Money tree: description, care and reproduction

One of the most popular indoor flowers is the bastard. 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 care.

Essentially, the bastard is a succulent, that is, a plant that can survive in arid areas due to the large supply of liquid in the leaves. The thick leaves of the tree do contain a decent supply of water. Scientifically, this flower is called Crassula, which means "thick" from Latin.

The genus Klassula combines succulents that grow mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. The African continent is considered the birthplace of the money tree. 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 fatty family. Some of them are plants with a height of 5 centimeters, while others can be half-meter and 3-meter.

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

• oval;
• in the form of a cylinder;
• rhombus;
• elongated - like 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 can be woody or fleshy with a layer of waxy bloom.

The leaves of the bastard also differ in color. In some plants, they are bright green, in others - with a silvery or bluish tint, and in others they are yellowish or even with specks.

Many people strive 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 crassula pulp relieves itching and kills the fungus;
• the substances that make up it resist viruses;
• remedies based on the jellyfish treat diseases of the intestines and oral cavity.

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

Caution should be exercised when ingested. Before using the fat woman, for example, for the treatment of stomach ulcers, kidney disease, regulation of metabolism, it is better to consult a doctor first.

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

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

In its natural environment, the bastard blooms in 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 it is in the room, the longer the fat woman pleases with such beauty.

Among the most popular types of crassula are oval... There are many varieties of such a fat woman. The leaves are about 6 centimeters long and half the width. 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 rich green or with a silvery sheen. A red border is visible along the edge. An oval bastard blooms with pink or white flowers. The advantage of a houseplant is that it does not require much attention and care.

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

The so-called fat women Schmidt leaves are lanceolate, pointed at the ends. On the upper side, they are green with silver, and on the back, they are red. This bush blooms with red flowers. Often this type of fat woman is grown in European countries as an annual plant, planting new bushes in the next season after flowering.

Krasulla lyciform has fleshy, narrow and pointed leaves, in their arrangement on the basis of resembling scales. Her flowers are yellow, but she is appreciated for the original appearance of her branches, which, growing up, hang down from the pot.

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

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

Point - is a bush with leaves clinging to the stems, and also in the shape of an egg with pointed points at the top. The color of the leaves is greenish with a silver tint and dark spots on the surface. The plant blooms with white flowers.

The purslane fat woman is very beautiful. 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 a height of two meters.

Crassula Cooper has interesting shoots. The lower part of them grows vertically, and the tops tilt downward and as they grow, they are more and more pressed to the ground. In such a fat woman, the leaves are elongated and covered with red specks. Such a flower looks elegant.

Crassula can be planted in different ways. Florists "extract" the new plant from the 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 leafy earth and sand so that half of the sand falls on one part of the earth;
• put the seeds on the ground and sprinkle with sand to prevent the topsoil from drying out;
• pour over and cover with a glass container - this way you can keep the high humidity under the hood;
• ventilate 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 (one part of the foliage of the soil should account for half of the sod and sand);
• moisten the earth 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 to the "permanent apartments";
• during 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 planted.

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

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 replanting, care must be taken to ensure that the soil layer remains at the same level. So the root collar of the plant will not suffer.

After transshipment, the money tree cannot be watered for 2 weeks, only the top layer of the earth must be moistened. You need to keep the plant in partial shade at this time. Fat women are advised to engage in "re-housing" in the spring.

From time to time, the soil in the roots of Crassula has to be changed entirely, since the soil becomes unsuitable for maintaining normal growth. There will be no choice but to risk clearing the “underground part” of the tree from the ground. After inspecting the roots, you may need to trim some of them. Treat the sections with activated charcoal, and then place the bastard in fresh soil.

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

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 there is light in the morning. This will prevent direct sunlight from reaching the tree during the day. With this approach, there is no risk of "frying". At the same time, the plant will not suffer from a lack of light. In winter, it is more profitable to give the Crassula a place by the south-facing window.

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

When a money tree has little light, its leaves become smaller, and its branches lengthen and become thinner. The appearance of the fat woman becomes unattractive. In the most advanced cases, the plant wilts and takes on a painful appearance.

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. This is harmful to a plant at home.

The suitable temperature for a money tree during an active period of life is +18.25 degrees. In the fall, when the fat woman is preparing for the resting season, these indicators need to be gradually reduced. It is better for her to winter at +10.15 degrees, but the plant should not be overcooled.

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

Caring for him requires feeding, working with the crown. It also needs to be watered properly.

Succulents have their own requirements for the amount of moisture. 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.

So that there are no questions about whether it is time to water, it is advisable to make sure that the ground 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.

Crassula belongs to the category of unpretentious plants in terms of soil composition. Therefore, you do not need to feed her 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.

Fertilizer 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 making fertilizers, it should be remembered that if there is too much of this substance, the root system of the fat woman may collapse.

Fresh shoots on the tree appear at the expense of phosphorus. If there is a lack of this substance, the foliage on the bastard 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 do anything good for her.

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

To make the fat woman 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, the uppermost shoot is pinched. This makes it possible to activate the lateral kidneys. Shoots from them will form a crown like a tree. In order for the "hat" of leaves to grow evenly, the crassula from time to time needs to be turned to the window, then one side, then the other.

When the fourth pairs of leaves are formed 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 should be cut off so that they do not weaken and obscure others. Although it is better to do the pinching in time. Then you don't have to cut it alive.

For information on how to shape the crown of a fat woman, see the next video.

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

You need to choose a strong shoot that has reached 10 centimeters in length.Experts advise to treat the cutting in the part that gets 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, add "Kornevin" (a pinch) to it. Stir everything well. The resulting composition is processed by the cutting.

In order to properly plant the cutting in the ground and achieve its rooting, you need to prepare:

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

The procedure for breeding crassula from a cuttings is as follows:

• carefully cut the selected process with a knife;
• treat the cut with activated carbon and put it to dry for several hours;
• pour drainage on the bottom of the planting container;
• above - land mixed with sand;
• moisten the soil with rooting liquid;
• process the stalk with the same solution;
• plant it to a depth of 4 centimeters;
• sprinkle the earth with sand so that the moisture does not evaporate;
• remove 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.

You can choose a very small pot for a leaf. 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 soil should be moistened on the surface, and 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. The leaf requires almost no leaving. 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 rooting was successful.

This is not to say 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 the worm infects the bastard with a white bloom that appears in the leaf sinuses. 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 appear on the stalks 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 the money tree is the scabbard. As a result of its "work", brown or yellow spots appear on the leaves. You have to fight the uninvited guest with the help of such means as "Fufanon", "Fitoverm" or soap solution.

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

• if crassula's root or stem base has rotted, 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, she was watered with cold water, or she 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 to comfortable living conditions, remove damaged branches and leaves.In case of a burn, rearrange it to another place or create a shadow on the same place.

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

If all the roots have died, there is still a chance to revive the fat woman. You need to cut off the top of it and plant it in the ground, like a stalk.

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