Money tree is at home for many. It is believed that this flower brings money, which is why it is called so. But in fact, his name is Crassula, and he can be very, very different. However, the people gave him other names: a fat woman and a fat woman, which to a certain extent can also cause associations with well-being. And an even better sign can be considered the observation of how the money tree blooms (photo below).
A place in botany
In fact, Crassula belongs to the so-called succulents - plants that store water in reserve, like cacti. But, unlike the latter, it does not have thorns, but has normal leaves. The genus Crassula has many species - about 300, but, as a rule, Crassula arborescens, or tree-like crassula, and C. ovata (oval) are grown at home. They may look more or less familiar, that is, have round or slightly elongated leaves, but there are also instances with triangular, square and other leaves.
In nature
Many flower growers are sometimes surprised when they see that the flower that grows in their home onwindow sill, easily took root in someone's garden or just on the street, like a weed. Crassula, for example, is widespread in Latin America and Mexico, and some of the species are in South Africa. But it may not work out to recognize it, because it can grow up to 3 meters, it is impossible to keep such a plant at home. Perhaps someone will ask: how to care for a money tree if its homeland is a hot and desert country? Do not arrange something similar at home. Of course not, especially since Crassula already feels great indoors. So, how to care for a money tree so that it pleases the owners for many years?
Growing at home
This rather unpretentious plant was liked by many housewives. And the leaves, somewhat reminiscent of coins, have become associated with financial well-being. Of course, Crassula does not bring money on its own, but it can support the mood and desire to earn money. In general, the popularity of this flower is not surprising. Crassula may well be the first plant for an inexperienced home "gardener". It does not require the maintenance of any difficult conditions and generally has a reputation for being a completely non-capricious pet. And although the fat woman is growing quite actively, the flowers of the money tree are not such a frequent occurrence. But if you set yourself such a goal, you can achieve it.
By the way, this plant also has pests. Often a mealybug or spider mite settles on it, especially if the air in the apartment is dry. Crassula can also become infectedfungus, which will be quite difficult to get rid of, so it’s better to follow the basic rules, and then such troubles will not happen.
Care
First of all, it is worth mentioning a suitable soil. Crassula likes loose soddy soil with sand. Preference is given to bright light, but not direct sunlight. However, Crassula tolerates penumbra quite painlessly, but in dark corners it can lose its decorative effect, stretch out and turn pale. The fat woman is more or less demanding on temperature - she likes warmth up to 22 degrees.
When watering, remember that too much is worse than too little. It is better to moisten the soil abundantly, but with sufficient breaks so that it has time to dry out. In summer, watering, of course, is more frequent than in winter. Additional air humidification or spraying does not harm the fat woman, but it is not particularly required either. Care is very simple, but even doing all these simple steps, you can never see how the money tree blooms. Photos of this phenomenon, of course, can be easily found, but it's so curious to see it with your own eyes!
Flowering
The home money tree is a habitual inhabitant of window sills in many Russian apartments. Such a picture does not surprise anyone. Only a beautifully formed specimen may be of interest, but not everyone has the desire and enough patience to learn how to grow a money tree and make a bonsai out of it, although the result can be very curious.
Watering, suitable soil and pot, lots of light - for the money tree to bloom, this is not enough. Many botanists say that for this the plant must grow on the street, and not at home in a pot, because it loves fresh air very much. You can try to imitate these conditions by taking Crassula to the dacha in the summer or putting it on the balcony until autumn.
If you arrange a "free mode" in the warm season, and in winter make the conditions cooler than the standard ones, you can achieve your goal and still see the flowers of the money tree. It always happens somehow unexpectedly. Suddenly, single inflorescences appear on the plant, as a rule, there are few of them, but sometimes the entire crown is covered with them. The fat woman begins to smell faintly. And these delicate pink, white, yellow flowers, it turns out, look incredibly beautiful and harmonize with its thick leaves. The whole plant seems to be changing, and it seems that the name "fat girl" sounds somehow offensive and does not suit this beauty at all. And although the money tree flowers themselves are rather plain, the overall picture is simply wonderful. True, do not forget that the tender inflorescences are poisonous, so you should not taste them - this can have serious consequences.
Fertilizers
In order for the money tree to bloom, it is worth making a little more effort. Good care and timely feeding of the plant with useful substances is implied. Many owners consider it superfluous,because even without fertilizer, crassula looks great. And yet, during the period of active growth, that is, from the end of spring to the beginning of autumn, fertilizing can be applied once every two weeks with watering. Special mixes for succulents and cacti are fine. A couple of years of such a life - and you can expect the flowers of the money tree. The photo can then be shown to friends as evidence that your efforts were not in vain.
Reproduction
The fat woman lends itself perfectly to cuttings, there are no problems with rooting either. It is best to do this in the spring, immediately after the start of active sap flow: under the sun and in warmth, the process will go much faster. But how to grow a money tree from seeds, and is it even possible? There are no problems with this, but for young plants you need to choose the right pot - it must be wide and flat, otherwise the flower will begin to stretch upwards and grow weak.
By the way, most types of crassula live well for several years in the same substrate, so they do not need to be transplanted often. In extreme cases, if it seems that the pot is getting really small, you can carefully transship and leave the plant alone for another 3-4 years.
In culture and traditions
The role of the money tree, which brings good luck in financial affairs, Crassula began to play when the Eastern doctrine of harmony in the house called Feng Shui spread in the West. According to him, a fat woman can attract funds to a family, improveher financial position. And an incredibly good omen is the situation when money tree flowers appear, especially if there are a lot of them. This may mean that soon the owner will literally be flooded with financial flow. Where exactly depends on the situation. This may be a promotion or even a new field of activity that will become a source of income, or maybe an inheritance from distant relatives, a lottery - in general, anything. No wonder housewives want to learn how to care for the money tree so that it blooms.
Wishes of financial success will be especially useful for young families who have just started an independent life. And if a gift in the form of a fat woman may not be very appropriate at a wedding, then it will be perfect as a housewarming souvenir!
