Indoor plants that do not require special and careful care have always been and will be popular in homes and offices. A home flower pleases the eye, purifies the air and brings luck and money to the owner, as is the case with a rosula or a fat crust, as it is called much more often. It belongs to the succulents of the family Crassulaceae, the habitat is mainly in Africa (Southern, Tropical), some species can be found on the Arabian Peninsula.
The main reason for its popularity is not in its miniature, unpretentiousness and not even in its medicinal properties - the fat girl is considered a money talisman. There is a superstition that the presence of a crassula (mainly a tree) will necessarily lead to prosperity. The same opinion is shared by those who plant it in the office in a pot in the manner of a bonsai.
Varieties of Crassula or Money Crassula
Money tree is associated in most with a specific variety of rosula, but in fact there are a lot of species. Botanists distinguish three main groups of fat women, which, in turn, are divided into varieties. Not everyone is equally popular with flower growers, as the appearance and conditions of detention vary widely.
| Group | Varieties | Description |
| Tree-like |
| Tree stems are characteristic. Usually low, compact and hardy plants intended for growing in pots. |
| Columnar |
| The most unusual group, whose leaves and flowers form in bizarre pillar-like shapes, resembling figurines. |
| Ground cover (creeping) |
| They grow parallel to the earth, expanding in breadth. Despite this, they can be kept at home. |
Varieties of this amazing plant are completely different from each other and can be used by gardeners for a variety of purposes.
It can be planted both on open ground (before that, checking whether the land is suitable for the plant by general parameters) or equipping a place in the living room. It all depends on the variety and whether breeding is the goal of growing.
Caring for a Money Tree by a Fat Cracker at Home
Crassulaceae are representatives of succulent plants, which means their resistance to high temperature and humidity. Over the years of evolution, plants have adapted perfectly to them and do not need frequent watering.
Home care is simple - just learn once and all indoor flowers of this type will never cause problems again.
The only thing that both the beginner and the experienced gardener need to follow is the seasons. The point is not only in external conditions, but also in the internal biorhythms of the plant, which a person cannot influence.
To make this perennial plant stand for a long time, grow well and be healthy, you need to take into account seasonal differences in the needs of a fat woman.
| Conditions | Summer | Spring | Winter autumn |
| Location / Lighting | It is recommended to periodically take the flower out into the air, but avoid direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation. A standard place is to assign a moderately lit window sill. | It is better to put on the windows on the south side, if possible, it is not worth taking out to the street before warming. | The plant is at rest, do not touch it once again. Again, if possible, put on the south or east side. |
| Temperature | +20 ... +25 ° C | + 15 ... -4 ° C | + 15 ... -4 ° C |
| Watering / Humidity | Twice a week. | Once in two weeks. | |
| Fertilizer | Top dressing twice a month, regardless of the season. | ||
It is not recommended to put a flower pot near heat sources in any season.
In addition, the owner of the crassula should pay special attention to the condition of the soil, especially if the fat girl is in a small pot. It is necessary to avoid turning it into a petrified piece of land mixed with roots - this is very harmful for the plant.
Exactly the same damage will be caused by the “flooding” of the flower - the succulent will not withstand such an amount of moisture and may begin to rot.
If the plant does not die immediately, you will have to start treatment for typical diseases of the species. Excess or deficiency of moisture is the main contraindication for the care of the rosula.
Transplant and pruning
In general, gardeners do not recommend transplanting without special need. Succulents do not like frequent human intervention, excessive attention can lead to falling leaves or excessive loosening of the soil.
An exception can be made if the flower has become too large for its current pot or if a bush needs to be propagated. In this case, the fat girl is just carefully taken out of the pot, the old soil is removed (not until the end - you should not thoroughly shake the plant and even more so wash it) and fall asleep with a new one in another pot.
Together with the soil, drainage is added - it will maintain the moisture balance in the pot. The soil itself should be suitable for succulents, such can be found in any gardening store.
Trimming a fat woman is usually done for aesthetic purposes. For this, scissors or pruners are suitable, if we are talking about a large variety with powerful stems and shoots. You need to carefully cut off all the shoots that seem unnecessary, but do not use scissors under the very root of the shoot so as not to damage the growth bud. Otherwise, you can kill the lateral stem forever. Cutting off young plants is not recommended.
Breeding
Crassula propagates both vegetatively (by cuttings) and with the help of seeds. The second way is more difficult, since not everyone can grow it from scratch - this is a rather long process. Propagation by shoots is very simple, especially if there is an adult specimen - almost any branch from it can serve as the beginning for a new fat girl.
The separated stalk must be placed in water so that the future young plant takes root, you can speed up the process with coal. As soon as the roots appear, the crassula can be transplanted into its first, while a small pot. Some gardeners plant the cuttings immediately in the ground, but there is little risk of spoiling the young plant. The method with water requires more time, but is completely safe.
New fat women are kept in pots under the conditions of an adult plant, except that they need a little higher temperature - + 18 ... +16 ° C. Watering the first time is necessary daily.
Growing problems
Although Crassula is an extremely unpretentious plant, problems with it can also be raised. Usually this is a consequence of improper care of the flower and a violation of the norms of its content.
If the crusula is provided with minimal conditions for its growth, most of the problems and diseases can be avoided.
Common problems:
- Slowed flowering / lack thereof. Many do not even suspect that the red flowers bloom - this is because the light regime is disturbed. The plant does not particularly suffer from a lack of light, but in this case it will not bloom either. To see it during the flowering period, you need to add lighting.
- Drying of the roots. This comes from a long stay in a pot with petrified soil - the soil compresses the roots, interfering with the flower.
- Fallen leaves, their lethargy and yellowing. These flowers have fleshy and heavy leaves that, at first glance, adhere to the stem firmly, but easily deteriorate and fall off under prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Diseases and Pests
Many inexperienced gardeners think that no parasites are harmful to flowers at home, but this is not so. Some are not even visible - they are engaged in root damage and are in the soil, as a result of which a person notices them late.
| Pest | Signs of occurrence | How to fight |
| Scutellaria (type of worms) | Brown, yellow, reddish spots on the surface of the leaf. | Processing leaves and shoots with soapy water (using a spray bottle) or with Fitoverm or Fufanon medicines, which can be purchased in specialized stores. |
| Spider mite | The pest gives itself out with a small amount of cobweb between the leaves and at the intersection of the stems. | |
| Mealybug | Pests can be seen on the plant, in addition, when eating the juice of a flower, they leave behind a characteristic white coating on the stems and leaves. | A solution from laundry soap will help, they also recommend rubbing with alcohol from improvised means, but this method also has opponents, since it can be poisonous to a sensitive plant. If the worms have multiplied too much, only insecticides can save the plant. |
Mr. Summer resident recommends: useful properties and signs
The main omen associated with the money tree is its magical ability to attract money. Money does not leave the room where the fat woman stands, but only multiply. The owner of the plant, who takes care of him and constantly contacts, expects double luck. It is also mentioned in the Eastern doctrine of harmony and health of Feng Shui.
The healing and simply positive properties of Crassul are also not a secret - they are used to clean indoor air, improve a person’s psychological state, and relieve stress.
