Fat woman or money tree is very popular with flower growers. This attractive culture is quite unpretentious. But this beauty has many "relatives" who will decorate the apartment. And this material tells everything about the lycopsid fat woman: name, photo, description, medicinal properties and cultivation rules.
Diversity of species
Crassula lycopodioides, also known as Crassula lycopodioides, is a prominent representative of the Crassula family, the genus Crassulus. These succulents are native to South Africa. The family includes 350 species. Most often, the following varieties are grown at home:
- Oval Crassula or Money Tree (Crassula ovate). The most common variety. The plant has a tree-like form, stemless oval leaves, painted in dark green, with a red border. The plant reaches 1 meter in height. Blooms with attractive pink or white buds.
- Crassula arborescens. The plant reaches one and a half meters in height. The variety is distinguished by original gray leaves with a bright red border. Their length is about 8 cm, and their width is 5 cm. It blooms in spring. At this time, small white and pinkish buds appear.
- Schmidt's Crassula (Crassula schmidtii). Bushy variety with elongated and pointed at the end of the leaves. The upper side of the plates is painted green with a silver pattern. The lower part of the leaves with a reddish tint. During the flowering period, multiple carmine-red buds appear on the plant, collected in racemose inflorescences.
- Crassula picturata. Herbaceous variety with thin, adherent stems. The shape of the leaves is obovate with pointed tips. The plates are painted in silver-green color with dark patches. The lower part of the plates is red-violet.
Each of these varieties will be an adornment of the collection of flower growers who prefer to grow succulents. But in this material we will consider the pluck-like fat woman. She will be discussed later in the article.
Botanical description
The lycopsform fat woman is strikingly different in appearance from its relatives. After all, the culture does not have a trunk, and numerous upright stems are densely covered with scaly leaves of a triangular-oval shape. They are located on shoots in 4 rows. Thanks to this, the stems of the lycopsform fat woman, the photo of which is presented in the article, look like tetrahedrons.
Petalspainted in rich green tones, but there are specimens with a red and yellow tint. Over time, the lower part of the stem fades and acquires a grayish tint.
Upright plant stems reach 25 cm in height. As they grow, they lie down under their own weight and take root when in contact with the ground. Due to this, the plant grows quickly in different directions. Therefore, it is often planted to create compositions as a ground cover crop.
Flowering
With proper care at home, the puffin-shaped fat woman releases buds. This happens from the end of January to the beginning of March. During this period, small yellow peduncles appear on the stems. They do not represent a special aesthetic value, because the buds are almost invisible, moreover, they have a simple shape. But the flower stalks exude a pleasant aroma that spreads throughout the room. Flowering lasts no more than 4 weeks.
Landing
If you want to grow a fat woman at home, then prepare the soil for the plant. You can buy special soil for cacti and succulents. In addition, a universal flower mixture is also suitable, but at the same time it should be mixed with sand in a ratio of 1 to 4. And it is advisable to add a little vermiculite to the mixture. Such soil contributes to the normal growth of the culture, and also protects the roots of the fat woman from rotting. But if you prepare the mixture for the plant yourself, then do not forget to disinfect it. To do this, work the earth over a steam bath or bake it in an oven.
How to plantplant:
- Lay a layer of expanded clay, pebbles or other drainage at the bottom of a small pot.
- Pour potting soil into a container and lightly spray it with a spray bottle.
- Gently place the plant on the ground and slightly press it into the soil. Remember, the roots of the plant are fragile. And if you break them off, the flower will slow down in development.
The first two weeks after planting, keep the pot away from sunlight. In the future, move the plant to a permanent place and provide normal care for the fat woman at home.
How to care for a plant
This attractive succulent is hardy and easy to care for. The main thing is to provide culture with comfortable conditions, including:
- optimum temperature;
- proper lighting;
- rare but abundant watering;
- feeding.
For more information on how to properly care for the Lycopoda, read on.
Location and lighting
Crassula lycopsus is a light-loving plant. Therefore, choose the most illuminated places for her. The southern or eastern window sill would be ideal. Here the leaves and stems of the succulent will acquire the most saturated shade and juiciness. But at the same time, cover the flower from the rays of the sun at noon.
In the summer, take the crassula pot out to the balcony or garden. But at the same time, place the succulent in such a way that direct sunlight does not fall on it. Otherwise, the shoots will get a sunburn, and the flowerwill lose its decorative properties.
Temperature conditions
This succulent is thermophilic, but the heat has a negative effect on it. Therefore, during active growth, try to maintain a temperature in the room with a flower from +20 to +25 ° C.
During the dormant period, which lasts from late October to March, it is advisable to move the pot to a room with 10-15 ° C. At the same time, it is important that the lighting remains maximum. A cool window sill, located away from heaters, will do.
Irrigation
Like other succulents, the fat woman does not need frequent moisture. Moreover, excess moisture leads to root rot. Therefore, water the flower carefully. Also, try not to get water on the leaves of the plant. Moisten adult specimens in the spring-summer season once or twice a month, when the soil is completely dry. In autumn and winter, reduce moisture to once every 1.5 months. At the same time, monitor the condition of the flower: if the stems and leaves wither, increase watering.
Feeding
Crassula Lycopsus responds well to fertilization. Feed the culture with special complex formulations for succulents or liquid solutions intended for decorative leafy plants. Fertilize the flower in the spring-summer season, combining the application with watering. During the dormant period, the fat woman does not need fertilizer.
Reproduction
This succulent is quite tenacious, and rather dense flower thickets are created from one shoot over time. Moreover, the reproduction of the fat womancarried out in three ways:
- Dividing the bush. The easiest way, suitable for overgrown crops. To propagate the plant by dividing the bush, carefully cut the plant into pieces with a sharp knife. At the same time, try not to damage the roots and in no case clean the soil from them. Transplant the flowers into separate pots along with an earthy clod. Give your crops the usual care.
- Shanks. For propagation, choose stronger side shoots and cut them with a sharp knife. It is not necessary to process the cut points, because the cuttings take root without additional help. After that, root the shoots in a moistened substrate. It is advisable to choose a small pot for them, as the roots rot in a spacious container. When caring for transplanted cuttings, do not forget to periodically sprinkle the soil with water, preventing it from drying out.
- Layers. The plant grows rapidly in breadth. And some shoots form roots from touching the soil. Such layering can propagate a flower. To do this, carefully separate the shoots along with the roots and earthy clod and transplant them into a separate pot. In the future, provide the culture with normal care.
Whatever breeding method you choose, remember that it is better to start the event in late winter - early spring. Then the plant will quickly take root and grow. In addition, in no case do not propagate the culture during flowering. During this period, the fat woman gives all her strength and juice to the buds. And a weakened plant takes root for a long time or, in general, dies.
Transfer
The fat woman is transplanted only when its roots completely fill the entire container. Carry out this procedure using the transshipment method:
- Lay a layer of drainage on the bottom of the new pot.
- Turn the plant over and carefully remove it from the old container.
- Put the culture in the pot along with the earthen clod.
- Fill the voids with fresh potting mix and moisten the soil.
After transplanting, put the plant in its usual place. Hold an event in the spring, no more than once every 2-3 years.
Pests
Reed is a plant with strong immunity. But in rare cases, it is attacked by pests:
- Spider mite. You can recognize this pest by the thin web that appears on the stems.
- Shield. The first symptom of the pest is the appearance of yellow and brown spots of small diameter on the stems.
- Mealybug. This insect is clearly visible even to the naked eye. Leaves behind a white powdery coating, which is how the parasite got its name.
To get rid of pests, gently treat the plant with soapy water. If this measure did not help, then use an insecticide such as Fitoverma or Fufanon.
Growing problems
Crassula rarely causes trouble for flower growers. And problems with its cultivation, as a rule, occur due to excessive soil moisture. In this case, root rot occurs. If you notice dark soft spots at the base of the stems, remove damaged shoots and reduce watering. If these measures do not help, thentransplant the plant into new soil.
Healing properties of the fat woman
Money tree is highly valued in folk medicine. In addition, it is considered no less useful than aloe. And this is not surprising, because the juice of the plant has a bactericidal, wound healing and anti-inflammatory property. But before applying this or that recipe, be sure to consult your doctor, because self-medication leads to extremely negative consequences. Also, remember that the flower juice contains arsenic. Therefore, do not abuse decoctions and infusions that are taken orally.
How and what to treat with a money tree?
- Cuts, minor cuts and burns. Grind the leaves of the plant on a grater. Apply the gruel to the disturbing place and secure with a bandage. Change the dressing every 4-5 hours.
- Insect bites. Lubricate places with succulent juice 4 times a day.
- Cystitis. Grind 5 leaves of the fat woman and fill them with a glass of boiling water. Infuse the mixture for 60 minutes, then strain. Take 1 tbsp. l. infusion twice a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Sore throat. Grind 10 flower leaves and squeeze the juice out of the mass. Mix it with 1.5 cups of warm water. Use this liquid to gargle after meals three times a day.
- Stomach and duodenal ulcer. In the morning on an empty stomach, eat 2 leaves of the flower 60 minutes before breakfast.
- Herpes. Squeeze the juice from the leaves and rub it on the rash every 60 minutes. If there is no time for such procedures, then soak a cotton pad with liquid and fix it on the disturbingpatch in place. Do this therapy for no longer than 2 days.
- Arthritis and arthrosis. Lubricate the sore joints with the juice of the plant at night.
If you like attractive and unpretentious succulents, then be sure to plant a Lycopoda. This culture will decorate your collection. Moreover, it gets along well with other plants, it can be planted in various compositions with cacti and other succulents. In addition, caring for a flower does not take much time and effort.
