Krassuly, or fat women, are in demand among flower growers. These plants are quite attractive, unpretentious, and caring for them does not cause much trouble. In addition, in this family there are many exotic species and varieties that will decorate the grower's collection. In this material, you will learn about one of these varieties - Crassula Temple of the Buddha.
Description
This hybrid succulent was bred in 1959 by breeder Miron Kimnach. An attractive plant appeared by crossing the Crassula Pyramidalnaya and Perfoliata. It is distinguished by erect stems, similar to columns, which grow strongly over time. It is not uncommon for shoots to fall sideways under their own weight, giving the plant the appearance of a creeping crop.
The main feature of Crassula Temple of the Buddha, the photo of which you will find in the material, is the unusual shape of the stems, resembling the scales of reptiles. And if you run your finger over a succulent, thenyou will feel that its surface is ribbed. This effect is created thanks to dense, identical leaves, located clearly one above the other. They create a perfect four-sided column, which reaches a diameter of 12 cm. The leaves have a curved shape, similar to the roofs of Buddhist pagodas. It is this similarity that gave the hybrid its name.
The plates are dark green at the base, becoming paler towards the tips, with a gray tint. Over time, additional shoots appear from the stems, thanks to which the Crassula Buddha Temple is propagated. With proper care, the plant blooms, and its trunk is covered with small reddish inflorescences. When the buds open, they turn pale pink and creamy.
Growing Crassula Buddha Temple at home
Caring for this attractive succulent is not onerous. However, in order for the plant to take root and develop well, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for it. And for this it is important to choose the right soil and in the future to provide it with regular watering and top dressing, optimal temperature and light. The pot must have drainage. With proper care, Crassula Buddha Temple grows well and lives up to 10 years.
Landing
Like other succulents, Buddha Temple Crassula prefers light, well-drained soil free of peat. Store-bought plant mix is not suitable. To create your own substrate, mix soddy soil with coarse sand. Add charcoal and vermiculite to the mixture. This isimprove soil aeration.
Be sure to decontaminate the mixture before planting. To do this, ignite the soil in the oven or hold it over steam. Otherwise, microorganisms and bacteria living in the soil will destroy the succulent.
As for the pot, for the culture, choose small containers with drainage holes. And be sure to fill them halfway with broken bricks or gravel.
If you purchased a plant in a store, be sure to clean its roots from the old soil. Indeed, in most cases, peat is present in such a substrate, which has a bad effect on the development of culture.
Irrigation
Buddha Temple, like other succulents, belongs to drought-resistant crops, the lack of moisture is less destructive for it than excessive watering. However, it is not recommended to keep the plant without moisture for a long time. Therefore, water the plant as soon as the soil dries. In summer, irrigate once every three to four days. In winter, reduce moisture to every 7-10 days.
In any case, it is desirable to water Crassula in the evening. Use settled water at room temperature for irrigation.
Temperature
Krassula Buddha Temple is a heat-loving plant, but it does not tolerate heat. And the optimal range for a tropical beauty in the summer is +23 … +25 ° C. But at night it is desirable to lower the temperature to +10 ° C. Such a difference is very useful for a succulent, because it resembles the natural habitat of a plant. In summer, it is advisable to take the pot out to the balcony or terrace so that the culture gets moreair. If this is not possible, then ventilate the room more often.
In winter, during dormancy, it is important to provide the plant with a temperature of +12…+16 °C. Therefore, place the pot on a cool windowsill, while making sure that the plant does not get hot air from central radiators or heaters.
Lighting
Krassula Buddha Temple - light-loving plant. But she does not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, install a culture pot near an east or west window. If you are growing a fat woman on the south side of the room, then do not forget to shade it during the noon hours. To do this, hang gauze or tulle over the flower.
But it is not recommended to install a pot with crassula near the north window. Here the plant will suffer from a lack of light, and over time, its leaves will become deformed and acquire an irregular, uneven shape. To avoid this, highlight the plant with a phytolamp.
Feeding
Krassula Buddha Temple does not need frequent feeding, however, it still needs to be fertilized. From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, apply nutrient formulations 1-2 times a month. For top dressing, use special solutions designed for cacti and succulents. Apply fertilizer only to moist soil immediately after watering. Otherwise, the compounds will burn the roots of the plant.
In no case do not exceed the dosage, because an excess of nutrients negatively affects the development of the culture. Stop fertilizing in autumn and winter.
Transfer
The culture grows quite slowly, but over time it becomes crowded in an old pot. Therefore, transplant every 2-3 years, while choosing a container 1-2 cm wider in volume than the previous one. The roots of the succulent are superficial, so it does not need a deep pot. For the plant, make the soil of the same composition as when planting, and pre-disinfect the substrate.
How to transplant a plant:
- Put expanded clay or broken brick on the bottom of the tank and sprinkle this drainage with a layer of prepared soil.
- Carefully remove the plant from the old pot and transplant it into a new container along with an earthen clod.
- Fill the voids with substrate and tap the sides of the pot to lightly compact the soil.
For the first time after transplantation, provide gentle care for the fat woman Temple of the Buddha. To do this, put the pot in a shady place and limit irrigation. You can water the plant 3-4 days after the event. When the succulent has taken root, return it to its usual place.
Reproduction
If you provide proper care for the Crassula Temple of the Buddha, then over time, side shoots will appear on the stems. They are used for reproduction. Cut these cuttings with a sharp knife and dry in an upright position for 7-10 days. When the time is right, fix the stems on the surface of the substrate, sprinkled with a layer of sand. But you can not bury the branches in the soil. To prevent the shoots from falling, fix them with pebbles. Careplanting consists of regular watering, which must be carried out as the soil dries.
Reproduction of the fat woman Temple of the Buddha can be done with a leaf. To do this, cut off the top of one of the shoots and separate the leaf plates from it. Dry them for 1-2 days, then plant them in a disinfected, moistened soil consisting of sand and earth (1: 1). In order for the plants to take root, do not forget to spray the planting with warm water from a spray bottle as the soil dries. When the plants are strong, transplant them into individual pots.
Diseases and pests
Powdery mildew is a common disease that can affect succulents. It develops due to high humidity, excessive watering and poor air circulation in the room. You can recognize the disease by white bloom and deforming leaves. To cure Crassula, treat the plant with a fungicide. And in the future, adhere to the proper care of the succulent.
Crassula is often attacked by ticks, aphids or mealybugs. To get rid of insects, wipe the leaves with a cotton swab with alcohol or soapy water. Repeat the procedure every day until the pests are completely destroyed. But the use of insecticides is not recommended, since the culture is sensitive to the substances included in these preparations.
Growing problems
Krassula Buddha Temple is a non-capricious plant. And problems with it arise only with improper care. Often inexperienced flower growers are faced with such phenomena:
- Plantgrows poorly and weakens. This phenomenon is caused by a lack of nutrients. Do not forget to periodically feed the culture, and it will quickly grow.
- If the leaves of a plant are wrinkled, it means that it lacks moisture. To remedy the situation, increase watering.
- If the leaves turned yellow and began to fall off, it means that the plant is suffering from waterlogging. Cut back on watering and move the pot to a dry, warm spot.
- Crassula does not bloom. This behavior is associated with a lack of light and hot conditions. Move the pot to a sunny but cool place to bud.
Give proper care of Crassula Buddha Temple at home, and this plant will definitely take root, will delight you with its attractive appearance and rapid growth for many years.
