Money tree - how to care for the houseplant, its homeland and name

The money tree, a houseplant, is of interest not only to flower lovers. Knowing how to care for this houseplant is also important for those who place great importance on superstitions, one of which is that the money tree can attract finances to the home where it grows.

The money tree's homeland, its name, characteristics and varieties

The plant's native land is Madagascar and tropical Africa. The genus is called Crassulaceae, which is also the name of the family (Crassulaceae), which comprises over 300 species. It is also known as Crassula, a Russian transcription of the Latin name meaning "thick, plump."

This plant should be kept away from children and pets. In the wild, they accumulate arsenic. This doesn't necessarily apply to houseplants, but it's best to be on the safe side.

Representatives of the genus are very diverse in appearance. They are mostly perennial. Some are miniature, while others grow to giants up to 3-4 meters in height.

The leaves are opposite (arising in pairs from the shoots), simple, fleshy, green, dark green, or shiny silver. They may have a red border or red spots.

The flowers are small, yellow, white, lilac-pink, bright red, shaped like stars, collected in paniculate-umbel-shaped or racemose inflorescences (less often - solitary).

How to care for a money tree at home

Caring for the Crassula is simple, which is partly why gardeners love it. However, there are still some growing subtleties you need to know.

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Lighting

The most comfortable placement for the plant is a southeast-facing pot, which also aligns with Eastern feng shui practices, which aim to achieve energy balance. The plant prefers bright light, but scorching sunlight should be avoided, otherwise the leaves will turn red, wilt, and eventually fall off. Placement near east- and west-facing windows is also acceptable.

Temperature and humidity

In autumn and winter, it is recommended to not raise the temperature for the plant above 15 degrees and not lower it below 4. In spring and summer, the optimal temperature range is 16-25 degrees.

Air humidity isn't particularly important, but proper plant care is essential. Wipe dust off the leaves with a damp, soft sponge. You can also rinse the tree in the bathtub with warm water, covering the soil with something.

Watering and fertilizing

The fat leaves of the succulent plant store moisture and don't require frequent watering. However, it's undesirable to allow the soil to dry out completely. This will cause the leaves to darken and wilt. Excessive moisture will lead to root rot, which can eventually lead to the plant's death. In summer, water every 7-10 days, and twice as often during hot periods. In winter, water no more than once every two weeks. Use room-temperature water. If it's colder, the succulent will begin to shed its leaves.

Special fertilizers for succulents and cacti are suitable for feeding. For normal plant development, a balanced composition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is required. The best ratio is 9:18:24.

Nitrogen isn't particularly needed, so avoid special supplements that contain large amounts of it, as this will kill the plant. If there's not enough potassium, yellowish spots will appear on the plant, while too much will damage the root system. If there's a phosphorus deficiency, the leaves will begin to darken.

Popular products are “Gilea - fertilizer for cacti” (2 caps of the substance per 1 liter of water) and Pokon (10 ml of the preparation per 1 liter of water).

For foliar feeding, it is advisable to use phosphorus flour diluted in water.

A calcium supplement made from eggshells is very useful. To do this, grind the dry shells of about 10 boiled chicken eggs into a powder, add 1 liter of boiling water, and place in a dark place. After two weeks, the infusion is ready for watering. The crushed shells are also suitable as drainage (2-3 cm thick).

Fertilizers should be applied only to moist soil during the period of active growth (from April to September) regularly once a month.

Rest period

From September to March, the crassula undergoes a dormant period. During this period, it requires cool conditions, minimal moisture, and no fertilizer. Avoid placing the plant near heating systems or heaters. Otherwise, the tree will begin to wilt and lose its leaves.

Diseases and pests

The Crassula is fairly resistant to diseases and pests. Problems usually arise from improper care. Symptoms can help you understand what's wrong and take appropriate measures:

1. Leaves are falling. This is a completely natural phenomenon and occurs once every two years. However, leaf fall can also be caused by overwatering, underwatering, or watering with cold water. Also, scorched and reddened leaves that have been exposed to direct sunlight may fall.
2. The leaves have become soft. This could be due to overwatering, insufficient light, or improper temperature control.

   

3. Black circles have appeared on the leaves. This indicates severe sunburn. The affected leaves should be removed, and the pot should be moved to a location where the sun will not be harmful.
4. The plant is wilting, turning yellow, and drying out. It's possible the plant is overheated and lacking oxygen. In winter, providing fresh air without freezing temperatures is difficult, but in spring, you can move the plant outside or onto the balcony.

   

5. Brown, reddish-brown, white, reddish-brown, or yellow spots have appeared on the leaves. If the spots are white, brown, or brown, it's time to treat them with fungicides. If they're brownish-red or yellowish, the plant is being sucked by scale insects (an insect up to 5 mm in size with a turtle-like shield on its back). To get rid of scale insects, use the following methods once a week:
   • remove the parasite from the plant with a soft toothbrush or a cotton swab dipped in insecticide, kerosene or alcohol;
   • treat the leaves and trunk with a soap solution;
   • spray the tree with insecticide.

     

6. Yellow spots have formed on the leaf blades, with webbing between them. These are signs of spider mites. These small (0.3-0.6 mm), red (but can be other colors) pests create webs for their offspring. They feed on the plant's cell sap. To combat them, use Fufanon, Fitoverm, Actofit, and Actellic (according to their instructions) and treat the tree surface with a soapy solution.
7. Cottony growths have appeared in the leaf axils, on the stems, and around the root collar. These marks could have been caused by a mealybug. This sucking, white parasite is quite noticeable (3-6 mm, sometimes larger), and actively moves throughout the plant. Males even have wings, but lack mouthparts as adults.

   

   However, both larvae and females do, intensively sucking sap not only from the upper part of the tree but also from the root system. If the pests are few, a mechanical method will help: treating the entire surface with a soapy solution. If the situation is critical, you will need to use Fitoverm, Calypso, Actellic, or Biotlin.

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How to propagate and transplant a houseplant at home?

The fat plant propagates by seeds, cuttings and leaves, each method having its own characteristics.

Seeds

Seed propagation is more labor-intensive and time-consuming. It's the preserve of plant breeders seeking to develop new varieties. However, gardeners can still practice this interesting endeavor. To do this, you'll need:

• fill clean bowls with soil mixture (leaf soil and sand - 1:0.5);
• scatter seeds over the surface and sprinkle with sand;
• moisten and cover with a transparent material to ensure sufficient air humidity (the top layer should always be slightly damp, but not wet);

  

• pick out the emerging seedlings into bowls with a moistened mixture of leaf and turf soil, as well as sand (1:0.5:0.5) and place in a lighted place, but protected from the scorching rays;
• When the sprouts reach a height of 5-7 cm, transplant them into a container with a light substrate and maintain an air temperature of 15-18 degrees.

Cuttings

A simple and popular method. Cut a 10-12 cm cutting from the plant and let it dry for 24 hours. You can root it in water or a potting mix.

To root in water, remove the leaves at the bottom of the cutting and place it in a container of water, making sure it's not completely submerged. It's a good idea to add Kornevin (a rooting stimulator) or charcoal to the water. Avoid direct sunlight on the cutting. After 2-3 weeks, roots will develop, allowing you to plant it in a pot.

To root the cutting in soil, prepare a clean container with drainage and fill it halfway with a soil mixture (garden soil and sand, 1:1). Next, make a small hole in the soil with a stick, place the cutting in it, add more soil mixture (without compacting it), and water moderately. After a year, the young plant will be ready for transplanting. Until then, do not change its location.

Leaves

The money tree sometimes sheds leaves, which then root on their own. You can help it propagate in this way. Remove a well-developed lower leaf and leave it alone for a day.

Then, root it in a flat container or a bottle of water (a rooting stimulator will also be useful), immersing the lower end 0.5 cm. When roots appear, the leaf should be "transplanted" into a shallow bowl, and after 1 month, into a pot.

To root the leaf in the soil, moisten it with water and Kornevin, bury it 1/3 of the way in a bowl of peat and sand, and then cover it with a transparent material. Ventilate the greenhouse daily and mist it with warm water when the top layer of soil dries out.

Frequently asked questions about caring for a fat plant

A fat woman can be your first houseplant, as it's quite easy to care for. However, to ensure your fat woman maintains a pleasant appearance and continues to generate income, you should follow these rules and recommendations.