually not used, but if the leaves have darkened and begun to dry out, then you can carry out a one-time flower fertilizer in a half dose of fertilizer.

pruning

The plant, even with significant longevity, does not need pruning. It is carried out in isolated cases, when the branch is too out of the general growth of the vegetative mass of the plant. And if you let it grow alone, protruding too far beyond the crown, then, firstly, it is not beautiful, and secondly, the center of balance of the crown may shift and the flower will lose balance.

There are also branches of Crassula that simply do not want to branch. They grow to a considerable height up to 20 cm, without giving a single branch. In this case, pinch the two upper internodes. At the same time, the leaf plates are not removed from the trunk, they themselves will eventually begin to fall off themselves when the trunk becomes stiff, growing in width.

Also, if the crown does not want to branch strongly, creating a fluffy crown, then you should pinch the branches, which will cause new shoots to appear, which will lead to the formation of a denser crown.

Pinching is carried out either with secateurs, which is best, as it leaves more even cut edges, and at the same time they heal quickly. And also cut with scissors and pinch with nails.

Transfer

After acquiring a flower in a store or from hands in the market, it is worth transplanting it into a new land. Young crassulas are transplanted annually to a new land, and old ones as far as possible. In this case, the capacity is selected end-to-end along the root system of the plant. It can be advised instead of expanded clay, for older money trees, to use gravel. This will create an excellent counterbalance to the growing vegetative mass of the crown, and the flower will be more stable.

Old trees are transplanted mainly by transshipment, so as not to damage its root system. To do this, take a container only 1 cm larger in diameter from the previous one. Gravel is poured at the bottom, a flower is placed and new earth is poured around.

If the pot suits the size, and the condition of the flower does not need to be transplanted, then in the spring only the top 2 cm of the soil can be replaced.

reproduction

Crassula reproduces quite easily with the help of layering. For this, a stalk no more than 10 cm is cut off and placed in water. After 10 days, he already has a small root system, after which he is planted in the ground. It is necessary to ensure that the soil of a young tree does not dry out, but is slightly moist.

The stalk can not only be rooted in water, but can be immediately stuck next to the mother bush into the ground. When it begins to grow, it is carefully pry off with a tablespoon and, with a clod of earth, is transferred to a separate small glass for seedlings.

It can also be propagated by leaf. To do this, the leaf is placed on the soil and lightly pressed down with that end into the ground, with which it was attached to the tree trunk. After some time, the leaf acquires its own root system. But this happens only if the leaf was absolutely healthy, and did not fall due to wilting.

The money tree does not propagate by seeds, since flowering, and, consequently, obtaining seeds, is a rather rare phenomenon. It is easier to use cuttings. But, if there is a desire, then they are sown in a bowl on slightly damp ground and covered with glass to obtain friendly shoots.

Daily airing of such a small greenhouse is required. It is carried out twice a day in the morning and in the evening. This is done in order not to get mold instead of small crassula sprouts. The temperature in the room where the seeds are grown must be within 25 degrees Celsius, otherwise the seeds will not hatch. When the sprouts break into the light, the glass is removed.

And when the seedlings acquire leaves in the amount of 4 pieces, they are seated either in one planting box at a distance of 10 cm from each other or in separate 200 gr. cups for their further development.

Air humidity

Humidity is not of particular importance for the fat woman, but the leaf plates must be washed and she will not refuse a warm shower in the summer. This is all done for hygienic purposes so that the foliage can breathe, saturating the bush with oxygen.

In summer, fat women feel great in the fresh air and therefore the best place for summer maintenance is an open terrace or simply a place in the garden, but covered from the midday heat. Since sometimes the summer temperature in our country exceeds 40 degrees Celsius and then the Crassula can burn out in the sun and lose leaves.

He likes spraying from a small spray gun, but this cannot be done in the sun, as the leaf plates will burn out and they will not recover after such a burn. Comfortable temperature for the existence of summer 25 degrees Celsius.

When the heat rises above 30 degrees, the crassula stops absorbing water and you need to be more careful with watering so as not to destroy the plant. Summer bathing in the shower is also welcome, but at the same time, the pot must be put in a bag and tied so that water does not fall on the ground. Because an excess of moisture, even in summer, can cause rotting of the root system, and then the death of the whole plant.

How to care for a fat woman in winter

The winter temperature of keeping fat women should ideally be close to 10-15 degrees Celsius. The dryness of the winter air in the apartment due to central heating does not pose a threat to life for Crassula. But at the same time, it is worth ventilating the rooms and wiping its leaves from dust.

In order for the plant to bloom with small delicate flowers, it needs to provide some care in the winter. To do this, the following rules must be met:

1. The flower must be at least seven years old.
2. The plant should stand on a windowsill with a southeast orientation.
3. Avoid sunburn on leaves.
4. In winter, the plant must, first of all, be kept in the correct temperature regime. That is, the temperature in the room should not exceed 10-15 degrees Celsius. Under this condition, flower buds will be laid at the crassula. Pruning is not worth it, as the buds are laid at the ends of the branches.

How to make a fat girl roll

Watch the video to find out why the money tree does not bloom.

The secret is very simple - when transplanting, try not to use large pots and planters, otherwise you will not see the beautiful, bewitching flowering of the money tree for a very long time.

Diseases and infections of the fat woman

Most often, the plant begins to hurt only when the rules for caring for the money tree are not followed. If the plant receives an excess of sunlight, then its leaves wrinkle.

fall leaves

Sometimes a money tree has an unhealthy abundant leaf fall. Causes:

1. Too frequent watering.
2. Cold water used for irrigation.
3. Lack of moisture.
4. Overfeeding the plant with various fertilizers.

1. Adjust watering schedule.
2. Excess moisture can be removed by carefully pulling the flower out of the pot and wrapping it in disposable towels, which will absorb excess moisture.
3. Adjust feeding mode.

The money tree may be subject to root rot disease: the foliage turns black from below. It is necessary to remove the damaged roots, treat the plant and, of course, plant it in fresh soil and a new planter. The cache-pot can be simply processed. If left untreated, the plant may die.

It is also noticed that the fat girl depends on the psychological state of the owner. If a person gets sick, then something wrong can happen to the tree.

When purchasing a flower, you should always read the literature on how to care for it in order to achieve good growth. As people say: "Get a money tree in your house, and it will attract financial well-being to your home." Whether this is true is up to each individual. But this wonderful plant always attracts the admiring glances of people who love flowers.

To have money at home

Where and how to buy Crassula

Like many plants, the money tree can be purchased at flower shops. But usually they don't have much choice. Since this particular tree is the most popular plant for a gift, many are looking for an already adult tree. And the Avito website will help us with this, where a huge selection of trees of various ages and species from lovers of indoor plants is presented. Some flower growers specifically grow crassula for sale.

And I found my money tree in the Ikea store, it was love at first sight. It is quite small, costing only 250 rubles.

1. Growing temperature: throughout the year, the fat woman can be kept at normal room temperature.

2. Lighting: in the morning and in the evening - direct rays of the sun, in the afternoon - light shading. The fat woman is light-requiring and, in low light, will begin to stretch.

3. Watering and humidity: plentiful, but rather rare watering, even during the growing season. Let the soil surface dry a few inches deep between waterings in spring and summer. In winter, especially when kept in a cool place, the frequency of watering is minimized, simply preventing the soil from completely drying out. Humidity should not be increased.

4. pruning: mainly sanitary, which consists in the timely removal of old and diseased shoots. Some varieties need shaping pruning, with which you can form a fat woman even in the bonsai style.

5. Priming: Well-drained substrate with a high content of river sand, even nutrient-poor substrate is possible.

6. top dressing: during the entire growing season - 2 times a month.

7. reproduction: seeds or stem cuttings, rooted in spring and summer.

botanical name: Crassula.

Crassula tree - family . Fatty.

Houseplant money tree - the birthplace of the plant. The plant originates from South Africa.

What does it look like. Crassula or money tree is a hardy succulent plant that forms a woody plant with age. trunk covered with brown bark.

Leaves fleshy, thick, oval, green, glossy, opposite leaf arrangement. May take on a reddish tint when grown in full sun.

flowers small, white or pink. After flowering, the trees form fruits - leaflets containing seeds.

Height. At room conditions reaches 1m. when grown as a bonsai under conditions of competent pruning, it does not exceed 30 cm. Some varieties take on impressive sizes with age.

2. Fat woman - home care

2.1. How to transplant a fat woman

Crassula can be in the same pot for several years, grow slowly and do not require frequent replanting.

1. A pot for a large adult fat woman should be picked up heavy so that it does not tip over under the weight of the plant.
2. Transplant in the warm season - in spring and summer.
3. Planting in a new soil is carried out at the same depth at which the plant was in the previous pot.
4. At the bottom of the pot, before placing the plant, put a good layer of drainage in the form of broken bricks, clay shards or expanded clay. Also, river pebbles can be used as a drainage layer.

2.2 Diseases and pests

• The plant becomes elongated and weak in the absence of light.
• Decay occurs when flooded and kept in too cool conditions, as well as with insufficient ventilation.
• The root system rots with insufficient drainage. Affected plants are often impossible to save and in this situation it is possible to re-root cuttings obtained from their shoots. Thus, the plants are additionally rejuvenated.
• stretched out in low light.
• Leaves fat women wrinkle with insufficient watering.
• Leaf blades blush when grown in direct sunlight.

From harmful insects Aphids, mealybugs, thrips, scale insects can feast on leaves.

Insects - pests

insect name	Signs of infection	Control measures
	The surface of the leaves and shoots is covered with a fluffy cotton-like white coating. Plants lag behind in development	Folk remedies: spraying with soapy-alcohol solution. Infusion of tobacco, garlic, cyclamen tubers, alcohol treatments, and pharmacy tincture of calendula performed well. Chemicals: green soap solution, Aktellik, Fitoverm.
	Sticky droplets appear on the leaf blades, leaf blades curl and deform, tender buds and young leaves wither. On the tops of the shoots, buds or the underside of the leaf plates, insect colonies can be seen. The flowers of an aphid-infested plant may become misshapen.	Folk ways: nettle infusion, decoction of rhubarb leaves, wormwood, soap solution, tobacco and dandelion infusion, onion, marigold, yarrow, tansy, dusting with virgin ash. Chemicals: Sulfur powders, treatment with green potassium soap of green mass without getting into the ground, Decis, Aktellik, Fitoverm.
	The appearance of yellow spots on the leaf plates, small brown dots can be observed on the underside of the leaves. When spreading, pests cause the leaves to turn yellow, dry and fall off.	Folk ways. Increase the humidity of the air, wipe the surface of the leaves with soapy water to reduce the number of pests. Preparations based on pyrethrum - 2-fold treatment with an interval of 7-10 days, spraying with tobacco infusion, infusion of yarrow or Persian chamomile, decoction of cyclamen tubers. Chemicals: dusting with sulfur powders, the use of anabasin - sulfate in a soapy solution.
	Sticky droplets on the leaves, yellow small spots on the surface of the leaf blades. With a large spread of scale insects, they contribute to the drying and falling of leaves. Flowers slow down	Folk methods of struggle. Spraying with soapy-alcohol solution. Scale insect larvae do not like garlic infusion, they also use pyrethrum-based products. Chemicals. Fitoverm, Aktellik, Fufanon.

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2.3. When the indoor fat woman blooms

Bloom time - spring. Blooms only with good care.



2.4. How to cut and shape the plant

Plants are extremely unassuming, growing a fat woman is within the power of many novice flower lovers.

With age, the main trunk naturally branches, so usually the crassula does not need pruning.

Some varieties have young stems pinching for the formation of side shoots.

Pruning plants is necessary only with sharply sharpened sterile secateurs or a knife.

When grown in style bonsai cut roots during transplantation and stems. Pruning promotes the formation of a thick, powerful main trunk and the plant tolerates it well.

Wipe shiny wet leaves sponge to remove dust.

Adult tall plants may need to develop prop.

Take out the flowerpot with this succulent to fresh air in the warm season - in the summer, placing the plant under shelter from rain, strong wind and scorching sunlight during the daytime.



2.5. Reproduction of the fatty

Fat girl at home l easily propagated vegetatively cuttings.

1. Root stem and leaf cuttings.
2. The cut site is dried for several days.
3. Rooting is carried out in a mixture of wet peat and sand for 2 to 8 weeks.

It will be interesting for especially patient and inquisitive flower growers to grow a fat woman. from seed but it will take a lot of time.

2.6. Watering

Water plentifully, but remember that the soil should dry out between waterings at any time of the year.

The frequency of watering will depend on the conditions of detention, air temperature, time of year, amount of sunlight.

Excess moisture accumulated in the pan after watering is drained after a few minutes, not allowing the water to stagnate.

Plant endures small dry periods and requires watering if its lower leaves have become soft and slightly wrinkled. Young plants require regular watering.

2.7.Growing soil

The basic rule when choosing a substrate for crassula is that it must be well drained.

Suitable ready-made land for cacti and succulents with the addition of coarse river sand. The soil should easily pass moisture and air to the roots of the plant.

2.8. What and how to feed

Fertilize low nitrogen designed for succulent plants.

During the growth period, the fertilizer is diluted to half the recommended dose and applied monthly.

Fertilize only in moist soil, after abundant watering. Getting fertilizer on the roots in dry soil can cause a burn.

2.9 Content temperature

Fat woman home - very thermophilic a plant that can tolerate very high air temperatures with increasing humidity.

The ideal temperature range is 18 to 24°C. In autumn and winter, do not expose crassula to temperatures below 10 ° C.

Wintering can take place at normal room temperature.

2.10 Spraying

It is not necessary to spray the fat woman, in the autumn - winter months air around plants must be dry.

In the warm season, spraying can be done with soft water at room temperature. At the same time, do not forget that the plant must receive good air movement so that the water evaporates before dark.

When spraying, it is important not to fall on the flowers.

2.11. Lighting for a fat woman

Fat girl is light-loving plant, a brightly lit location with direct sunlight in the morning and evening for at least 3 hours a day is suitable for its cultivation.

In autumn and winter, when the sun is often obscured by clouds, you may need to artificial lighting- lighting with fluorescent or phytolamps.

2.12. Purpose

An excellent choice for beginner bonsaists. An adult, overgrown houseplant, a fat woman looks like a real tree.

Variegated varieties will decorate any interior.

2.13 Note

Surprisingly unpretentious plant capable of long years live in room conditions. Different types of crassula are so diverse that it is sometimes difficult to attribute plants to the same genus.

In some countries, crassula is given as a gift for weddings and housewarmings, as it is believed that it attracts money to the house.

It is believed that some types of fat woman purify the air in a room where it is kept from harmful impurities.

Hydroponics.

3. Varieties of fat women:

3.1. Crassula ovoid, or Crassula ovata

Attractive evergreen tree with a strong trunk, which is often used for bonsai cultivation. The stem is thick, covered with dark brown bark, bears abundantly branching shoots. The leaf blades are teardrop-shaped, green, glossy, often turning burgundy at the edges when grown in direct sunlight. With age, plants of this subspecies can reach a height of 3 m, but it takes them more than one decade. Variegated varieties of this fat woman have cream-striped green leaves or very bright pink leaves. Small white star-shaped flowers are collected in large inflorescences at the tops of the stems. Oval fat women also include fat girl Sunset- a subspecies with brightly colored leaves. The main tone of the leaves is dark green, turning into orange or pink along the edge of the leaf blade. Over time, this variety turns into a large tree.

This variety also includes tree-like And Fat Gollum,having thick, rounded in cross section, fleshy leaves, collected in whorls and resembling fingers. The upper edge of the leaves is flattened or even hollow, often burgundy or reddish.

3.2. Crassula lycopodioides

Evergreen succulent shrub up to 40 cm high with a very peculiar appearance. When looking at this plant, it is impossible to attribute it to the genus Crassula. The bush has thin, randomly curved, abundantly branched green shoots, densely covered with small, light green or bluish leaves resembling needles. With age, the stems become woody and covered with brown bark. The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, solitary or collected in few-flowered inflorescences.

3.3.T purslane - Crassula portulacea

It resembles the above-described species - an ovoid fat woman. With age, it turns into a beautiful tree with a compact crown of abundantly branching branches with dark green, teardrop-shaped, glossy leaves. It reaches a height of 2 m, the flowers are white or pink, small, but the flowering is very plentiful and long.

3.4. Pierced fat woman or Nile - Crassula perforata, Crassula nealeana

An unusually beautiful subspecies with erect, unbranched shoots, densely covered with triangular green or burgundy pairs of sessile leaves, reaches a height of 45 cm. The flowers are pale yellow, small, attractive leaves are the main value.

3.5. Schmidt's fat woman - Crassula Schmidtii

Unlike previous species, this chic plant can be attributed to ornamental flowering. One of the smallest species - reaches only 20 cm in height. The stems are branched at the base, light brown, contrasting well with the dark green, oblong leaves. The leaves are thick, fleshy, oblong - triangular in shape, the upper surface has small depressions. During the flowering period, small inflorescences appear at the ends of the stems - umbrellas with bright, pink, bell-shaped flowers that do not exceed 5 mm. in diameter. There are plants with white flowers. Flowering is abundant and long.

3.6. Crassula rupestris

It resembles a pierced fat woman - low erect stems of this species are densely covered with green or pinkish-yellow, thick, juicy leaves, as if beads strung on a thread. The leaves are triangular or rounded, have a smoother outline, unlike the pierced fat woman, often covered with a waxy bluish coating. Plants reach a height of 50 cm. During the flowering period, the plant throws out inflorescences - umbrellas in white small flowers.

3.7. Crassula falcata - Crassula Falcata

An evergreen succulent shrub that develops a short and thick stem with age. The main distinguishing feature of this species are large bluish-green or gray, sessile leaves, arranged in pairs, as if emerging from each other. The plant can be attributed to both ornamental and flowering. During the flowering period, the sickle-shaped fat woman forms a large inflorescence - an umbrella on a low, strong peduncle. The flowers are small, pink or salmon, have an attractive aroma, flowering is long. Plant height varies and is 60 - 120 cm.

3.8. Carpet fat woman - Crassula socialis

Miniature evergreen perennial up to 6 cm high during flowering and less during the rest of the year. Over time, plants form dense grassy mats. The leaves are juicy, thick, light green, triangular, reach a length of 4 - 6 mm. and densely cover the stems of the plant. When grown under the scorching rays of the sun, the leaves may acquire a pinkish color. During the flowering period, which occurs mainly in late summer - autumn, vertical, leafless peduncles form on the tops of the stems. At the tops of the peduncles are small branched inflorescences with small, white flowers.

3.9. Crassula point - Crassula picturata

Spectacular ornamental succulent with strong, upright shoots branched at the base. The leaves are thick, sessile, heart-shaped or lanceolate, often covered with slight pubescence, arranged in opposite pairs. Leaf blades are light green, velvety, with small, dark speckles and a thin border along the edge. With prolonged exposure to the sun, the leaves turn a pinkish tint. Small apical inflorescences appear in the warm season and consist of small, pinkish or white flowers.

3.10. Crassula helmsii

Herbaceous succulent perennial plant with rounded, decumbent stems about 1 mm thick, up to 130 cm long. The leaves are juicy, thick, needle-like, resemble needles, light green in color, reach a length of 2.5 cm. During the flowering period, plants form small, inconspicuous, axillary, white flowers with 4 pointed petals.

3.11. Milford's Crassula - Crassula milfordiae

An evergreen ground cover succulent that forms thick, grassy mats resembling a saxifrage. Stems are thick, creeping, abundantly branched at the base. The leaves are sessile, light green, burgundy, pink or covered with a bluish bloom, collected in whorls, often with a slight attractive pubescence on the surface. Leaf blades are triangular. In the summer months, the plants adorn themselves with strong, erect, thick peduncles with inflorescences - umbrellas on top. Each umbrella consists of several white or pink, small, delicate flowers.

3.12. Felt fat woman - Crassula tomentosa

A miniature biennial or perennial plant with leaf rosettes consisting of glossy, green leaves covered with rich silvery hairs. The leaf blades are rounded, reach a diameter of 3 - 10 cm. During the flowering period, the plants form a thick, erect, unbranched stem 10 - 60 cm high, on which the leaves are arranged in opposite pairs. At this point, the plants often resemble a children's toy - a pyramid, since the higher the leaves are located, the smaller they are. Each rosette is able to bloom only 1 time - then it dies, leaving numerous offspring around it.

3.13. Milk Crassula - Crassula lactea

Perennial succulent plants with thick, branched, succulent, brown stems up to 40 cm high. Leaves are light green or bluish green, sessile, heart-shaped, arranged in opposite pairs, when grown in direct sunlight can acquire a bronze or slightly pinkish tint. An interesting feature of the plant is the presence on the leaves of small, white dots along the edge. This variety blooms very profusely. Short, strong peduncles appear at the tops of the shoots and carry inflorescences - umbrellas, consisting of numerous white or pinkish flowers.

3.14. Fat Marnier - Crassula marnieriana

Extremely attractive ornamental deciduous plants with thick, branching, branched at the base, erect or decumbent stems. This plant can be used both as a spectacular ground cover and as an ampel specimen, growing in a hanging pot. The leaves are light green or bluish, very thick, juicy, sessile, broadly triangular, densely covering the stems. With prolonged exposure to the sun, the ribs of the leaves turn into a bright burgundy or pinkish hue, which gives the plant an additional attractiveness. In the summer months, short peduncles appear at the tops of the shoots, at the top of which are small inflorescences with many pinkish flowers.

3.15. Crassula "Morgan beauty" - Crassula Morgan's Beauty

A bright, compact beauty up to 10 - 30 cm high. The low, powerful stems of this plant bear wide - triangular, thick, juicy leaves. The leaf blades are green, covered with a thick, silvery-blue bloom. The flowers are bright pink or crimson, collected in large, rounded umbrellas, in perfect contrast with the foliage.

3.16. Crassula Undulatifolia - Crassula arborescens subsp. undulatifolia

Tall succulents with thick, branching shoots that become woody with age and covered with light brown bark. The leaves are bluish or light green, oval, on short petioles, arranged in opposite pairs. Leaf blades are entire, have a beautifully curved shape, due to which the plant seems curly. With age, this species is able to reach a height of about 2 m, but it develops slowly. White or pink, attractive flowers are collected in apical umbrellas.

3.17. Crassula Nudicaulis

The erect stems of this plant are bright brown and covered with many thick, succulent leaves. The leaves are light green, sessile, thick - almost round in cross section, narrowly lanceolate. Leaf blades are often painted in a bright burgundy hue. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, greenish or cream, always remain half closed.

3.18. Crassula pyramidal - Crassula pyramidalis

A spectacular representative of fat women with thick stems, which in older plants branch at the top and form a lush crown. The leaves are glossy, green, triangular, reach a length of 8 mm., are arranged so densely that they give the appearance of tetrahedral, thick stems. The inflorescences are apical, closely adjacent to the stems and consist of small salmon, white or pink flowers.

3.19. Crassula columnaris - Crassula columnaris

Attractive, undersized succulent with thick, juicy, rounded stems. During the flowering period, the plant forms on top of these stems inflorescences with orange-red, tubular flowers.

You may also be interested in:

There is a lot of information on how to care for a money tree. This is a very unpretentious plant, but there are rules that must be followed in order to grow a kind of symbol of wealth and good luck on your windowsill, according to Chinese mythology.

The money tree is a plant from the succulent genus, the Tolstyankov family, in which there are a huge number of species and subspecies. Many of them are mistakenly called money trees, but this is not quite the correct definition.

Temperature

15 to 25 degrees

Transfer

It is advisable to avoid

Reproduction methods

cuttings, seeds

disease resistance

High stability

Crassula ovata- the fat woman is ovoid, has rounded, large, thick leaves, which in their appearance resemble coins, therefore it is this plant that is correctly called the money tree, or crassula (from lat. Crassula). And this unique plant has its own individual care requirements at home.

According to folk beliefs, if you put coins in a pot with a money tree, then there will always be prosperity in the house.

Money tree: briefly about the flower

The money tree is a perennial tree-like evergreen plant, with a lignified thick trunk below, its height in nature can reach 3 m, and at home it is very rarely higher than 1 m. It has very thick, fleshy and shiny leaves, grayish-green in color, sometimes with red edging or white dotted.

It includes 300-350 species, which mainly grow in the Southern Hemisphere (Africa, South America). As a houseplant, only a few species are used, the most common is the egg-shaped fat woman. It has many varieties that differ in the shape of the leaves and their color.

Everyone is used to believing that the fat woman is not a flowering plant, but in its natural habitat it blooms, but only at the age of 10-15 years. This can be achieved in room conditions, but only with proper care, and after 15-20 years.

Money tree flower. Crassula blooms with light pink flowers, similar to asterisks, which are collected in medium-sized, numerous inflorescences. Flowering time - autumn, winter.

How to care for a money tree

Different types of fat woman practically do not differ in terms of care, usually it is an unpretentious and hardy plant.

Where to put a money tree

The money tree loves a lot of light, so for it you should choose the brightest place in the apartment - the western or southern window. In poor light, its tops are extended, and the stems weaken and fall.

The fat woman feels good in warmth, at a temperature of 20-25 degrees. If in winter it is not possible to adhere to this temperature regime, then it is necessary that the temperature at least does not fall below +5 +10 degrees, but not for a long period.

But, with its special love for light, the money tree can also grow in partial shade, but with the condition of at least 3-4 hours of sunlight.

In summer, the money tree can be taken out to the balcony, or even outside under cover, but not immediately exposed to direct sunlight, but let the plant adapt.

Watering

Since the birthplace of the money tree is arid South Africa, this plant has the unique ability to accumulate the necessary amount of moisture in itself - therefore it does not need frequent watering. Even so much so that constant, abundant and frequent watering for Crassula threatens her with root rot and death. After all, most often, all the obvious symptoms of damage to the rhizome appear when the plant is almost impossible to save.

The intensity of watering the fat woman depends on the time of year - in spring and summer you need to moisten the soil as soon as it dries out. But, it is important to ensure that the earthen ball does not dry out much, because it is very harmful to the roots of the plant. But in autumn and winter, before watering, you need to check the condition of the soil - if the earth is dry at a depth of two phalanges of fingers, then it is necessary to moisten it, and if it is wet, then it is not necessary.

Usually, in the fall, the money tree is watered once every 1-1.5 weeks, and in winter, during the dormant period, even once a month, but on the condition that the pot with the plant did not stand on the windowsill above the hot battery.

Important From time to time, clean the surface of the leaves from dust by spraying or with a damp cloth.

Watering should be carried out with slightly warm, settled water and in such an amount that water does not appear on the pan in any case. If suddenly this happened, this liquid must be poured out.

Interesting. that at a temperature of + 10 + 15, a money tree feels good even for more than two weeks without watering.

Choosing a money tree pot

The fat woman is very similar to a miniature tree, with a knotty trunk and branched shoots that form a lush and very heavy crown. Therefore, the pot for planting this plant must be heavy, since the light one under its weight can tip over or fall on its side, while the branches and leaves break very quickly.

The correct pot for a money tree should also not be deep and not too wide, because in a too deep and large pot, the roots tend to go deep, and the plant itself goes up, which makes the trunk stretch, become weak and thin.

Important, there should be large holes at the bottom of the pot so that excess moisture comes out very quickly and there is no stagnation of water.

Here is a small clay pot that is best for planting a money tree, it should be flat and shallow

Soil for the money tree

Crassula is an unpretentious plant, but still, for the good growth and development of this plant, soil structure is very important.

The money tree needs rough and loose soil that is well-permeable to air and water. This can be achieved by mixing soil and sand (or clay substrate) in a 2:1 ratio.

Also, for planting this plant, a ready-made mixture for cacti or succulents, sold in specialized stores, is well suited. The fat woman does not like acidic soils, but prefers neutral and alkaline ones, and such mixtures have an optimal level of acidity and are best suited for growing a money tree. With self-preparation of the soil, acidity can be reduced with the addition of wood ash. Ideal soil recipe for crossula:

• 1 part - river sand, well washed from dust.
• 1 part - leaf humus without knots and branches.
• 3 parts - clay-turf land, without roots and grass.
• 1 part - gravel or brick chips or expanded clay, crushed and sifted from dust.

You can also add a little crushed chalk or crushed eggshells to this mixture.

Gravel for planting a fat woman should be chosen very small - 3-5 mm or slightly larger - 5-10 mm.

Transfer

The money tree does not tolerate transplanting very well, so if there is no urgent need for it, the plant is best left alone, as it can grow in the same substrate for several years. If desired, you can simply remove the top layer of the earth and fill up a new one, while not touching the rhizome.

The exception is young plants that grow quickly and fill the entire pot with roots. Therefore, they need to be transplanted as they fill up, as a larger pot stimulates the growth of the plant.

The process of transplantation in stages:

1. You need to take a pot a little larger than the previous one, and put a drainage layer of at least 2-3 cm on the bottom.
2. Carefully remove the money tree, with the old lump from the pot, and put it in a new bowl.
3. If the root of the plant is too long, it can be shortened before planting and sprinkle the cut with ash.
4. Fill the remaining voids with fresh, specially prepared soil.

Young plants can be transplanted into light plastic pots.

Top dressing and fertilizer

The money tree absorbs nutrients only during the period of its active growth - in spring and summer, but in autumn and winter, during the dormant period, it is better not to apply fertilizer without urgent need. But, if a decision is made on the need to feed the plant during this period, then the standard dose must be reduced at least twice.

In the spring and summer, you need to feed the fat girl 1 time in 21 days. Fertilizers should be applied only to watered soil and after watering, 2-3 hours should pass, after top dressing, the plant needs to be watered a little again.

An excess of one of the trace elements, as well as its lack, lead to disastrous consequences.

Important: do not fertilize dry soil, as this leads to a burn of the rhizome and the death of the plant. Also, the money tree cannot be fed if the plant is sick or pests have started on it.

Immediately after planting or transplanting, it is also not worth fertilizing, since the special planting soil is already saturated with the necessary macro and microelements. Therefore, this procedure is carried out at least three months later, and after the purchase of the plant - after one. After all, an excess of fertilizer does more harm to the viability of the plant than its lack.

How to understand what microelements the money tree lacks? The following are common symptoms, but they must be treated very carefully, because they can be signs of some kind of disease, insufficient lighting or improper care.

• The foliage acquires a yellowish tint and crumbles - this is a lack of potassium, in this case potassium salt (40%), potassium chloride or potassium sulfate are shown. But, its excess leads to the destruction of the rhizome.
• Spots on the leaves, dull and yellowish color, twisted tips of the leaves - this is a lack of molybdenum, you can feed the money tree with ammonium molybdate.
• Weak root and stem growth, frequent death of young leaves - lack of calcium, calcium nitrate and calcium sulfide should be used for fertilizer.
• Sluggish shoots and slow growth of the plant and leaves are a lack of phosphorus, which can be replenished by foliar feeding with special preparations.

For the correct and complete fertilizer of the money tree, it is best to use complex fertilizers for succulents or cacti. They should be bred strictly following the manufacturer's instructions.

In addition to the root, foliar top dressing should also be carried out, as an additional to the main procedure, but halving the portion of the drug.

reproduction

Crassula propagated by cuttings or shoots, as well as seeds. But, in home gardening, the method of propagating a money tree by seeds is extremely rarely practiced, as it is troublesome and long. And one more difficulty - you need to find seeds, the easiest way is to buy, because usually it blooms extremely rarely.

Planting a money tree with seeds:

• Prepare the soil: two parts of leafy earth mixed with one part of sand.
• Sow the seeds in this soil at a distance between each grain - 1 cm.
• Cover the seed container with plastic wrap.
• It is necessary every day, at the same time, to remove the film for 10-15 minutes, for ventilation and spray the ground with settled warm water.
• Shoots appear after about 14-18 days, after which the film must be removed.
• Sprouts can be transplanted into separate containers only when they get a little stronger and at least 3-4 leaves appear.

It is better to buy money tree seeds in specialized stores, then there will be a guarantee that the purchased variety is unique.

For propagating money tree cuttings are used, and leaves and shoots. For this you need:

• Cut a large shoot with a sharp knife and treat with wood or crushed activated charcoal.
• Keep the stalk in the shade for three to four days, then plant it for rooting, in a mixture of sand and leafy soil (1: 2).
• The pot should stand in a bright place, but not under bright sunlight and be small - 5-8 cm in diameter.
• You need to water when the soil is dry, but do not wait for it to dry out.
• You can root the shoot in water with charcoal, plants, and when the roots appear, plant it in the soil, but there is a risk of decay.
• It is necessary to transplant a young plant as it grows.

The shoot can stand in the ground from several weeks to several months until new shoots form.

Often, aerial roots appear on the stem at the base of the branches near the crassula - this part can be carefully separated and immediately planted in the ground.

How to form a beautiful shape of a money tree

If you plant a money tree from a cutting yourself, then it most often branches weakly - the shoot grows long and thin, and the branches that appear, under the load of heavy leaves, begin to break. Also, a young plant can produce branches from internodes near the ground and take the form of a bush. Therefore, in order to grow a real, beautiful money tree with a luxurious and original crown, you need to make some effort, care and patience.

A beautiful shape of a money tree can be obtained by pinching the emerging buds of branches until the shoot grows to the desired height. The fat woman easily tolerates pinching - from the internodes from which only the shoots that have appeared have been removed, new ones will not form and therefore the main trunk will become thick, straight and strong.

After the formed trunk reaches the desired height, you need to pinch its top, and a crown will develop from it, the shape of which can be adjusted by removing excess leaves and shoots.

What is the disease of the plant and methods of treatment

Root rot

Symptoms:

soft stem and leaves.

carefully remove the plant from the pot and release its roots from the ground. After that, carefully examine the rhizome, if it is not completely damaged, then the plant can still be saved, if not, then, unfortunately, you will have to throw it away. It is necessary to cut off the damaged areas of the root and treat the healthy ones with a fungicide, dry it and transplant the plant into a new pot.

Fungus - gray rot

Symptoms:

the leaves turn yellow and become covered with brown spots.

the same as with root rot.

Spider mites

Symptoms:

a thin, almost invisible web that envelops the leaves and stems of the money tree. It appears when the plant is not watered for a long time and its leaves are not wiped from dust.

treat the upper part of the money tree with a broad-spectrum insecticide.

Powdery mildew (mealybugs)

1. If the leaves began to crumble into the crassula, this is not a reason to panic. A possible reason for this is the heating season, in which a pot with a money tree stands on a windowsill above a hot radiator. To return the plant to its normal state, you just need to move it to another place, and provide lighting with a lamp.
2. Now very fashionable small landscape compositions on the windowsill and money tree are often the main decoration of such a work of art. In order for it to feel comfortable, it needs to be planted together with havortia or Kalanchoe, but with aloe, cactus, echeveria, cotyledon and eonymum, it is better not to, since these plants have different requirements for irrigation and lighting.
3. In order to see a money flower, it is necessary to provide comfortable conditions for keeping a fat woman, as close as possible to natural ones.
4. It is better to forget to water a money tree than to water it twice. The main cause of all his diseases is improper watering and an excess of moisture.
5. Despite its unpretentiousness and powerful appearance, the fat woman is very afraid of drafts, she even “takes a cold”, as a result of which the leaves begin to dry and fall off.

Popular varieties of money tree with photo

Breeders love money and are constantly developing new varieties that are easy to grow at home.

Videos about the money tree and the features of caring for it

Detailed information about the care of the money tree in the winter:

In this video, a guide to plant propagation:

Constant care of the money tree includes proper watering, fertilizing and regular washing of the leaves, this plant also loves a lot of light and heat. If you adhere to all these conditions, then you can grow a real money mini-garden on your windowsill.

One of the popular indoor flowers is the fat woman. Otherwise, it is called the money tree. The fat woman is credited with special magical properties, thanks to which money comes into the house. It is a tree that serves as a wonderful interior decoration and does not require much attention in the care.

What's happened?

In essence, the fat woman is a succulent, that is, a plant that can survive in arid areas due to the large supply of fluid in the leaves. Thick leaves of a tree, indeed, contain a decent supply of water. Scientifically, this flower is called crassula, which means "thick" in Latin.

The houseplant acquired the name "money tree" because of the shape of the leaves of some of its varieties, reminiscent of coins.

Description

The genus classula combines succulents that grow mostly in the southern hemisphere. The homeland of the money tree is the African continent. It also lives in Madagascar. Since such plants are interesting in appearance, they are often bred in the houses of regions very far from hot Africa.

In total, there are about 350 varieties of such trees in the Crassulaceae family. Some of them are plants with a height of 5 centimeters, while others can be half a meter and 3 meters.

It is inconvenient to keep a large fat woman in an apartment.

Some varieties are creeping and even aquatic plants. Common to all varieties is the juiciness and impressive thickness of the leaves. Their forms vary greatly depending on the variety. Leaves can be:

• oval;
• in the form of a cylinder;
• rhombus;
• elongated - similar to a lancet.

Crassula, which most often "settles" in apartments and offices, looks like a tree with a thick trunk. The older he is, the thicker the trunk. In appearance, it may be stiff or fleshy with a layer of waxy coating.

The leaves of the fat woman also differ in color. In some plants, they are bright green, in others - with a silvery or bluish tint, and in others - yellowish or completely spotted.

Many seek to grow a money tree precisely because of the magical properties attributed to it. But it also has quite tangible healing effects:

• the plant improves the condition of the air;
• removes stress and tension;
• fatty juice has anti-inflammatory properties;
• fresh pulp of crassula relieves itching and kills the fungus;
• the substances that make up its composition resist viruses;
• means based on fat women treat diseases of the intestines and oral cavity.

It should be noted that the money tree is poisonous. It contains arsenic, although in small amounts. The presence of such a substance helps to fight arthrosis and arthritis, if used as an external remedy.

Care must be taken when ingesting. Before using the fat woman, for example, for the treatment of stomach ulcers, kidney disease, metabolic regulation, it is better to consult a doctor first.

To avoid trouble, it is advisable to put the money tree in a place where small children cannot reach it.

Bloom

Seeing a Crassula flower is not so easy. Many, in general, believe that it does not bloom. And this is not surprising. In many fat women, the first buds appear only in the tenth year of life. And this is in their natural environment. Some "pets" delight with flowers for the first time in their twentieth year, and even then, if they are properly cared for.

Flowers are white, yellowish or pinkish in appearance. Although there are varieties of crassula with red flowers. They look like stars with 5 petals connected in small "clusters".

In its natural environment, the fat woman blooms in the spring, when the growing season begins. At home, she can surprise with flowers in winter, and in the spring months such a miracle happens even less often.

Panicles with flowers appear on young shoots. Flowering can last 3 months. The cooler the room, the longer the fat woman pleases with such beauty.

If the money tree has blossomed, one can hope that this will be repeated every year, but there are also breaks of 5 years.

Kinds

Among the most popular types of crassula - oval. There are a large number of varieties of such a fat woman. The leaves are about 6 centimeters long and half as wide. They do not have a petiole, they are attached to the stem directly by the plate itself. It is no coincidence that such leaves are called sessile.

They can be a rich green hue or with a silvery sheen. A red border is visible along the edge. An oval fat woman blooms with pink or white flowers. The advantage of a houseplant is that it does not require much attention and care.

Crasulla arborescens is a tree reaching 1.5 meters in height. The leaves are grayish in appearance, in a reddish frame. The length of the sheet is about 9 centimeters, and the width is about 4. It blooms with white flowers, gradually acquiring a pink hue. Feels best in the light from windows facing both west and east.

At the so-called Schmidt's fatty leaves are lanceolate, pointed at the ends. On the top side they are green with silver, and on the back they are red. This shrub blooms with red flowers. Often this kind of fat woman is grown in European countries as an annual plant, planting new bushes in the next season after flowering.

Crasulla lycopsus has fleshy, narrow and pointed leaves, resembling scales in their arrangement on the base. Her flowers are yellow, but she is valued for the original appearance of her branches, which, growing, hang down from the pot.

The plant reaches a height of 25 centimeters. It can be grown in the same pot with other succulents, for which it serves as a nice backdrop. In care, this fat woman is unpretentious, easily multiplies. Lives for over 10 years.

Krasulla rocky is a creeping plant. In height reaches no more than 50 centimeters. She has rather thin stems and small thick leaves with a red border. Flowers pinkish or yellowish.

dotted- is a shrub with leaves clinging to the stems, as well as egg-shaped with points at the top. The color of the leaves is greenish with a silver sheen and dark dots on the surface. The plant blooms with white flowers.

Very beautiful purslane fat woman. It has bright glossy green elliptical leaves that are thick in the middle and thinner at the edges. The shoots of Crassula thicken as they develop, acquire a woody appearance. The bark of the tree becomes wrinkled. It reaches two meters in height.

Crassula Cooper has interesting escapes. The lower part of them grows vertically, and the tops bend down and, as they grow, are more and more pressed to the ground. In such a fat woman, the leaves are elongated and covered with red dots. This flower looks elegant.

Landing and transplant

Crassula can be planted in different ways. Flower growers “extract” a new plant from a seed. The step by step process looks like this:

• take a small pot wide in diameter with a hole in the bottom;
• wash and disinfect;
• fill with a mixture of leaf earth and sand so that one part of the earth accounts for half of the sand;
• put the seeds on the ground and sprinkle with sand to prevent the topsoil from drying out;
• pour and close with a glass container - this way you can keep the high humidity under the cap;
• air and moisten the topsoil every day (it should not be wet, only wet);
• sprouts with a good development of events should appear in about 2 weeks;
• plant the strongest seedlings in containers with a mixture of leafy and soddy soil, as well as sand (half of soddy and sand should fall on one part of the foliage of the soil);
• moisten the ground in new containers with seedlings and put in a place that is well lit, but there is no direct sun;
• when the sprouts rise by 5 centimeters, distribute them among the "permanent apartments";
• when rooting, maintain the air temperature not higher than +18 degrees and not lower than +15.

In addition to the fact that the plant needs to be planted, after a certain time it requires a transplant. If several shoots of a fat woman grew in one pot, they need to be seated.

The need for a transplant depends on the growth of the tree. If the bush is too wide, the “apartment” becomes not enough for him. There are times when a disproportionately large tree in a small container turns over.

For a large "tenant" you need a large pot that can hold a lot of land. At the same time, it should not be particularly deep, since the fat woman's roots are not too long.

Young seedlings are transplanted into a new wider pot six months after purchase in a flower shop. From the old place, the plant is taken out directly with a clod of earth and placed in a container filled with fresh earth. When transplanting, you need to make sure that the soil layer remains at the same level. So the root neck of the plant will not suffer.

After transshipment, the money tree cannot be watered for 2 weeks, only moisten the top layer of the earth. Keep the plant in partial shade at this time. Fat women are advised to engage in "relocation" in the spring.

From time to time, the earth in the roots of the crassula has to be changed entirely, since the soil becomes unsuitable for maintaining normal growth. There is nothing else left here but to take the risk of clearing the "underground part" of the tree from the ground. After inspecting the roots, you may need to trim some of them. Treat the slices with activated charcoal, and then place the fat woman in fresh soil.

Water the crassula and put it in a cool room for a couple of weeks.

How to care?

You need to take care of the fat woman, like any plant in the apartment, wisely. For the summer, it is best to put the pot on the window, where the light is in the morning. This will keep the tree out of direct sunlight during the day. With this approach, there is no risk of "fried". At the same time, the plant will not suffer from a lack of light. In winter, it is more profitable to allocate a place for Crassula by a south-facing window.

If there are windows only to the north or west, additional lighting will be required.

When there is little light for the money tree, its leaves become smaller, and the branches lengthen and thin. The appearance of the fat woman becomes unattractive. In the most advanced cases, the plant droops and becomes painful.

Since it is a succulent, there is no need to spray it with water day in and day out. But you need to systematically remove dust from the leaves.

The tree needs fresh air. However, when airing, strong drafts should not be arranged. It harms the plant at home.

A suitable temperature for a money tree during the active period of life is +18.25 degrees. In the fall, when the fat woman is preparing for the dormant season, these figures should be gradually reduced. It is better for her to winter at +10.15 degrees, but the plant cannot be supercooled.

If it is not possible to create “weather” suitable for winter, you can at least move the bush away from the heating radiator and put it closer to the window glass.

You should not worry about the fact that in winter the air in the house is too dry in the case of Crassula. For a typical inhabitant of an arid environment, this is not a problem.

Caring for him requires top dressing, work with the crown. It also needs to be properly watered.

Watering

Succulents have their own moisture requirements. In order not to ruin the money tree, you do not need to water it heavily. In addition, it is no coincidence that when planting for such plants, drainage is arranged at the bottom, and pots with holes in the bottom are selected.

You can not water the fat woman with tap water. If, except from the water supply, you can’t take it anywhere, before you water it, the liquid must be defended.

In order to avoid questions about whether it is time to water, it is advisable to make sure that the earth is dry at a depth of 4 centimeters. The fact is that on the surface the soil dries quickly, but inside there is still enough moisture for the money tree.

top dressing

Crassula belongs to the category of unpretentious plants in terms of soil composition. Therefore, you do not need to feed it often. During the growing season, the soil is supplied with fertilizers no more than once a month. In winter, this is not required at all.

Fertilizers should be applied after watering so as not to burn the roots. You can use special formulations for cacti, or add standard minerals and organic substances in turn.

For the normal development of the money tree, potassium is needed. If it is not enough, yellow spots appear on the leaves. However, when fertilizing, it should be remembered that if there is too much of this substance, the root system may collapse in a fat woman.

Fresh shoots on the tree appear due to phosphorus. If there is a lack of this substance, the foliage on the fat woman darkens.

And also the plant needs nitrogen fertilizers, without a sufficient amount of which the development of crassula goes wrong. However, an excess of nitrogen does not bring her anything good.

Calcium determines how well developed the stem is and whether the amount of fluid in the leaves is correct. Calcium can be applied to the soil like a regular fertilizer. Some make infusions on eggshells and moisten the soil under the crassula with this liquid. And you can also grind the washed and dried shells and add to the pot with the plant.

If the fat woman was transplanted, or she is sick, she does not need to be fed. Because of this, Crassula, with a high degree of probability, will die.

crown formation

In order for the fat woman to look like a real tree, her crown must be dealt with systematically, starting “from an early age” (with the exception of the tree-like one, in which the correct contour is formed by itself).

On a small bush, you need to remove all side shoots until it reaches a certain height. Thus, half of the trunk will be bare, like a real tree.

When the desired height is reached, pinch the topmost shoot. This makes it possible to activate the lateral kidneys. Shoots from them and form a crown, like a tree. In order for the “hat” of leaves to grow evenly, from time to time the crassula needs to be turned to the window either sideways or the other.

When the fourth pairs of leaves form on the side branches, the upper buds must be removed. This will allow the crown to acquire new branches, which will make it even richer.

The longest branches need to be cut so that they do not weaken and do not obscure others. Although it is better to pinch in time. Then you don't have to cut on the living.

If the formed branch had to be shortened, the cut should be sprinkled with activated carbon.

For information on how to form a crown of a fat woman, see the following video.

reproduction

Many believe that the easiest way to propagate Crassula is with a cutting. If there is a large tree at least three years old, from which the shoot can be separated so as not to harm the adult plant, this is a suitable case for establishing a “new tenant” in the house.

You need to choose a strong process that has reached a length of 10 centimeters. Experts advise treating the cutting in the part that falls into the ground with a solution of Kornevin and succinic acid. Both substances are growth stimulants. A tablet of succinic acid is poured into a glass of hot water, and when it cools down, “Kornevin” (a pinch) is added to it. Everything is well mixed. The resulting composition is treated with a stalk.

For the convenience of the procedure, first a cotton pad is moistened in a liquid, and then with this disk - part of the process.

To properly plant the stalk in the ground and achieve its rooting, you need to prepare:

• knife (passed disinfection);
• activated charcoal (as an antiseptic);
• soil for plants such as cacti, mixed with sand based on 2 parts of the earth part of the sand;
• separately coarse-grained sand;
• small pot or plastic glass;
• small expanded clay pebbles;
• solution that stimulates rooting.

The procedure for propagating Crassula from a cutting is as follows:

• carefully cut off the selected process with a knife;
• treat the cut with activated carbon and put to dry for several hours;
• pour drainage at the bottom of the planting container;
• above - earth mixed with sand;
• moisten the soil with rooting liquid;
• treat the cutting with the same solution;
• plant it at a depth of 4 centimeters;
• sprinkle the ground with sand so that the moisture does not evaporate;
• put the pot in a shaded cool place.

If there is no cutting, you can propagate the fat woman with a leaf. You need to choose a healthy and strong "biomaterial". A leaf separated from an adult tree is left to dry for a day, having previously been treated with an antiseptic, and planted in a mixture of earth and sand, mixed in the same proportion as for propagation by cuttings.

The pot for the leaf can be chosen quite small. When planting, the soil should be sprinkled not with sand, but with charcoal.

The leaf is not advised to be deeply buried in the ground. It is necessary to plant, slightly tilting, so that it does not interfere with the development of a new sprout. After planting, the ground should be moistened on the surface, the same should be done with a layer of coal.

Put the pot with the future money tree in a sunny place, but so that direct sunlight does not fall on it. Leaves require almost no maintenance. It is only required to monitor the condition of the soil and slightly moisten the ground around the "young tenant". When a small sprout sprouts from the ground, it means that the rooting was successful.

Diseases and pests

It cannot be said that the money tree gives a lot of trouble in terms of combating diseases inherent in plants. But he also gets into trouble.

An insect called a worm infects a fat woman with a white bloom that appears in the leaf axils. Under the influence of this, the shoots are bent, and the leaves fall off. You can defeat such an infection with a strong solution of laundry soap or insecticides.

If cobwebs appeared on the stems and leaves of the fat woman, it means that it was attacked by a spider mite. You can fight it with the same soap solution, as well as infusions of garlic or tobacco.

Another harmful insect that can start on a money tree is a scale insect. As a result of her "work", brown or yellow spots appear on the leaves. You have to deal with an uninvited guest with the help of such means as Fufanon, Fitoverm or soapy water.

Money tree problems arise not only from pests, but also as a result of improper handling of it:

• if the root or base of the stem rotted at the crassula, it was often watered, and there was too much moisture in the ground;
• if the leaves wither, the liquid, on the contrary, is not enough;
• if the foliage began to crumble, it was watered with cold water, or it was in a strong draft, although the lack of fresh air leads to such manifestations;
• if black spots appeared on the leaves, Crassula was burned by the sun.

In order for the plant to recover, it needs to return comfortable living conditions, remove damaged branches and leaves. In case of a burn, rearrange to another place or create a shadow on the previous one.

When rot forms on the roots, the money tree will have to be removed from the pot, all damaged areas removed and the cut sites treated with an antiseptic, and then placed in a container with fresh earth.

If all the roots have died, there is still a chance to reanimate the fat girl. It is necessary to cut off the top of it and plant it in the ground, like a cutting.

Growing a money tree is actually not very difficult. And with systematic care, it will be able to delight with its beauty for years and be beneficial in the treatment of diseases of the owners of the apartment or house themselves, necessarily rewarding with flowering for care.

For information on how to care for a money tree, see the following video.