Why the root system of the Money Tree should not be deep

There are more than 300 species of Crassula. The birthplace of the money tree is South Africa. Our most popular indoor plants are Crassula ovata and Crassula arborescens. Both species have fleshy, silver-gray, shiny, oval-shaped leaves. They produce many shoots and develop quickly into large, gnarled specimens with a huge crown and a height of up to 1 meter.

Crassula arborescens blooms, having reached the age of 10, with small pink or white flowers. According to Feng Shui, the plant attracts money to the house and helps improve the financial situation. That’s why they love to keep it not only at home, but also in offices.

Feng Shui pays great attention to the money tree - where to place the coins, what ribbon to tie, where to put it. The plant is unpretentious and does not require complex care. And yet it has its own characteristics. In order for it to develop well and bring good luck, it needs to be properly looked after.

The Crassula genus, to which Crassula belongs, includes a wide variety of plants. It even includes varieties for aquariums. The fat woman is quite unpretentious and easy to care for. Therefore, even a novice florist will not cause any trouble with the money tree.

Types of Crassula

The most common types of money trees are:

• oval Crassula (Crassula ovata);

• tree crassula (Crassula arborescens);

• crassula minor;

• Crassula Sunset;

• Crassula crescent;

• Crassula Alstonii;

• Crassula Campfire.

Lighting and location

Crassula is a succulent. The plant should be located where it is light, even sunny, but not on the windowsill at noon. The leaves will turn red and then wither and fall off.

The fat woman also needs fresh air. In summer, the plant can be taken out into the garden or onto the balcony in a bright, but not sunny, place protected from rain. In winter, it is important to provide the money tree with coolness (10 degrees) and it is better to move it to the south side. When wintering is too warm, long, unsightly shoots are formed.

Crassula transplant

This family includes more than three hundred species of tropical plants that have some botanical characteristics, so gardeners need to remember that indoor Crassula should not be replanted too often.

Even if all the rules are followed, after replanting and planting Crassula may stop growing. However, at the stage of active growth processes, up to approximately three years of age, the indoor plant needs to be replanted annually into a large flower pot. Adult specimens need to be replanted no more than once every three years.

The “money tree” should not grow excessively, because in this case, quite often the shoots stretch out or, on the contrary, stop in their development. That is why the grower must be able to control growth processes by forming and correctly pinching the crown for uniform branching. When replanting, it is very important to choose the planting container and soil mixture wisely, as well as to observe the optimal timing of the event.

Money tree watering mode

In summer, under indoor conditions, the soil in a pot with Crassula should be moderately moist. In the garden, the plant requires more watering. If it’s hot outside, at least 2 times a week; on cool days, once is enough. But keep in mind that the soil should never dry out. It is very important! Watering the plant in winter is enough 2 times a month.

Tips and rules for growing and caring for plants

Most often, flower growers grow the Ovata species of Crassula on their windowsills. An unpretentious money tree with a thick trunk and oval leaves does not require special maintenance conditions. It is enough to remember his love for sunlight, take into account the period of growth and rest. If you choose the right pot, type of soil and fertilizing, you can get natural home decor with ideal characteristics.

Soil and pot size

You can determine whether the soil is chosen correctly for a money tree by the condition of its leaves. If they are bright green in color with red tips, dense and fleshy, then the soil is doing an excellent job of its nutritional function. In order for the fat plant to grow strong and bloom, it needs to create all the conditions for this.

Only loose soil with plenty of sand and drainage is suitable for the money tree. The breathable structure will prevent fluid stagnation. After watering, excess moisture should go into the pan and not remain in the soil.

Plant growth depends on the quality of the soil. For an underdeveloped root system, a special composition consisting of several layers will be required. The bottom layer of 1 cm is laid out with pebbles and broken bricks. In the middle there is a soil mixture of soil, river sand, and humus. The top is covered with expanded clay.

The root system of the Crassula plant will develop well in a wide, shallow pot. The width should be at least 1.5 times the crown diameter. The container must be stable with a flat bottom to prevent the plant from overweighting and tipping over. The size of the money tree depends on the depth of the pot. If you plant it in a long flowerpot, it will stretch upward; in a low flowerpot, natural branching of the plant will occur.

To plant a money tree, you cannot use mixtures based on peat or moss. Such soil retains moisture for a long time, which will lead to rotting of the plant roots.

Temperature

The usual room temperature of 20-25° C is suitable for Crassula. The minimum threshold is 10° C, the maximum is 32° C. In summer, the pot can be taken out to the balcony or veranda. To lower the temperature, the fat plant can be moved to the floor. If the temperature goes beyond the comfortable limits for the plant, the flower goes into a state of complete freezing.

In winter, it is better to move the money tree to a cool place. The temperature should be maintained in the range of 14-16 ° C. The fat woman can winter on the loggia, on the northern windowsill. The condition of the plant must be constantly monitored in order to notice changes for the worse in time.

Air humidity

Coinwood does not require moisture control. Dry room air in summer does not harm it. The plant calmly sprouts shoots and grows leaves. Once a month it can be sprayed with a spray bottle or doused with water from the shower. In the latter case, it is necessary to cover the ground with polyethylene.

All types of succulents are accustomed to low humidity. Plants with high moisture requirements are not suitable for them as neighbors on the windowsill. Do-it-yourself removal of dust and dirt from the leaves should be done with a damp cloth.

Lighting

The ideal place for representatives of succulents is a windowsill. It is better if the windows face south, southeast. On the southern window, the plants will have to be shaded when the sun is at its zenith. The north side is not taboo for the Crassula. But, the money tree will begin to grow upward, branching will stop, and the stems will become weak and stop becoming woody.

For such plants, lighting plays the most significant role. With a lack of light, Crassula can completely stop growing, get sick and even die. In the summer, in addition to light, the plant has a need for fresh air. If it is not possible to take the pot outside, the room should be periodically ventilated, taking care of it without drafts.

Watering

The money tree categorically does not like excessive moisture. Excess moisture will lead to rotting of the roots, trunk, and branches. After which the plant will no longer be able to be saved. If the soil is constantly wet, fungal diseases will develop and the leaves will turn yellow and fall off.

Due to the constant accumulation of moisture in the leaves, excessive watering poses a greater danger to Crassula than its lack. Such a plant will delight those who constantly forget to water it with a lush and green crown. Crassula grows freely without water for a month. Recommended watering schedule: in summer - once a week, with the onset of cold weather - once every two weeks.

Feeding and fertilizer

The application of fertilizers is necessary for the plant at all stages of growth, especially after transplantation. Special fertilizer is included in the soil for certain types of plants. It is recommended to plant the money tree in a mixture of soils for succulents and ficus. As the nutrients originally contained in the soil become depleted, they will need to be replenished. The fertilizer that is suitable for the fat plant is the same as for cacti.

You need to start feeding in early spring. It is easy to determine the appropriate period. As soon as pairs of leaves appear, it means it’s time to increase the activity of the growing season. The soil is supplied with mineral fertilizers once a month. You can carry out the procedure more often, but then you need to reduce the amount of nutrients.

Fertilizers in granular form are applied to moist soil and mixed. This is done to avoid causing burns to the roots. The dry matter will break down slowly and will not reach the roots too quickly. Active feeding should not be prolonged.

Crown formation

Due to branching shoots and their strong growth during the growing season, the plant may lose its decorative appearance. The formation of the crown will help restore its former attractiveness. In addition to increasing decorativeness, pruning is carried out to improve color stability, simulate a strong trunk, and facilitate the care of succulents. There are several crown formation schemes:

1. To strengthen the central trunk. In young fat plants, branching shoots and foliage in the lower part are removed. At the time of applying fertilizer, all newly formed branches are removed from an aged tree.
2. Hanging shoots from the tops. The formation of a bonsai-type crown can be carried out after strengthening the trunk. Otherwise, the flimsy base may not withstand the load.
3. Low, compact bush. You can stop the stretching and add splendor and volume if you regularly tear off the leaves on the trunk. Temporarily stopping watering will help slow growth.
4. Spreading shrub. The money tree will increase in width if you constantly pinch the shoots at the top of the bush. Removing shoots from the apical buds will provoke branching of shoots from the axils below the cut.

Transfer

The best time to plant Crassula in new soil is the first half of March. During its development, the plant will more easily tolerate changing soil and pot. In summer and autumn, Crassula is replanted if absolutely necessary, if the container is not suitable in size, diseases or pests are detected.

According to the rules of replanting, all plants need to change the soil and pot every year. Flowers 3 years old and older should change their habitat once every two years. Frequent transplants of the fat woman are contraindicated. Each event is stressful for the tree and requires a lot of time to adapt and recover. Excessive movements can damage fragile leaves. To make money, an adult plant is replanted according to the following step-by-step scheme:

• Clean the new pot, prepare a mixture of soil, drainage, humus;
• Place crushed stone and broken bricks on the bottom of the flowerpot;
• Cover the substrate with fresh soil;
• Make small holes around the trunk, loosen the tree and remove it from the old pot;
• The soil at the base is not removed; only dead, rotten roots can be removed;
• Lubricate the cut areas with wood ash;
• Leave the plant to dry for several hours;
• Place the money tree in the center of the new container;
• Add soil to the root collar and water generously;

If, during the process of transplanting a fat plant, rotten roots are discovered, for the purpose of resuscitation, the plant is planted in a mixture of sand, turf and humus.

Bloom

Seeing a money tree strewn with white inflorescences is a great success. This plant does not often please with color, since it grows slowly and requires special conditions for the appearance of buds. If this event occurs, then the owner of the Crassula will be pleased with small white flowers, similar to stars, that appear on some or all of the young shoots.

Crassula can bloom at any time of the year. More often this happens in autumn or winter. If this moment does not occur for a long time, the reasons for the lack of bud formation should be found. The money tree will not bloom under the influence of the following factors:

• The plant is constantly exposed to light;
• The soil is dense and acidic;
• The earth is constantly moist;
• Stems and leaves are damaged by pests;
• The bush is affected by fungus and other diseases.

Feeding the money tree

It is better to feed once or twice a month with fertilizer for cacti and succulents. At other times - only once a month, and the fertilizer must be diluted 2 times. Fertilizer should be applied only to moist soil, that is, after watering.

Money tree propagation

The easiest way is to propagate by dividing the bush and apical cuttings, but you can also use seeds. Apical cuttings easily form roots, especially in a mixture of peat and sand. Before planting, the cut site must be dried for a couple of days. Cuttings can also be placed in water to form roots. To stimulate root growth, charcoal is added to the water.

Then the cuttings are planted in small pots with leaf and turf soil and sand added in equal proportions. Small plants should be kept at 16-18 degrees, watered once a day.

How to replant correctly

The flower does not require frequent replanting. The plant is replanted if the pot has become small, and you also need to divide the bush into several small ones. This is usually done once every 2-3 years.

They are replanting in the spring. There must be drainage at the bottom of the pot. It will protect the plant from overwatering, which means it will help prevent mold and rotting of the flower. The soil should consist of sand, leaf and turf soil. You can add clay and ash.

Crassula has a rather weak root system and a massive stem with thick, heavy leaves. Due to this discrepancy, the roots cannot hold the flower.

In the photo of the money tree you can see that the pots are usually chosen to be massive and large, stable and strong. This just helps prevent the flower from falling and reduces the load on the root system.

Money tree blossom

Crassula flowering is a rare occurrence. One of the reasons for its absence is the lack of lighting. It blooms with beautiful white flowers (during the period of active growth) with a characteristic suffocatingly sweet smell.

Crown formation

In order for the fat woman to look like a tree, it must be shaped. To do this, overgrown branches are pruned, but pruning must be done so that four leaves remain on the branch.

The crown should be lush and beautiful. To do this, you need to pinch the top so that the plant grows wider. And also do not forget to periodically turn the plant in different directions towards the light.

Where to put the plant in the house

An elegant flower will decorate the interior and attract good luck and prosperity to the house. Lovers of indoor flowers create small green areas at home, where the money tree can fit into the composition of flowering plants, ficus and palm trees, where it will be easy to care for.

It is better to place the house tree closer to the light, but where the direct bright rays of the sun will not reach. The plant can stand in the shade for some time, but it is not worth placing it in a shaded place for a long time.

Money tree in a large pot

To prevent the plant from growing oblique, it is necessary to expose one side or the other to light from time to time. A tall tree will not fall under the weight of branches with fleshy leaves if it is tied to a small peg. You should not place a money tree next to cacti - their needles will take away the energy of the fat plant, it will grow and reproduce poorly, and it will become difficult to care for the plant.

Money tree during flowering Small money tree

Parasite control and prevention

The greatest danger to the money tree are parasites - scale insects, spider mites, felt insects (mealybugs).

There are different ways to combat parasites:

• As a result of an attack by scale insects, the leaves are primarily affected. Brown and yellow spots appear on them. A soap solution of laundry soap or the preparations Fitoverm, Fufanon can save you from this scourge;
• Spider mites form cobwebs on leaves and stems. The plant is treated in the same way as for scale insects;

• A solution of laundry soap can help against mealybugs. And if there is no result, then insecticides are used. You can try alcohol applied with a cotton swab. Insecticide treatment is carried out in the form of spraying. This not only kills the insects that received the poison, but also those that still remain after spraying. The soil also needs to be well saturated with insecticide. The procedure is repeated 3 times with breaks of 10-15 days;
• a diseased plant that has been attacked by insects must be removed from the pot, washed thoroughly under running 50-degree hot water, then completely immersed in a solution of systemic pesticides for several hours. After this, the completely dried plant is transplanted into new, uninfected soil. Don't forget to add drainage to the pot.

The best time for a chemical attack

The best time for chemical treatment with poisons is the evening in warm, cloudy weather. In the following days, it is necessary to protect the plant from the sun so that it does not get burned. Recommended chemicals are Fufanon or Karbofos, preparations based on Imidacloprid, Actellik, Sherpa, Apollo, Decis.

If mealybugs have appeared recently, you can use a garlic tincture: ¼ part finely chopped garlic and ¾ part 70% alcohol. Soak a cotton swab in this tincture and remove the spider web with the mealybug. After this, carefully treat the affected area. The same can be done using pure alcohol.

Money tree: care at home

Although this succulent is unpretentious, mandatory rules of care still exist:

• avoid drafts;
• excess moisture is dangerous, which can cause the roots and base of the trunk to rot;
• if the leaves are limp, then the plant, on the contrary, lacks moisture;

• Do not water with cold water, otherwise the leaves of the fat plant may fall off;
• direct sunlight on the base of the money tree is strictly unacceptable;

• wipe the leaves periodically with a damp cloth - then they will retain their healing properties;
• when transplanting into another pot, for prevention, treat the roots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;

• you need to replant the fat plant in a reliable pot, since the plant itself is quite heavy. Otherwise, during the process of growth, it may change the center of gravity, and the pot will fall and the tree will break. Why are you so upset?

How to plant and grow Crassula to attract financial luck

You can buy a money tree at a flower shop, but according to the Feng Shui rule, it is better not to do this. You don’t need to buy a plant, but take it on occasion and plant it yourself. The easiest way to do this is to break off a stalk or leaf from an adult flower of your acquaintances or friends, thanking the owner in your heart for your help. Then the plant will be able to show its beneficial properties.

Three money trees in the interior

The sprouts should be placed in a container of water for the first time, usually for one or two weeks, and when the fat plant takes root, you can transplant it into a pot.

According to the teachings of Feng Shui, when planting a money plant, it is necessary to take into account several significant factors:

• Choose a favorable time to plant a money tree and the right place. Only a Feng Shui master can do this correctly and accurately, taking into account the influence of the time of year, location, energy of the house and others.
• You need to correctly place the flower in the interior in the zone responsible for wealth - in the southeastern sector.
• You need to put a few coins or a gold item at the bottom of a pot with a fat plant so that the plant absorbs the energy of wealth and transfers this flow to the house, and its properties gain monetary power.
• Belief in the magical properties of a money talisman is the most important factor. This is what Feng Shui masters think: if you firmly believe in the properties of the fat plant and its ability to solve financial problems, this will happen. After all, positive thoughts, fueled by favorable energy, help the tree grow and promote good luck.
• The money tree can come in the form of a miniature bonsai, a small flowering plant, or a large tree. When the flower grows, you can put a red ribbon on its branch - this will additionally stimulate money energy.

Money tree sprouts
Florarium with money tree

Benefits of the money tree

Whether the tree will attract money to the house or not is another question. But what has been scientifically proven is its benefits for human well-being and health:

• the plant purifies the air in the room;
• relieves nervous tension;
• destroys pathogenic formations, thereby improving the microflora of the room.

Useful properties of the flower

According to Feng Shui, a tree can bring money. The flower got its name precisely because of this belief and because its leaves resemble the shape of a coin. It is believed that the larger and fleshier the leaves, the greater the financial wealth in the house where it grows.

There is also a belief that the tree is able to take away negativity and everything bad, leaving only positive emotions.

If we talk about benefits from a scientific point of view, then the plant, like all others, purifies the air well. In folk recipes, Crassula leaves are often used to treat cuts and scrapes, coughs, and even eliminate hemorrhoids. All this is possible due to the fact that the leaves contain substances that promote regeneration and have an astringent and enveloping effect.

However, it is worth remembering that the plant is contraindicated for allergy sufferers, as it can cause an allergic reaction. Products based on it should not be used by children. The dosage should be carefully observed and not exceed the permissible concentration in home-made decoctions and ointments.

Medicine on the windowsill

Not everyone knows that the fat plant is no less useful for its antiviral, bactericidal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and regenerating properties than the well-known aloe. The juice of the plant heals abscesses, wounds, and cuts. It is enough to moisten gauze with it and apply it to the affected skin, you will feel the effect immediately. For medicines, it is important to take the upper leaves, from the crown.

Crassula helps with:

• sore throat, tonsillitis;
• inflammation of the gums;
• arthritis, arthrosis, gout;
• colitis;
• insect bites;
• thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
• hemorrhoids;
• ulcers and gastritis;
• calluses.

Crassula juice also has an analgesic effect. However, we must remember that it also contains toxic substances. This is an arsenic compound, so you need to be very careful, especially for those who take the juice internally.

For medicinal purposes, it is important to use only freshly squeezed juice. For example, for joint pain (gout, arthritis), it should be applied to the sore spot with a cotton swab. This will reduce pain and relieve swelling.

Those with ulcers and those with gastritis are recommended to chew 2 leaves in the morning, an hour before breakfast. A tincture of this plant in vodka or alcohol will help with inflammation of the trigeminal or facial nerve. A mixture of juice and Vaseline is a cure for hemorrhoids. This emulsion is applied to a cotton swab and applied to the hemorrhoidal lump 3 times a day.

In addition, you can make a paste of 5 leaves and apply it as a compress to cuts, wounds, bruises, bites - healing will happen literally before your eyes. It is also an excellent aid in the treatment of herpes, eczema, lichen, skin allergies and even psoriasis.

Money tree in the photo

This is what a wonderful and useful plant Crassula is. It can not only become a wonderful element of the decor of your room, but also attract good luck in financial matters, and most importantly, help your health. Therefore, the money tree must certainly be near you!

Feng Shui meaning of the plant

The teachings of Feng Shui contain a variety of techniques for a positive impact on such areas of life as health, emotions, finances and family well-being. Feng Shui methods are interesting and unusual; their practical application with faith in success allows you to raise a person’s quality of life to a new level. Feng Shui experts provide advice on prosperity and wealth to business leaders, firms and banks around the world.

Crassula "Temple of Buddha"

Among the many symbols of increasing cash flows and attracting wealth, Feng Shui masters attach special importance to the indoor plant - the money tree. The secret of the unique properties of the Crassula lies not so much in its round, coin-shaped leaves, but in the unique energy of the plant. It has the ability to interact with the owner and increase the energy of cash flows into his home.

Volumetric money tree in a white pot Crassula Capitella