Crassula is a succulent from the family Crassulaceae, which includes 300-500 species from various sources. The birthplace of this plant is Africa, Madagascar. It can be found on the Arabian Peninsula. Many varieties perfectly take root in apartment conditions.
Description of Crassula
Some species are aquatic or grassy. Others are tree-like shrubs. They have a common feature: on the stem, the leaves are fleshy, arranged crosswise. The plates are whole-extreme and simple; they are ciliated. Inflorescences are apical or lateral, cystiform or umbrella-paniculate. The flowers are yellowish, scarlet, snow-white, pale blue, pink. It rarely blooms in a room environment.
Krassula species
The following varieties are popular:
| Group | View | Stems / leaves / flowers |
| Tree-like | Ovata | Height 60-100 cm. Lignified, with many branches. Small, pale pink, in the form of stars. |
| Portulakova | A variation of the previous variety. The only difference: light, airy roots on the stem, darkening over time. | |
| Silver | Similar to Owata. Difference: bright blotches and a silvery sheen. | |
| Minor | Fleshy, green, lignified over time. Small, dark green with a red frame, oval. Small, snow-white. | |
| Face | Differences from Ovata: leaves are larger. The end is pointed, raised, the edges are curved down. | |
| Tricolor and Solana (Oblikva hybrids) | Lignified, densely covered with branches. As in the original species, but Tricolor with snow-white lines on the plates arranged unevenly, and Solana with yellow. Small, whitish. | |
| Milky | Up to 0.6 m. Large, with whitish blotches around the perimeter. Snow-white, collected in thick panicles. | |
| Gollum and the Hobbit (mix of Ovata and Milky) | Up to 1 m, branching abundantly. The Hobbit turned outward, fused from the bottom to the middle. At Gollum they are folded into a tube, at the ends they are expanded in the form of a funnel. Small, bright. | |
| Sunset | Lignified. Green, with yellow or white lines, red border. They retain their color in good lighting, which can only be created in greenhouses. The apartment takes on a pure green hue. White, pinkish, bluish, reddish. | |
| Tree-like | Up to 1.5 m. Rounded, bluish-gray with a thin red border, often covered with dark dots. Small, snow-white. | |
| Ground cover | Floating | Up to 25 cm. Around the central stem grows a lot of creeping, fleshy shoots with slightly raised ends. Thin, with a sharp end, folded in 4 rows. Homely, small, in the form of white stars. |
| Fake | Unlike the previous view: curved stems, less pressed leaf plates of variegated, silver, yellow color. | |
| Tetrahedral | They have brown aerial roots. Fleshy, awl-shaped. Whitish, unremarkable. | |
| Spot | Lodging, highly branching. Grown as an ampel plant (in a hanging planter). Green, on the outside with red spots, on the inside with lilac-scarlet. Transparent cilia are located along the contour. Small, star-shaped. | |
| Offspring | Grassy, abundantly branching, up to 1 m. With a pointed end and teeth along the perimeter. Edges are variegated. White or beige. | |
| Outlet (round) | Grassy, highly branching. Fleshy, light green, with a sharp end of a reddish tint. Collected in sockets resembling flowers. Homely, whitish. | |
| Spike-like | Punch | Small-branched, hard, up to 20 cm. Rhomboid, paired, arranged crosswise. The rhizome is spliced, grasping the stalk. Light green with a gray-blue bloom and a red border. Small, snow-white. |
| Variegate | Stems and flowers as in the previous species. Bright yellow in the center or on the edge. As they grow green. White, at the top of the shoots. | |
| Grouped | Grassy, thin, highly branched. Rounded, small, flat and smooth. Bluish-green, with cilia around the edges. Snow-pink, small, collected in apical inflorescences. | |
| Cave rock | Creeping or erect. Grassy, lignified over time. Dense, smooth, ovoid or rhomboid. Paired or placed crosswise. The plates are bluish-green with a dashed or solid line of rusty color at the edges. Pink or yellow, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. | |
| Cooper | Up to 15 cm. Brownish-green, with brown spots, arranged in a spiral. The end is pointed, with a large villus in the center. On the edges there are rare cilia. Whitish or pinkish, small. | |
| Buddha Temple | Erect, almost non-branching. Paired, juicy, triangular. The ends are curved up. As they grow, they form quadrangular columns of regular shape. Almost white, with a pinkish tint, sterile. | |
| Monstrose | Grow abnormally: asymmetrically, with kinks. Small, scaly, yellow-green. Unremarkable. | |
| Receptor | Up to 10 cm. Almost hidden under foliage. Shortened, tetrahedral, thick. Greenish-gray, with silver spots. Small, collected in inflorescences. | |
| Decorative blooming | Sickle | Erect, slightly branched, up to 1 m. Juicy, fleshy, greyish-green, sickle-shaped. Red-red, collected in large inflorescences, umbrellas. |
| Schmidt | Greenish pink. Lanceolate, narrow, with a sharp end. The outer side is green with a silver coating, the inside is red. Carmine shade. | |
| Justy Corderoi | It is similar to the previous grade. Difference: flattened plates rounded to the bottom, ciliated edges. | |
| Proneseleaf | Erect, slightly branched. Juicy and fleshy, triangular or lanceolate. On the outside, covered with red dots, there are teeth along the perimeter. Snow-white, scarlet. |
Crassula care at home
The plant is unpretentious in content, its cultivation is even for beginners. Since care for the rosula at home is simple, it is often decorated with apartments, offices.
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location / Lighting | Window sills on the east and west sides. | |
| Take to the terrace or loggia, protect from direct sunlight. Remove from heaters. | Create additional lighting using fitolamps and daylight devices (at least 10-12 hours). | |
| Temperature | +20… +25 ℃. | +14 ℃. |
| Humidity | To put under a shower, covering the earth with polyethylene. | Not necessary. |
| Watering | Moderate, after drying of the topsoil by 3-4 cm. | Rarely, only when the plant dries. |
| Settled water, room temperature. | ||
| Top dressing | You need to purchase special fertilizer for cacti and succulents. | |
| Contribute once in 4 weeks. | 1 time in 3 months. | |
Transplant, soil, pruning
If you begin the formation of a mature specimen, there will be stumps in the place of the slices, which will significantly spoil the appearance of the plant. Therefore, pruning is necessary when the bush is still young, about 15 cm high:
- At the top, pinch off the 2 smallest leaves.
- In this place, 4 will grow instead.
- In the growing Crassula, you need to regularly pinch the plates in those places where you need to make the crown thicker.
The substrate for planting should consist of the following components in a ratio of 1: 1: 3: 1: 1:
- sheet land;
- humus;
- turf;
- gravel
- sand.
You can also get ready-made soil mix for succulents and cacti.
The transplant is performed with a strong growth of the root system, when it completely envelops the earthen lump. This happens approximately every 2-3 years. The most suitable time is spring.
The pot needs to be selected a little more than the previous one. Wide, but not shallow, otherwise the roots will go down, the aerial part will begin to grow actively up: the stem will become thin and weak. Transplant like this:
- Lay out the expanded clay drainage layer.
- By transshipment, move the bush with an earthen lump.
- Fill the free space with fresh substrate.
- With strong growth of roots in length, prune them.
To make the plant miniature, it does not need to be transplanted. It is enough to change the topsoil annually.
Breeding methods
Can be used:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- leaves.
The vegetative method of propagation is the simplest and gives the best results. Step by Step Actions:
- Spread the seeds evenly over the surface of the soil (sheet soil and sand 1: 2) in a wide container, sprinkle with sand.
- Cover with glass to create greenhouse conditions.
- Remove the shelter daily for ventilation, remove condensation from the walls, moisten the soil from the spray gun.
- After the shoots germinate, transplant them at a distance of 1 cm from each other. Keep in a warm, well-lit room.
- When the first fully grown leaves grow, dive shoots into separate containers with sod-sandy soil (1: 2).
- Keep at a temperature of + 15 ... +18 ℃ until completely rooted.
- Transplant to a permanent place.
Propagation by cuttings step by step:
- Cut off a strong shoot, treat the damaged area with charcoal.
- Planting material should be placed in a growth accelerator (for example, in Kornevin) for 1-2 days.
- Plant in loose, fertile soil.
- After the roots appear, move to separate containers (5-8 cm circumference).
- To care, as well as for an adult bush.
Breeding with leaves:
- Cut planting material, air dry for 2-3 days.
- Deepen into the substrate vertically.
- Spray the soil regularly before rooting.
- After the start of growth, transplant into separate pots.
Mistakes in the care of rosula, diseases and pests
If the plant does not create the necessary conditions of detention, it will hurt, pests will start to eat it.
| Manifestation | Causes | Remedial measures |
| The leaves turn pale and fall. |
|
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| The stem is too long. | Excess water at low air temperature or lack of light. | If this happened in the summer:
When the problem is in winter:
|
| Reddish stains on the green. | Bacterial damage. |
|
| Slow development. |
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| Decay of the stem. | Excessive watering. |
|
| Yellowness on the leaves. | Lack of lighting. | Provide ambient light for 10-12 hours. |
| Softening plates. | Strong wetting of the substrate. | Dry the earthen room. If this fails, transplant the bush:
|
| Dark spots. |
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| White dots. | Excess moisture. |
|
| Redness of greenery. |
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| Silver plaque, if not provided by the variety. | Crassula suffered stress and began to recover. | No need to do anything, the bush will bounce back on its own. |
| Puckering leaves. | Strong bay after drying of the substrate. | This is very harmful. In most cases, the plant dies. |
| Dry brown plaques. | Lack of water. | Water as the topsoil dries. |
| Drying. |
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| Yellow, light brown spots and tubercles. | Shield. |
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| Thin web on greens, gray or red dots in constant motion, yellow and brown spots are noticeable. | Spider mite. |
|
| White balls, similar to cotton wool on the roots and sinuses of leaves. | Mealybug. |
|
| Insects are visible on the roots. | Root Worm. |
|
| Mold. |
| Transplant into a new soil, clearing the roots of the old earth. |
| The appearance of white spots on the upper side of the leaves, gradually increasing, passing on to the whole aerial part. | Powdery mildew, due to:
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| The appearance of gray or black spots. Gradually, their connection occurs, and the soot film covers the plates. The foliage falls, the red grass ceases to grow. | Black. Provoking factors:
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| Brown spots on which a fluffy coating appears over time. | Gray rot due to:
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| Yellow spots with a dark brown dot in the middle and a gray frame, passing to the entire aerial part. Shrub stops growing. The stems are rotting, cracking. | Anthracnose, resulting from excess moisture in the soil, air. | Processing by Previkur, Skor, Fundazol. |
| Decay of the root system and trunk. | Root and stem rot:
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If the stem rots, the flower cannot be saved. |
Signs about Crassula and its beneficial properties
Crassula also has another name, “money tree”. There is a sign that it brings financial prosperity. But this quality has only a well-groomed, healthy plant. The patient, on the contrary, leads to a loss of money.
Crassula cleans the air of harmful elements, enriches it with oxygen. The plant is actively used in traditional medicine, as it helps against many diseases:
| Disease | Recipe |
| Pyelonephritis. | Grind 2 tbsp. l greens and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Take 1 tbsp. l before eating food. |
| Gastric and duodenal ulcer. | Chew 1 sheet each day. |
| Neuralgia, varicose veins, muscle pain. | Pour 2 tbsp. l 200 ml of vodka. To insist the night. Rub into sore spots. |
| Cut, hematomas, arthritis, gout, osteochondrosis. | Skip through the meat grinder.Compresses from gruel. |
| Corns. | Put the pulp on the affected area. |
| Hemorrhoids. | Mix the juice of the plant with olive oil or petroleum jelly (1 to 1). In the product, lubricate the cotton pad and apply to the hemorrhoid. |
| Angina. | Gargle with juice diluted with water (1 to 2). |
Any non-traditional method of treatment is pre-agreed with the doctor.
