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Crassula, fat woman

Crassula, fat woman

Crassula (lat.Crassula) is a succulent plant of the Crassulaceae family. It grows in South and Tropical Africa, Madagascar. Includes more than 300 species. The maximum size in culture is 2 m in height. One of the most hardy plants if not flooded.

All types of fat women have thick, opposite, fleshy leaves. The shape of the leaves is oval, coin-like or pointed.

It rarely blooms at home, but when this happens, the plant is decorated with white, yellow, blue or red flowers, collected in umbellate or racemose inflorescences. However, the juicy representative of the fatty family is valued not for the beauty of flowering, but for unpretentious care and always elegant appearance.

Plant names: Fat Woman, Crassula, Money Tree, Bear's Ear, Cotidelon (wrong), Cotiledon (correct).

Popular types of fat woman:

Crassula portulaca (Crassula portulacea Lam.) Or Crassula oval, ovoid (Crassula ovata). The most common name is the Money Tree. It grows up to 0.6 - 1 m in height. It blooms in adulthood with white, pink flowers. It has small oval dark green shiny leaves. Other names: Oval cotyledon (Cotyledon ovata Mill.), Silver Crassula (Crassula argentea Thunb.), Silver Fat, Purslane Fat.

Crassula arborescens or Crassula treelike. And this fat woman is also called the Money Tree. It grows up to 1-1.2 m in height. In adulthood (10-12 years) blooms with small white flowers. Thick, small, dark green oval leaves. Well shaped for bonsai.

Crassula milky (Сrassula lactea Ait.). Creeping shoots. Grown as an ampelous plant. Leaves are fleshy, ovoid, green in color with whitish dots around the edges. In winter, white flowers appear, collected in small panicle inflorescences.

Buying and choosing Crassula. Since the plant is unpretentious to care for, there are no special recommendations for choosing the best specimen. Buy the money tree that you like.

Crassula, fat woman - Care

The heat-loving Tropican is able to adapt to the cool climate, the main thing is not to lower the temperature in the room below 10-15ºC. The flower feels most comfortable on the south-west or east side of the apartment. The decorativeness of the plant does not deteriorate from direct sunlight, therefore it is allowed to be kept near the southern window.

Due to a lack of light, leaves can fall off and shoots can stretch out, therefore, in the summer, it is advisable to move the flowerpot with the plant to the balcony or terrace.

Due to the variety of forms, Crassula is very popular among florists and phytodesigners. Can be grown as a single plant and is also great for landscaping and succulent compositions. Looks best in a company with decorative deciduous plants or cacti.

Lighting. The money tree loves sunlight. In the summer, it should be taken out into the open air, in the winter, with insufficient lighting, put closer to the window. After winter cloudy weather, the sun should be taught gradually so as not to injure the surface of the leaves and not burn the plant.

Temperature. In spring and summer, the fat woman feels good at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, in winter it is advisable to lower the temperature to 15 ° C. If the fat woman does not have the opportunity to arrange wintering, then at least do not put it near the radiators.

Air humidity. For Crassula, as for most other succulents, moisture does not play a special role. The flower adapts perfectly to almost any room conditions. It is possible to spray, but it is better to do without additional moisture.

Watering. The main thing is not to flood your money tree. Before the next watering, the soil should dry out by about 3-4 cm.In winter, especially if the fat woman is kept at a low temperature, water no more than 1 time per month. But also make sure that the soil in the pot does not dry out completely.

Top dressing. In the spring-summer period, they are fed with a universal fertilizer or special fertilizer for cacti once every 3-4 weeks. In the autumn-winter time, it is possible to fertilize with a half dose once a month. It is important to fertilize after pre-watering.

Transfer. Crassula can be transplanted annually by transshipment. The substrate should be light. You can use soil for cacti or a mixture of 1 tsp turf, 1 tsp leaf, 1 tsp peat, 0.5 tsp sand, some brick chips and charcoal. Also, do not forget to drain expanded clay or broken red brick so that excess water does not linger in the soil.

You need to transplant into a wide, shallow pot or bowl (approximately the diameter of the crown), since the root system of the fat woman is shallow. Watering after transplanting should be done carefully, in small portions, so as not to provoke rotting of the root system.

Trimming and shaping. To form a fat woman in the form of a tree with a crown, you need to pinch it in a timely manner: pluck out the buds that grow between the pairs of leaves. It is better to pluck with tweezers or long nails. 2-3 new buds will appear on the plucked place, the branch will begin to branch. Only on the branch where the bud is plucked out should there be no more than 3-4 paired leaves. If there are more of them, then it is better to break off (cut off) the branch immediately above the 4th pair of leaves, where the growth point is. It is better to sprinkle the place of cutting with coal.

Bloom. Only adult plants at the age of 10-12 years old bloom in the summer. With proper care, the fat woman will delight you with small, delicate flowers. Flowering usually occurs in late February - early March.

Reproduction. Crassula is usually propagated by cuttings, it is possible with those that remained after pruning, or with sheets. Cuttings are rooted in water or wet sand. After successful rooting, they are planted in small pots with a substrate, as for transplantation.

Diseases and pests. The fat woman is sick mainly with fungal diseases, this happens due to improper watering, or rather overflow. As a result of stagnant water, leaves may begin to shed. If the leaves turn yellow, become too soft to the touch, you need to inspect the roots of the plant to exclude the appearance of root rot. The presence of black circles on the leaves of the bastard indicates a sunburn.

A scabbard may also appear; if a pest is detected, the leaves should be treated with soapy water.

Crassula is an unusually strong and pest-resistant houseplant, if you follow the simple rules of maintenance, it will not cause cause for concern.

Money tree in winter. Water no more than 1 time per month. They tolerate wintering well on loggias or glazed balconies. The optimum air temperature should be around 12-15 ° C.

This is interesting: Not many people know that Crassula cleans the air of harmful microbes, has bactericidal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. In terms of the healing effect on the human body, it is equated to aloe.

However, it is not recommended to prepare medicines based on a houseplant on your own, since the pulp of the leaves contains arsenic. You can take medicines containing fatty juice only after consulting a doctor.

VIDEO: KRASSULA

How to properly care for Crassula. Transplantation, cultivation of Crassula.


PHOTO KRASSULA

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