Crassula is a popular plant that is found in almost every home and office. More than 300 types of culture are found in nature, among which there are annual, perennial, shrub and herbaceous forms. Very often the plant is called a money or coin tree.
Origin story
What is the name of the money tree? It is often called a fat woman or crassula. The plant is popular due to its unpretentiousness. The culture received another name because of the shape of the leaves, which resemble coins. The coin tree is called differently by different peoples. According to folk signs, the fat woman is the keeper of the family hearth and well-being. It is for this reason that housewives make sure that the plant is branchy and he althy.
The birthplace of the mint tree is Africa. The fleshy leaves of the succulent retain moisture well, and the long flowering period can please culture lovers. However, it is very difficult to achieve flowering at home, most often impossible, since the tree must be very old. Toin addition, flowering requires suitable climatic conditions in which the coin tree grows in its homeland. It is problematic to provide such conditions in an apartment.
There are more than 300 types of culture in nature, but only a few of them are good for indoor breeding. Despite the name, the coin tree can have a bushy, ampelous, groundcover form.
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For home growing, the following types are most often used:
- A arborescent crassula that grows up to 1.5 meters in good conditions. It lends itself to the formation of a crown, therefore it is widely used for decorating rooms. A ten year old plant, it can produce small pink or white flowers.
- Cooper's Crassula is a groundcover. It resembles a herbaceous plant and has thin shoots that curl as they grow. The flower blooms in summer. The inflorescences are pink-white in color and exude a pleasant aroma.
- Crassula palpatae attracts the eye with an unusual type of shoots that have a tetrahedral shape and unusual aerial roots. This form is very demanding for watering. It should be frequent and regular.
- Crassula lycopsus is one of the varieties of shrub forms. The plant has pointed leaves that resemble thorns. The fat woman is often ampelous, it is used to create homemade topiaries. The flowering of the culture is almost imperceptible, since the inflorescences are not decorative. But the plant is easily propagated by cuttings.
- Oval or purslanethe fat woman grows up to a meter in height and has thick, succulent leaves of a round shape. Culture blooms at home very rarely. Inflorescences are painted in a pale pink hue.
In addition to those listed, there are several more varieties that are good for home growing. Usually in stores, all plants are presented under the same name, although they have different shapes.
Lighting and location
What care does a mint tree need at home? It is very important to choose the right place for the fat woman. It is best to put it on the southeast window. The plant does not like direct sunlight, which causes redness and wilting of foliage.
Loss of foliage in a crop may indicate a lack of fresh air. In the summer, the coin tree can be placed on the balcony, where it will feel comfortable. In winter, the plant can be placed on the south side.
Irrigation
During the hottest periods, the mint tree (photo shown in the article) must be watered twice a week. Under normal conditions, one-time watering is sufficient. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the earthen coma. It should not be too dry, but overflow is very harmful. The most common mistake housewives make is excessive soil moisture. In winter, the plant can be watered no more than once every two weeks.
Temperature conditions
Continuing the conversation about how to care for a mint tree, it is worth saying a few words abouttemperature mode. In summer and spring, the plant must be kept at a temperature of + 20 … + 25 ° С. In warm weather, Crassula should be taken out to fresh air. In winter, the culture feels good at +15 degrees. However, the temperature should not fall below +4 degrees. The plant can overwinter at room temperature, but there is a high risk of wilting and falling leaves.
Reproduction
Popular belief says that to create a real family amulet, you need to grow your own coin tree. The flower can be obtained from a shoot bought in a store or donated by friends.
You can divide the plant into cuttings and plant them at any time of the year, regardless of the season.
Sometimes young plants are obtained from seeds. This breeding option is far from the easiest. In addition, it does not always give a good result. The easiest way to get a new plant is by cuttings. It is difficult to get not only the seeds themselves, but also to root them correctly.
Blooming money tree at home is a rarity. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the collected seeds will have good germination. It is much easier to order them online or buy them in a store. Reproduction by seeds is a long and complicated process. The seed is first left to swell in warm water. A day later, the seeds are placed in the ground, covered with glass. After the soil is regularly moistened with a spray bottle. The first shoots may appear in two weeks. In the future, the plants will begin to actively reach for the sun. At this stage, it is necessary to ensure the correct temperature regime.(+18…+20 °С). Young plants should be watered with care, as excessive moisture can kill them.
As soon as the money tree reaches 3-5 centimeters, it can be transplanted into a separate pot.
Landing
To plant a mint tree, you need a process at least 5-8 centimeters long. The cuttings are well rooted in the ground. For planting, you should purchase a specialized substrate. Flower shops always have a wide selection of soil for cacti and succulents.
If you plan to prepare the soil yourself, then you should mix one part of soddy land, the same amount of sand and three parts of leafy soil.
Before planting on the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to lay out drainage from expanded clay. You can also use crumbs from broken bricks. Wood ash, mineral complexes and humus can be used as fertilizers. For better survival, the stalk must be dried. In a day it can be planted in a pot.
In addition, you can root the plant in water, adding a little ash for disinfection. Usually the first roots appear within a week. You can plant a cutting at the moment when the root system reaches two centimeters.
Another breeding option is leaf rooting. To do this, you need to take a large copy. The leaflet is rooted using the same technology as the cutting. A pot for a money tree must be chosen spacious enough, because over time the plant acquires significantdimensions. The cutting is planted in the middle of the container.
Feeding and watering
How to water the mint tree? Plant care is very simple. Since the tree is a succulent, it tolerates drought well. Fleshy leaves accumulate a lot of fluid. However, the plant needs regular watering to maintain its attractive appearance.
It is necessary to water the tree with filtered water. But do not allow overflow, which can lead to root rot. But the plant does not need spraying. You can regularly dust the leaves or arrange a bath for the tree.
It is necessary to fertilize from April to September, but not more than once a month. To do this, you can take special complexes for cacti. They must be applied after watering.
In the cold season, the need for nutrition and watering of the plant decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to apply fertilizer twice as often.
Cutting
Pruning is an integral part of the formation of the crown of the mint tree. Home care is simple and does not require a significant time investment. If you want to get a certain shape of a plant, then you need to start forming a fat woman early enough. To do this, pinch the culture every three to four leaves. Branches will appear at these points in the future. They will also need to be pinched. Places of cuts must be sprinkled with wood ash. For these purposes, you can use the most common activated carbon.
If you dream of getting a tree shape, then you can follow the advice of experienced flower growers. It is necessary to remove all side shoots until the sprout reaches a sufficient height (25 centimeters). After that, you will have to pinch the top of the head so that the side branches begin to actively form. If you approach the process responsibly, you can get a beautiful branchy tree with a dense crown.
Healing properties
Although the plant is widespread, not many people know about its healing properties. It contains unique substances that are very effective for the treatment of various ailments.
Fat woman used:
- For the treatment of dermatological diseases: eczema, psoriasis, lichen, herpes. For this, lotions and rubbing with culture juice are used.
- For the treatment of kidney ailments. Use a tincture of the leaves of the plant.
- For the healing of ulcers. It is necessary to eat two leaves of the mint tree on an empty stomach. This method helps to cope with colitis and gastritis.
Alcohol tincture of the leaves helps to heal and disinfect wounds. It can be used as a gargle for the throat. Crassula juice can help cope with hemorrhoids.
Despite all the beneficial properties of the plant, there are contraindications to its use - this is individual intolerance. An overdose during treatment can also cause allergies.
What problems can crop up?
The money tree is considered unpretentiousculture. And yet, novice flower growers very often face some problems when growing. The fat woman is of interest because of its attractive appearance. But often leaves fall. This problem is one of the most common. The plant quickly loses its decorative effect.
There may be several reasons for this phenomenon:
- Excess moisture can cause leaf drop. In this case, it is necessary to remove the tree along with the earthy clod and dry it naturally. After the plant returns to its place. In the future, the frequency of watering should be reviewed.
- Nutrient deficiencies may be the cause of leaf shedding. We have already mentioned that top dressing should be carried out monthly, then your tree will always look attractive. But in autumn and winter, the amount of fertilizer should be minimal.
- When the plant freezes or when it is watered with cold water, leaves may also fall off. In this case, the tree must be placed in comfortable conditions, then it will quickly recover from stress.
When is transplant needed?
The need for a transplant occurs after a few years. A sign of the need to place a tree in a new container is an earthen clod entangled in roots. When there is not enough space for a fat woman, she stops growing.
Without urgent need, the tree should not be disturbed. Most often, it feels comfortable on the hill for the first three years. And only after that you can think about transplantingmoney tree. Caring for him at home will otherwise give you no trouble.
