Not everyone knows an ornamental plant, which is called “Plump“Or”Crassula“, But many can answer the question, what does it look like money tree… It is also called the tree of happiness or the monkey tree. These names cover a succulent plant that growers adore for being easy to handle.
Due to the fact that the leaves of this plant look like coins, it was called the money tree. If you believe Feng Shui, then this is exactly the tree that can help you become rich if it is grown in the right place: the southeast or south window. The tree has fleshy leaves that store nutrients. The presence of wealth depends on how fleshy they are. In other words, the state of this tree is directly related to the state of the financial situation of the family.
Due to its original shape (rounded), this tree is considered a source of positive energy, as well as an object that is able to extinguish negative emotions and, thereby, harmonize the atmosphere of the home.
Oddly enough, this tree cannot be bought (as it is believed), but you can grow it yourself. To do this, you should purchase (from neighbors or friends) a process from a money tree.
Origin
Crassula (Crassula) belongs to the family of the genus of succulents and is a deciduous ornamental plant that can bloom, but not in indoor conditions.
Homeland
This plant is capable of accumulating a lot of moisture in its leaves, which makes it possible for it to feel good in the extreme conditions of arid Africa, Madagascar and South Arabia. This is also facilitated by its optimal forms, which are so popular with flower growers.
Varieties
You can find several types of Crassula. The most popular of them all is Crassula arborescens, tree cotyledon or money tree. The silver fat woman (Crassula argenta), the oval fat woman (Crassula ovata) is also called the money tree. These plants can have different leaf colors. The above listed types of bastard have a green, dark green or shiny silvery leaf surface. The leaves may have a reddish border or red spots on the back of the leaves.
All these representatives of hot countries have taken root in modern apartments and can grow up to 1 or 2 meters in height. This is not surprising, because the microclimate of modern apartments can be called extreme, both in winter and in summer. Most of the apartments do not have air conditioning, therefore, during hot periods, the apartments are almost tropical. At the same time, air humidity is greatly underestimated, which is quite acceptable for representatives of the tropics.
Planting and reproduction
The bastard propagates by shoots or leafy cuttings. They are rooted by planting in the soil, but before that, they are dried for two days. There is another, albeit longer, but also more reliable method – this is rooting cuttings in water. In order for the shoot or stalk to develop faster, it should be installed in a well-lit place. In this case, it is necessary to transplant the rooted process in a timely manner and feed it regularly.
soil
For succulents, an earthen substrate is excellent, used for cacti, which are also accustomed to the extreme conditions of hot countries. As a rule, the mixture consists of one part of turf land, 3 parts of leafy soil and 1 part of sand. In addition, you need to have humus, ash, clay and brick chips. But the most important thing is to provide good drainage.
Alternatively, you can plant it in ordinary soil, and it will grow and develop no worse than in specially prepared soil. This is due to the fact that the tree is not demanding on the composition of the earthen mixture and will be able to forgive this defect.
The plant is transplanted once every 1-2 years, although it is possible less often: it all depends on the size of the pot and the rate of development.
When growing a fat woman, one caveat should be taken into account: it has a weak root system and it may not hold a large tree. Therefore, the pot must be heavy and deep, which will not allow the money tree to fall and be damaged.
Proper care of the money tree
Watering
Taking care of a fat woman is very simple. In the summer, when the money tree is actively growing, it should be watered regularly, but only after the soil dries out. This is about 1 or 2 times a week. This plant does not allow waterlogging at all, because it is accustomed to a dry climate. During the rest period, watering practically stops, although once every 1 months if it is watered, then there will be no particular harm. And here, again, it all depends on the ambient temperature. The humidity of the room does not play a special role, therefore, the fat woman easily tolerates the dry air of apartments. It is not necessary to spray the plant, but it is necessary to wipe the leaves from the dust collected on them. In addition, the room where the plant is located should be regularly ventilated.
Temperature and lighting
The temperature regime of the fat woman is very wide and includes daily changes in the tens of degrees. The daytime temperature of this plant can be in the range of + 20-22 ° C, and maybe even lower, up to + 6 ° C. This plant is very light-loving and needs a lot of light throughout the year. It is not afraid of direct sunlight, but you should not leave it for a long time in such conditions, otherwise the tree may get burned.
About 1 or 2 times a month, the plant can be fed with ready-made fertilizers for cacti. It can be humisol “Gummi”.
The calendar
- succulents, like cacti, need a dormant period, and this is September-February (March) month. At the same time, it should be a cool room. At this time, the plant is practically not watered;
- in the summer you need fresh air and warmth.
These conditions will allow the money tree to grow and develop well. For older plants, similar conditions of detention can provoke a unique flowering.
- plant transplant only in spring;
- the plant reproduces in spring or summer;
- during the period of active growth, feeding is required.
Problems of keeping a fat woman
As a rule, problems arise when plant care is either stopped altogether, or it is not proper, and sometimes excessive.
The tree can shed its leaves at any time, which will indicate that there is no moisture at all or the tree is watered with cold water. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature and not lower, and maybe a few degrees or higher.
You need to be especially careful when keeping the tree in the winter. During this period, it is very difficult to guess how much moisture he needs. With an excess of moisture, the leaves can wilt or turn pale, and if there is no moisture at all, then they can darken, wrinkle and lose their shine.
The spoiled leaves should be removed immediately and thought about what happened: either the watering should be stopped altogether, or it should be watered at least once. If a mistake occurs in one direction or another, then the money tree can be lost forever.
If there is little moisture, then brown spots may appear on the leaves. If the spots are brown, but soft, then this is most likely a fungal disease and antifungal treatment of the plant is required.
If the plant has been infected with root rot, then it will begin to blacken from below. In this case, surgical intervention is possible: the plant should be removed from the pot, after which the damaged roots are cut out, and the tree is transplanted into a new pot and into a fresh substrate. Damaged roots can be such that the money tree can die. In this case, the tip is cut off and rooted. Thus, a new tree will be grown.
If a tree grows with a long, ugly stem, then these are consequences due to winter waterlogging, as well as a lack of lighting.
The fat woman practically does not have pests, if you take care of her correctly. In general, any ornamental plant is not affected by pests if it is healthy and grows normally. And this happens only when the plant is given due attention. If, nevertheless, something suspicious has appeared on the tree, then it is better to treat the tree with chemicals.
It was noticed that the state of the money tree directly depends on the psychophysical state of the person who cares for him. If a person gets sick, then something is wrong with the tree. There were times when the tree even died.
We grow a tree
All the fat women described above can grow in the form of a bush, and in order to end up with a tree, you will have to strain a little. The formation of the crown of the money tree is carried out from the very beginning of its growth. Crown formation occurs by removing lateral shoots, while the tree reaches the desired height. Usually, this is a tree height of 25-30cm, while half of the trunk should be bare. After, this should be pinched off the top, after which the plant begins to sprout lateral shoots, which will subsequently become the basis of the crown of the money tree. As it grows, the tree may tilt to one side (closer to the light), so it should be turned regularly.
The tree-like form of tostyanka spontaneously begins to grow in the form of a tree, while forming a crown.
Like any succulents, fat women can become an integral part of garden flower arrangements. They will take their place in the creation of decorative slides, the design of small artificial reservoirs, compact flower beds, as well as for the decoration of offices, hospitals, cultural institutions and administrative buildings. Here we must not forget about banks, where a lot of money is spinning, and so that they do not dry out, you should grow a money tree, especially since it is not very demanding to care for and grows well in such conditions.
