Crassula, or Crassula, is a genus of annual and perennial succulents of the Crassula family, widespread mainly in the southern hemisphere. Numerous types of crassula are inhabitants of the arid regions of the planet, many of them are very decorative and unusual in appearance, due to which they are often grown as houseplants.
- Family: Crassula.
- Homeland: southern and tropical Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Peninsula.
- Rhizome: roots thin, superficial.
- Stem: thick, juicy.
- Leaves: sessile, opposite, fleshy.
- Fruit: leathery leaflet.
- Reproductive ability: easily propagated by leaves, stem cuttings.
- Light : Bright light is preferred.
- Watering: moderate in summer, rare in winter.
- Content temperature: in summer 22-25 °С, in winter 8-10 °С
- Flowering time: Rarely blooms in cultivation.
Description of the houseplant Crassula
The genus includes more than 300 different species. Some crassulas are dwarf plants that do not exceed a few centimeters in height, others grow up to 3-4 m. Most of the species are perennials, many are characterized by the presence of monocarpic shoots ending in an inflorescence and dying off after fruit ripening. There are also annual forms that die completely after flowering.
Crassula flower in the photo
Most crassulas have herbaceous stems, both erect and creeping, there are also shrub-like forms, with succulent fleshy or lignified trunks, and rather tall (3-4 m) tree-like representatives. With all the variety of forms, the fleshy, juicy structure of the stems can be considered a common characteristic of the genus, even lignified trunks are herbaceous in their anatomical structure.
The leaves of the crassula are sessile, opposite or in rosettes, like the trunks, juicy and fleshy. Their color varies from green to yellowish or blue with a pronounced waxy coating, in bright sunlight it can acquire a reddish or dark cherry hue, which gives the plant an additional decorative effect.
The surface of the leaf is smooth or pubescent, in some species it is covered with a variety of grooves, papillae, cilia, which help to reduce the evaporation of water and often serve to store it in case of an unfavorable period.
In the photo, Crassula flowers with various leaf shapes
The size and shape of the leaves are very diverse, which can be tiny scales covering stems that are spherical in shape, and reach 40 cm in large tree-like representatives.
The shape varies from flat to spherical, convex above and below, shell-shaped, with a solid or serrated edge. Numerous compact species growing in arid places are very interesting. They are characterized by the original structure of basal rosettes with leaves growing spirally or densely arranged in almost square columns.
The shape of the plant can change depending on the intensity of lighting, with a lack of it, the trunks lengthen, with an excess, they turn almost into a sphere.
Several photos of crassulas with different structures of trunks and leaves are given below:
Crassula flowers are small, white, yellowish, rarely red or bluish, usually collected in paniculate or racemose inflorescences that form at the ends of the shoots, sometimes solitary axillary. Bloom sequentially, starting from the center to the periphery of the inflorescence.
Since most species exist in conditions of a sharply arid climate, their high viability is due to their exceptional ability for vegetative reproduction. The succulent easily forms both adventitious roots on the stems and buds with the subsequent development of children on the leaves, or rosettes of young leaves on creeping shoots.
The history of the crassula flower and its use in culture
For the first time, the plant became known to gardeners in Europe in 1687, and after 45 years it received its modern name, crassula. The flower was named so for the characteristic structure of the stems and leaves, translated from Latin the word “crassus” means “thick”, therefore the second common name of the genus is the fat woman.
The unpretentiousness to the growing conditions and the unusual appearance of the culture attracted the attention of lovers of indoor floriculture, and already in 1753 Carl Linnaeus describes about 20 types of crassula in his writings. But they become most popular at the beginning of the 19th century, when numerous exotic plants were brought to Europe from South Africa, the Cape region of which is the birthplace of most fat women.
Numerous species with decorative leaves and the original shape of the trunks began to be widely grown at home.
How useful is the Crassula money tree?
And in our time, these succulents continue to be very popular among flower growers. Particularly common in Russia is the oval crassula (C. ovata), known under the name “money tree”. This fat woman in nature reaches a height of 3 m, and at home it is an attractive tree, unpretentious in care, easy to cut.
The plant is common in culture around the world, it is believed that it brings its owner good luck in money matters, for which it got its name. According to Chinese metaphysics, the money tree activates the wealth zone in the house, but modern science also testifies to the usefulness of the flower.
The fact is that the succulent releases phytoncides into the air, which have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal activity. Crassula tissues have the same properties, which can be used for external treatment of arthritis, various skin lesions, etc. The only thing to remember is that parts of the plant should not be consumed internally, since they contain a high content of arsenic.
Crassula indoor plant: bonsai is made quickly and easily
We note one more undoubted advantage of this houseplant – the crassula “money tree” belongs to the few home crops, the crown of which is easy to form.
Due to the rather rapid growth, the tendency to thicken the trunk and crown, and the superficial root system, the flower is perfect for the ancient, but fashionable art of bonsai in our time.
With very little effort, you can grow a tree of the most bizarre shape from it, which will decorate any interior.
To create a bonsai, the crassula is first transplanted into a wide and flat pot , if necessary, cutting its roots and strengthening the stem for the first time, and then the crown is formed.
To give the plant the desired shape, pruning and pinching are mainly used. In early spring, new shoots are pinched, old ones that have reached 5-10 cm are shortened to one or three pairs of leaves, which stimulates the formation of a dense crown. If you want to create an asymmetrical shape, you can remove part of the side shoots. To form curved branches, they are tied with green with a soft material (cloth, rubber, but not wire, which can injure delicate juicy stems) and fixed. Gradually, the angle of inclination is increased to the desired value, and after the lignification of the shoots, the fixing material is removed.