Currently, almost every home has flowers that bring positive emotions to their owners. In order for the plants to always be in perfect order, they need proper care.
Such a houseplant as a fat woman, or a money tree, is probably familiar to everyone. The flower has an unusual appearance and ease of care. At the same time, it is believed that growing a fat woman in a house helps to increase the we alth of the owners. Let's try to figure out if this is really so.
Origin and real name
In nature, the money tree is found in Central and South America, as well as in Africa. Being in more severe conditions, this plant requires more careful care. Achieving it at home can be difficult, but possible.
In Russia, the fat woman appeared many years ago. The flower received such a popular name due to its wide stem. Outwardly, the sheets resemble a flat circle or a coin. Therefore, the flower received a large number of nicknames. But few people know what the fat girl is actually called. Even experiencedflower growers who have long known everything about caring for a money tree may be surprised to hear its scientific name - crassula. This plant can have a bushy and herbaceous form. The fat woman belongs to the first type.
What are the varieties
Many indoor plant lovers are interested in caring for the money tree. In Russia, the tree-like appearance of Crassula is most widespread. There are three hundred more varieties. As a rule, they all grow in warm climates. Why did the fat woman (money tree) gain popularity mainly? Caring for this plant is quite simple and does not require much preparation.
Let's consider some types of this flower:
- Egg Crassula: The flower is named after its appearance. At the top of short stems, rounded endings can be found. Outwardly, they really resemble an egg. In most cases, the tips of the leaves are red.
- Purslane Crassula: branches and trunk have aerial roots. Because of this, the plant requires additional care. It is important to protect it from drafts.
Thus, crassula differs depending on the type. Differences may consist in the form of a leaf and branches. However, the juicy and massive stem always remains the same.
Care: key features
How to grow a money tree flower? Caring for this plant is not particularly difficult. However, there are certain subtleties that must bebeginner flower growers need to know. In this case, you will be able to provide the plant with favorable conditions for growth.
Main growth drivers:
- Lighting. Crassula requires good light for normal and rapid growth. It is better to install a pot with a plant on a window facing the southeast side. The money tree loves light, but exposure to direct sunlight is best avoided. In the warm season, it is recommended to take the flower pot out into the fresh air. This will help the crop form a defense against the effects of diseases and pests.
- Temperature. Under what conditions is it necessary to maintain a money tree? Care and reproduction of this plant is best done at temperatures from 19 to 25 degrees. In winter, you can slightly reduce these values - up to 14-17 degrees. The pot is not recommended to be placed near batteries and heaters.
- Humidity. Crassula is no more difficult to grow than any other home flowers. The money tree requires little care. It tolerates any humidity. The main rule is the absence of drastic changes in the conditions of detention. Otherwise, the flower may begin to fade.
- Water. Under natural conditions, Crassula grows in impenetrable wild places, so the flower is adapted to a long-term lack of fluid. The plant has dense thick leaves that contain a supply of moisture for further growth and development. In summer, it is recommended to water the plant only after the soil has dried. Too much watering can lead to root rot.
- Feeding. Previously alreadyit was said that in the wild the fat woman grows in rather harsh conditions. Nutrients and useful trace elements she has to literally extract from the soil. Therefore, home care provides for feeding the plant only once a month during the warm season. Best of all, special compositions are suitable for this purpose, which can be purchased at flower shops. In addition, you can also use additives for cacti. In autumn and winter, the fat woman does not require abundant feeding. It is enough to water it with a weak solution once every two months.
Where to start?
If you decide to plant a money tree at home (photos, care and features of this plant will surely interest you), you need to thoroughly familiarize yourself with all the subtleties. Where to start? Let's analyze the question of how to properly plant a money tree.
First of all, you will need to decide on the choice of a pot. Novice flower growers often make a very common mistake, namely, they select a standard-shaped container. Since the fat woman's root system diverges to the sides, simple pots are not suitable for her. At the initial stages, it is better to choose flat containers with a slight indentation. Also, special shallow oval flowerpots are suitable for growing a money tree. In this case, you will be able to achieve rapid growth and flowering.
Special attention should be paid to the choice of substrate. Opinions of flower growers about what kind of soil a fat woman needs very often differ. You can try to buy ready-made soil in a specialized store, but experienced flower growersIt is advised to prepare the substrate with your own hands. For this purpose, 4 parts of soddy soil, one share of river sand and one portion of a mixture of humus with hardwood are used.
How to plant correctly?
Indoor money tree, which will not be very difficult to care for, needs proper planting at the initial stage. The shoot is planted only after the root system has become sufficiently developed. Drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot. Pre-prepared soil is laid out on top.
In an adult plant, the root system slowly begins to break through the topsoil. For many flower growers who are interested in the money tree, reproduction and home care of this plant, a completely logical question arises, how to properly transplant a flower. The finished culture in a pot can be transplanted 2-3 weeks after purchase. This time is necessary for adaptation. The flower should be transplanted into a larger container. In the future, this process is carried out at least once a year. An adult flower is transplanted about once every 3-4 years in order to update the substrate. This procedure allows you to supply the plant's root system with nutrients and nutrients.
Crown formation
How does it happen? Many dream of growing a beautiful fat woman with a lush crown. But for this you need to try hard. New shoots should be properly pinched. This is done so that instead of one kidney, several new shoots appear at once. ATAs a result, the crown will turn out to be voluminous and lush. To form a bush of the desired shape, pruning is carried out. This process also helps protect the money tree from premature bushing.
Caring for a money tree must necessarily include a pinching procedure. Only branches on which 3-4 pairs of leaves grow are subject to it. With tweezers, it is necessary to remove a new kidney located between the last pair. Instead of a remote escape, several new ones will then appear. This way you can get a plant with a beautiful lush crown.
If the branch has reached a fairly large size, it can be cut a little. For this purpose, it is quite possible to use ordinary scissors. Usually only the very end at the base of the last pair of leaves is removed. The cut must immediately be covered with crushed activated carbon. To obtain a beautiful crown of a fat woman, pruning and pinching procedures are mandatory. If you do not follow the steps described above, then the tree will look bushy.
Bonsai
Today, many flower growers are interested in questions about how to grow a money tree (transplantation, home care and reproduction will be discussed in the article). The reason for this is the creation of the Japanese bonsai culture. To form a whole living sculpture from a small process is a real art. Let's describe the main steps that you have to perform in order to get an excellent result.
First, don't feel sorry for the new branches and leaves. Elongated processes must be timelyundercut. Shoots 10 cm long must be cut so that only 1-3 pairs of leaves remain on them. To form a crown of a certain shape, sometimes you have to cut off two-thirds of the entire bush. To obtain a dense crown, pinch every 4th pair of leaves. Another important point is shaping. Young shoots should be directed to the correct growth path. As fixing elements, you can use clothespins, wires and other accessories. With their help, it is necessary to fix the escape in the correct position. Growing bonsai is actually not that difficult. However, this process takes some time. Florists claim that this can take two to three years. But the result will exceed all expectations.
Planting a money tree
Not all experienced flower growers know how to seat Crassula correctly. It can be more difficult to separate than other house flowers. A money tree, which is not particularly difficult to care for, can grow in such a way that the entire root system will be opened. An attempt to cut or untangle the roots may result in the complete death of the plant.
How does the money tree reproduce?
Let's consider this process in more detail. Crassula can be propagated using three different types of elements - seeds, leaves or cuttings. And now in more detail about each of them.
Experienced flower growers try not to use seeds, since it is almost impossible to collect material from a money tree. If you still manage to remove the seeds from this plant, then in order to germinate them you will have todo some more manipulation. First, you will need to prepare the substrate for planting in advance. To do this, mix one part sand and two servings of leafy earth. Secondly, prepare special oblong-shaped containers. In them it is necessary to decompose the prepared substrate and sow the seeds. After that, the bowls are covered with plastic wrap for a while. The soil should be watered daily. A month later, the first shoots will appear. When they get stronger, it will be possible to transplant seedlings into larger containers.
What other options are there to grow a money tree? Few people know, but for this it is enough to use just one sheet. You just need to cut the leaf and place it in a container of boiled water. The glass must be set aside for a couple of days in a shaded place. The water in the tank is changed every 2-3 days. After two weeks, the leaf will take root. When they become strong enough, the plant can be moved to the ground. Further cultivation is carried out in accordance with the basic norms and requirements. The disadvantage of this method is its duration, but it's worth a try.
How does a money tree propagate by cuttings? To properly cut the shoot, you need to find a green bud, which has the shape of a small tubercle. A small incision is made in this place in such a way as to prevent damage. Before planting the cutting in the ground, it is kept in a glass of water. This is necessary for the proper development of the root system. As soon as the roots get stronger, the plant can beplant in suitable soil.
Magical Properties
It is worth noting that this plant looks special. To see this, just look at the photo. A money tree, home care for which even a beginner will be able to do, will fit perfectly into any interior. It is believed that the fat woman brings we alth. But in order for the flower to grow well, it needs to provide comfortable conditions. How to plant a money tree so that it starts to make a profit? There is a belief that a fat woman brings financial well-being faster if the process is stolen. For this reason, a completely logical question arises: is it possible to give cuttings of your money tree? It is believed that this can bring financial difficulties to the family, so it is better not to do this. How to properly land the stolen Crassula?
There are several secrets:
- the plant is planted with the growing moon;
- at the bottom of the pot you need to put eight identical coins, always up with the coat of arms;
- fat girl needs to be watered every Wednesday, saying special words.
When the money tree grows, you can hang coins on the branches on a red thread.
It is believed that the juice of Crassula leaves has medicinal properties. It is able to fight viruses, bacteria and have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, experts are very skeptical about this.
Another important issue to consider is the location of the money tree. Feng Shui is indispensable here. We have already talked about where is betterput a flower so that it grows well. The money tree is best placed on the southeast side of the room.
How the flowering process happens
This is a very interesting moment. How does the fat woman (money tree) bloom? Home care sometimes allows you to achieve the appearance of inflorescences. To stimulate the plant, it is necessary to expose it to sunlight, while protecting the leaves from burns. Crassula blooms quite rarely. But it looks very nice. Beliefs say that flowering is an omen of an improvement in financial condition.
Possible problems
Why do plants drop leaves? Home care for the money tree was not provided as expected. If you notice signs of a deterioration in the condition of the plant, then pests or diseases may be to blame. The flower is extremely susceptible to fungal infection. Crassula can become infected with it only from a neighboring "pet in a pot". To fix this problem, it is necessary to treat the fat woman with special insecticides that can be purchased at flower shops.
Another common problem when growing a money tree is associated with leaf fall. This process looks rather sad. The reason for this phenomenon may lie in improper watering. With an excess of water, even he althy leaves can fall off. During the drying of the soil, they, on the contrary, will turn yellow and wither. Another possible reason is the damaging effects of sunlight. In this case, the plant can generally resetleaves. Sudden changes in temperature also have a negative effect on the fat woman. Watch the climate in the room where the money tree grows. Winter care is especially important. If you notice that the flower began to drop leaves, be sure to check if all the growing conditions are met.
Another problem that novice growers may face is the slow growth of the fat woman. In this case, it is necessary to check whether the pot is correctly selected. If the plant roots down too much, this can significantly slow down the growth process.
Conclusion
In this review, we presented a photo of a money tree flower, proper care for it was also painted. There are certain features in growing crassula, but if you familiarize yourself with the basic recommendations of experienced flower growers in advance, you can create a real magnificent money tree in your apartment.
