Crassula (Crassula) is a succulent plant belonging to the Crassula family. This unpretentious indoor flower is also very well known to many gardeners under the name Crassula.
Botanical description of Crassula
All representatives belonging to the genus Crassula are very diverse in external characteristics. A significant number of species are indoor perennials with monocarpic shoots of different heights. The foliage is opposite, in some species collected in a kind of basal rosette, simple, entire, often ciliated. The leaves at the base are free or fused.
Flowers are small in size, white, whitish, yellowish, red or bluish in color, collected in terminal or lateral, paniculate-umbellate or racemose inflorescences. There are varieties with single axillary flowers. Caring for the plant and propagating Crassula is very easy.
Planting and caring for crassula (video)
Popular types, varieties and hybrids of Crassula
The genus Crassula includes more than two hundred species, many of which are very popular in home floriculture. Due to the external similarity of the leaves to coins, plants of this genus are often called “money tree”. In addition to the popular marginalis, there are many worthy, highly decorative and relatively unpretentious varieties, forms and cultures.
Crassula perforata (perforata)
C.perforate is a low-growing variety with diamond-shaped leaves arranged in pairs. The stem part is few-branched and rigid. The color of the leaves is light green, with a characteristic bluish coating. There is a reddish border on the edges of the leaves. The height of the above-ground part does not exceed a quarter of a meter. Variegated forms have yellowish stripes on the foliage.
C.lyсorodioides, or C.musсosa, is a compact plant with a shrub-type aerial part, no more than a quarter of a meter high, with fleshy, tetrahedral, creeping shoots and a slightly rising apical part. The leaves are small, scale-like, tiled and arranged in several rows.
Crassula arborescens
C.arborescens is a relatively large variety with almost rounded foliage of a very characteristic bluish color with a red edge. The height of the aboveground part of the indoor tree can be one and a half meters. The variety is one of the most decorative, but is demanding in care and needs good natural light.
Photo gallery
C. lastea Ait. - shrub and semi-shrub plant, with a height of the above-ground part slightly more than half a meter. The shoots are creeping type, with thick, obovate, fused at the base, bare leaves. The leaf blade is green in color, with whitish dots at the edge. The inflorescences are paniculate, represented by numerous white flowers.
Crassula purslane
C.portulacea is an unusual variety with which are formed on the trunk and branches. Flowering is extremely rare, paniculate inflorescences, represented by small, whitish or pinkish flowers.
C.ovata is a bush-like plant with a height of the above-ground part of no more than a meter and highly branching woody stems. The foliage is oval-shaped, fleshy, with a green upper leaf blade and a reddish tint on the lower part.
Crassula Sunset
C.ovata cv. Hummmel's Sunset is a popular cultivar that has foliage that is decorated with stripes of white or yellow coloring. The leaves have a pronounced red border.
Crassula the Hobbit
C.Hobbit - hybrid form, obtained by American breeders almost half a century ago. It is characterized by the original shape of the foliage, which is turned outward and grows together from the base to the very middle. This highly ornamental plant is very suitable for creating bonsai.
C.ovate Minor is a compact variety with reddish, very attractive foliage. The species is slow growing, therefore, it is optimally suited for decorating mini-kindergartens.
Crassula punctata
C.risturata - highly decorative variety, having lodging, abundantly branching shoots and foliage with an original appearance. On the general green background of the leaf blade there is a huge number of red or lilac-red dots, and the marginal part is decorated with thin and transparent cilia.
C.Buddha's Temple - aboveground shoots of the cultivar are represented by a so-called column of tightly pressed, as if strung on the stem bases, triangular-shaped leaves and dark green coloring. The height of the above-ground part does not exceed 10-15 cm. Flowering is represented by apical inflorescences collected from red flowers.
Crassula mix
This group includes several hybrid forms and cultivars, which have an original appearance and are undemanding in care. Most often, the group is represented by the popular highly decorative varieties “Minor”, “Hobbit” and “Obliqua”.
S. cv. Spring Time is a hybrid form characterized by a compact above-ground part and belongs to highly succulent plants. An adult plant is prone to lodging. The foliage is very juicy, bright green in color. During the flowering process, attractive light lilac flowers are formed.
Crassula Marnier
C. marnieriana is a variety characterized by a straight, slightly branched stem base and oppositely located, sessile type, heart-shaped foliage of a bluish color. Numerous flowers, whitish, located in the apical part of the plant.
Crassula crescent
C.falcata Wendl is one of the most spectacular representatives, having quite large, scarlet-red colored, umbrella-shaped inflorescences that bloom at the top of a fleshy and tall stem. The foliage is very thick, with a characteristic crescent shape with blunt ends. Flowering occurs every year.
This variety compares favorably with respect to small leaves, which sit densely on relatively numerous stems. The grown shoots very effectively hang over the edges of the flower pot, therefore the species is very often grown in hanging planter.
Caring for Crassula at home
Growing many varieties of Crassula at home is not at all difficult, and it is this circumstance that largely explains the high popularity of the culture among domestic and foreign amateur gardeners.
Lighting, temperature and humidity
All varieties require sufficiently bright natural light, even during the winter dormancy stage. The stems and foliage of the plant do not need special shading from direct sunlight. South and south-east windows are perfect. Lack of light causes thinning of the stems and shredding of the foliage.
The optimal temperature regime for Crassula in spring and summer is approximately 20-25°C, and in winter – 10-15°C. Air humidity is not particularly important, so the decorative perennial easily tolerates dry but fresh air. The foliage is periodically wiped with a damp soft cloth, which will maintain an attractive and well-groomed appearance.
How Crassula reproduces (video)
Soil and planting pot for Crassula
The soil in the flower pot must be special, suitable for growing succulents. The culture has a shallow root system, so the planting pot should not be too high.
A nutritious soil substrate based on four parts of turf soil, one part of humus soil, one part of leaf soil and one part of sand with the addition of pieces of coal and brick chips is ideal for planting and growing. There should be sufficient drainage at the bottom of the flower pot.
Rules for watering a money tree
Perennials are watered in autumn and winter period rarely, and in spring and summer - much more often, but after checking the soil moisture in the flower pot at a depth of two fingers. We must remember that excess moisture often causes fungal diseases. Water for irrigation should be well settled, room temperature, without high chlorine content.
When and how to replant Crassula correctly
To properly transplant a fat plant, you need to follow a whole series certain requirements. Young plants are replanted annually, and adult specimens - approximately every two or three years. Transplantation should be carried out in the spring, by transferring the root system with an earthen ball into a new flower pot.
During the replanting process, it is recommended to inspect the root system very carefully.. If the roots become excessively elongated, they should be trimmed and the cut areas should be sprinkled with crushed coal. After planting, the plant is carefully watered with settled water at room temperature. To keep the plant compact, replanting should be done extremely rarely. Partial replacement of the top layer of soil in a flower pot gives a good result.
Crown formation
If it is necessary to obtain the thickest possible stem part and dense crown, regular pruning and pinching of the tips of the shoots is performed. Regular pruning with sharp, clean pruning shears causes correct formation aboveground part.
Top dressing
The perennial should be fed with a solution based on a universal fertilizer, or using a special fertilizer for cactus and succulents for this purpose. Feeding is carried out from April to September, approximately once or twice a month. In autumn and winter, fertilizing is done once a month., fertilizers at half concentration.
Methods for propagating Crassula
Ease of reproduction is one of the advantages of this species. decorative perennial. Most often, indoor flowers are propagated by cuttings, but the seed method is also used. You can take cuttings from a plant regardless of the time of year., but it is most convenient in spring or summer. The prepared cuttings are dried for a couple of days, after which they are planted in landing tanks, filled with permeable and light soil substrate. Rooting in water with the addition of activated carbon is also allowed.
Seed propagation involves sowing into seedling containers filled with a mixture based on part sand and a couple parts leaf soil. Crops should be covered with film. Before mass shoots appear, the crops are regularly sprayed with settled water at room temperature and ventilated daily. Mass shoots appear after a couple of weeks, after which they peak.
Why do Crassula leaves fall off?
Leaf fall is the most common problem when growing Crassula in indoor floriculture. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon, including improper irrigation measures. Succulents are able to store moisture which makes them undemanding to watering.
Excessive moisture causes foliage to fall. However, too long interruptions in watering are also unacceptable. Stagnation of moisture often provokes rotting of the root system. Also, massive leaf fall is observed if temperature regime indoors and the plant is damaged by diseases or pests.
Plant pests and diseases
When grown correctly, the crop is rarely affected by diseases and pests, and all problems are the result of errors in care. The appearance of a light coating on the leaves is the result of high humidity and very cold air, which causes the development powdery mildew or mealybug infestation.
How to form a Crassula crown (video)
The appearance of small growths may be the result of overwatering or scale insects. Loss of foliage elasticity, as well as changes in coloration, most often indicate an overabundance of fertilizers, and when affected by root rot, the foliage becomes lethargic. Thus, in order to preserve the decorative appearance of the crassula for many years, you should fully comply with the growing technology at all stages of the perennial growing season.
The genus Crassula is quite numerous and is distinguished by a variety of species. Most of them belong to the succulent family Crassulaceae, of which there are more than 350 species in nature. They grow in the driest places on our planet. The more complex the living conditions, the more bizarre their appearance, the more interesting their coloring and the more unusual the flowers. Crassula grows in Madagascar and in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the Crassulas are in South Africa. Translated from Latin language, "Crassula" means "thick". The leaves of Crassula live up to the name of the flower - they are fleshy and thick. By external signs different types and varieties of Crassula are very different from each other. Among them there are very tiny plants, but there are also giant trees, up to several meters in height. But all species have similarities - this is the opposite arrangement of leaves on the stem and the absence of dissection of the leaf blades. Moreover, each pair of leaves is located at right angles to the previous pair. Crassula flowers of different colors are usually small in size and collected in inflorescences. The number of stamens and the number of petals are the same.
All Crassula species contain arsenic in the juice of the leaves. Eating leaves is dangerous to life!
Many species of Crassula live well in our apartments, but some are cultivated only in greenhouses. The most common in indoor floriculture Crassula species can be divided into three groups: tree-like, creeping (groundcover) and spicate (columnar). Let's consider each type in order.
Tree Crassula
Because of its coin-like leaves, the tree-like Crassula different countries called differently: “Silver Tree”, “Silver Dollar”, “Coin Tree”, “Tree of Happiness”. The following names have stuck with us: “Money Tree” or Crassula.
This group includes the most popular species of Crassula due to their unpretentiousness and spectacular appearance. Grown as bonsai, mini-trees with a beautiful crown and thick fleshy stem can decorate the interior of any room.
Here are the most common tree-like varieties of Crassula (Crassula, Money tree) in indoor floriculture:
Oval or Ovata (Ovata)
Crassula Ovata
Ovata is the most unpretentious, shade-tolerant and, therefore, the most common variety of Crassula in amateur floriculture. She is originally from South Africa. The height of the tree varies from 60 cm to one meter. Its woody stem is highly branched. Over time, it turns brown. Evergreen glossy, often with reddish edges, leaves grow without petioles, in the shape of an ellipse. They are up to 5 cm long and up to 2.5 cm wide. The underside of the leaves has a reddish tint. Thick, numerous leaves are capable of retaining large amounts of moisture. An adult plant blooms in autumn-winter. Small flowers star-shaped and white-pink in color. Ovata can withstand temperature drops of up to 10 degrees, even short-term mild frosts do not bother it.
Purslane (Portulacea)
Crassula Portulacea
Crassula Portulaca is a variety of Ovata and is similar to it in many ways. Also a very common species in home gardening. It is distinguished by the presence of aerial roots on the trunk and branches, initially white, and darkening over time. It blooms only in adulthood and not always. Its small flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences. The color of the petals is white and pink.
Silver (Argentea)
Silver Crassula (Crassula Argentea)
Another variety of Ovata. It differs in that the green surface of the leaf blades is covered with light specks. And the leaves have a silver shine.
Ovata Minor
Crassula Ovata Minor
This is a compact form. Its variety “Crosby’s Compact” is much smaller in size than natural look. U young plant a fleshy green trunk that becomes woody over time. The oblong small dark green leaves have a red edge along the edges. Their size does not exceed 1.5 cm in length and 1 cm in width. The flower grows slowly and looks great in mini-gardens.
Ovata var. Oblique
Crassula Ovata var. Oblique
This is a less common form of Ovate. It is distinguished by pointed leaves with a slightly raised tip and slightly curved down sides. The leaves are slightly larger than those of Ovata.
Ovata var. Oblique cv. Tricolor and Ovata var. Oblique cv. Solana.
Crassula ovata var. Oblique cv. Solana
These hybrids are a variety of Crassula obliqua. The tricolor has white stripes against a background of bright red trim. Solana leaves are decorated with bright yellow stripes that are arranged asymmetrically. Their number varies among different shoots. On some leaves, there are no chlorophyll-free areas at all. We recommend removing completely green shoots so that the flower does not lose its diversity and decorativeness.
Milky (Lactea)
Milky Crassula (Crassula Lactea)
This is a fairly large subshrub (up to 60 cm) with quite large leaves, decorated with white dots along the edge. And the Milk Crassula blooms with thick white panicles. Hence the name of the species.
The Hobbit and Gollum
These hybrids were obtained by US breeders in the 70s of the last century from crossing Crassula Ovata and Milky. They are similar to each other. Have original form leaves. The Hobbit's leaves are turned outward and fused from the base to the middle, while Gollum's leaves are completely curled into a tube with funnel-shaped flaring tips. The growth pattern and size of the tree are the same as ordinary type Crassula Ovata, only their trunks are even more branched. Hybrids are very decorative and suitable for creating bonsai. They have several variegated forms.
Ovata cv. Hummel’s Sunset
Crassula ovata cv. Hummel’s Sunset
This hybrid has leaves decorated with white or yellow stripes and a pronounced red border along the edge. The Dutch variety of Ovata, purchased under this name, with very beautiful yellow-red leaves, may disappoint you, since the color of the leaves retains its original color only under constant bright light, which can be organized in greenhouses, but at home, usually, the leaves become just green .
Arborescens
Crassula Arborescens
This large tree, up to 1.5 m in height, has almost round leaves(7 cm long and 5 cm wide). The color of the leaves is bluish-gray, along the edge there is a narrow red border. The underside of the leaves is reddish. The leaf blades are often covered with dark specks. The flower is very decorative, in appearance it resembles Crassula Ovata, but is more demanding in care - it loves good lighting and does not tolerate waterlogging of the roots at all. At home, it rarely blooms with small white flowers. A miracle can happen if you guess the location of the pot (the western side of the apartment is preferable to others), lighting and watering. But even without flowers, the decoration of the flower is its juicy, fleshy, glossy leaves.
Ground cover (cresting) Crassula
These are herbaceous plants that grow very quickly and cover the space allocated to them with a carpet.
Lycopodioides
Crassula Lycopodioides
This species is noticeably different from others. A small bush (no higher than 25 cm) is very similar to a fancy coral or moss. It reproduces well, quickly produces many shoots, which literally fall out of the pot in a matter of weeks. The shoots are creeping, tetrahedral, fleshy, their tips are slightly raised upward. In appearance, the flower is similar to a moss - hence the name. Thin and pointed leaves in the form of small scales are folded in four rows and fit tightly to the trunk and to each other. From a distance, the stems resemble green ribbed worms. In intense light they take on a reddish tint. This Crassula blooms with small white star-shaped flowers, inconspicuous in appearance. Grows well in the shade. Unpretentious. Often used as a ground cover plant in gardens, in the form of a green lawn. It also serves as an excellent beautiful background for other flowers and gets along with any type of plant.
Pseudolycopodioides (C. Lycopodioides ssp. Pseudolycopodioides)
Crassula Lycopodioides ssp. Pseudolycopodioides
It is a variety of Moss-moss. It is distinguished by more curved stems and leaves less pressed to the stem. The stem blades are more spread out and, depending on the Crassula variety, may have a variegated, silver or yellow color.
Tetralix
Crassula Tetralix
The tetrahedral Crassula has fleshy, subulate-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. The leaves are up to 4 cm long and 0.4 cm thick. They are located throughout the stem at a short distance from each other. Its stems are abundantly overgrown with brown aerial roots designed to capture moisture from the air. This shrub is easy to form into a small, showy tree.
Spot (Picturata)
Crassula dotted (S. picturata)
Very decorative look. It has lodging, strongly branching shoots. The leaf size is up to 1.5 cm in length and 0.8 cm in width. The green surface of the leaves is covered with red dots, and the reverse side is covered with purple-red dots. Thin transparent eyelashes are placed along the edges. Crassula punctata is used as an hanging plant.
Offspring (Sarmentosa)
Crassula Sarmentosa
This is a small perennial, abundantly branching herbaceous plant has pointed leaves that are decorated with teeth along the edges. In addition, the edge of the leaf is often variegated: red or light green. Stems up to one meter long quickly spread across the area allocated for the plant and easily take root, giving life to new shoots. The shoots reach a meter in length, and the leaves - 3.5 cm. Flowers from 5 to 8 mm in diameter are collected in white or cream-colored panicles.
Crassula Round or Rosette (C. Orbicularis/Rosularis)
Crassula Orbicularis/Rosularis
This is a perennial herbaceous plant. In appearance it resembles an aeonium - its leaves are collected in rosettes similar to flowers. They are fleshy, light green in color, with pointed reddish tips. The length of the leaf barely reaches 2.5 cm. The plant branches abundantly and quickly occupies the area allocated for it.
Spike-shaped (columnar, columnar) Crassula
This group of Crassulas got its name because of its unusually picturesque structure. These are upright bushes with little or no branching stems. Their paired leaves grow together at their bases and envelop the stem in such a way that it seems that they are tightly strung on the stem.
Perforata
Crassula Perforata
This small plant has diamond-shaped leaves that are arranged in pairs, fused at the base and encircling the stem. The arrangement of leaves is cross-shaped. The stem is sparsely branched and rigid. The leaves are light green in color with a bluish bloom and a red border along the edge. Leaf length is up to 2 cm. Trunk length is up to 20 cm, and the diameter of the trunk with leaves is about 3 cm. Flowering occurs in winter. Numerous small white flowers are collected in dense inflorescences at the top of the shoot. Perforata can be grown as a hanging plant.
Perforata Variegaga (C. perforata Variegaga)
Crassula Perforata Variegaga
This is a variety of Perforata. Young leaves have bright yellow stripes along the edges or in the middle, while older leaves, at the bottom of the trunk, are completely green. In spring the plant turns completely green.
Grouped (Socialis)
Clustered Crassula (Crassula socialis)
This low-growing perennial herbaceous plant has thin, highly branched stems, on which leaf rosettes are densely arranged. The leaves are round, small, smooth, flat, up to 5 mm in length. Their color is bluish-green. Thin cilia are located along the edge of the leaf blade. Crassula Grouped grows well, forming a dense cushion. Inflorescences occur on the tops of shoots. The flowers are white-pink, small.
Rock (Rupestris)
This tall plant has creeping or erect stems up to 50 cm high. Its shoots are initially herbaceous, and in adulthood they become tree-like. They spread horizontally, only slightly stretching the tops of the shoots upward. With proper appropriate pruning, this shrub can produce beautiful view bonsai. Its leaves are dense, smooth, depending on the variety - diamond-shaped or ovoid, up to 2.5 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. The leaves are placed on the stems in pairs and crosswise. Due to the fact that there are no petioles, and the bases of the leaves are fused and tightly clasped around the stem, the bush looks very decorative - it seems as if the leaves are strung on stems like beads. The color of the leaf blades is usually light green with a blue tint. Along the edge there is a dotted or continuous stripe of a reddish-rusty color. Crassula rock blooms in summer time pink or yellowish fragrant umbrellas.
Cooper
Cooper's Crassula Cooperi
This is a miniature ground cover plant. Its height is no higher than 15 cm. The leaves have a sharp tip with a large fiber in the center, the edge of the leaf has sparse fibers. The color of the leaves is unusual - brown-green with brown spots. The leaves are arranged in a spiral on the stem. The top of each Crassula Cooper stem is crowned with an inflorescence of small, white or pink flowers. Flowering is long lasting.
Buddha's Temple
Crassula cv. Buddha`s Temple
Crassula Buddha Temple is an erect, almost non-branching plant, forming compact square dark green columns of leaves tightly pressed to the stem. The tip of each leaf is curved upward, making the column resemble the roof of a Chinese pagoda. It grows slowly, no more than 3-5 cm per year. The leaves are paired, fused at the base, succulent, triangular. Their length is about 1 cm, width at the base is up to 2.5 cm. As the shoot develops, the leaves are tightly stacked one on top of the other. Quadrangular columns are formed correct form. If you look at the bush from above, it looks like a square or cross. Under comfortable conditions, red buds are formed in the dense short apical inflorescences of the plant. The flowers appear pinkish, almost white, sterile.
Monstrosa (Lycopodioides monstrosa)
Crassula Lycopodioides Monstrosa
It has an abnormal growth of stems, like the comb forms of cacti - the shoots grow asymmetrically, with breaks. Their thickness does not exceed 0.5 cm. They are covered with small (2x2 mm) scaly triangular leaves of a yellowish-green color.
Deceptor
Crassula Deceptor
This is a low (up to 10 cm) bush with very short, thick and tetrahedral leaves (1.5 cm). The stem is completely hidden under densely planted leaves of a greenish-gray color with silver inclusions.
Decorative flowering Crassula
Finally, we will introduce you to some decorative flowering varieties of Crassula, which annually delight their owners with colorful blooms.
Crescent (Falcata)
Crassula falcata
Crassula crescent is a subshrub with a straight, slightly branched stem. It reaches a height of one meter. It has sickle-shaped grey-green leaves. They are juicy, fleshy, fused at the base and clasping the stem. Their length is about 10 cm. It blooms in July - August with bright red-orange flowers, which are collected at the top of the shoot into large, up to 20 cm in diameter, umbrella inflorescences. The peculiarity of the variety is that after flowering, the top of the shoot is removed to well-developed leaves. They wait for side shoots to appear, of which one, the strongest, is left. The rest are used for propagation by cuttings.
Schmidt (Schmidtii)
Schmidt's Crassula (Crassula Schmidtii)
Crassula Schmidt is a ground cover variety that is most common in Europe. There it is grown as an annual, and after the bush has flowered, it is thrown away and new specimens are planted. The height of the bush is not higher than 10 cm. The plant has dense lanceolate leaves, different in shape from other species: they are narrower and pointed at the ends. The color of the leaves is remarkable. They are green on top, with a silvery coating, and slightly reddish on the inside. The stem is also greenish-pink. This Crassula blooms with red, carmine-colored flowers. The plant is distinguished by its remarkable decorative properties and is widely used by landscape designers.
Justi-Corderoyi
Crassula Justi-Corderoyi (C. Justi-Corderoyi)
This variety is also preferred to be planted in Europe as an annual. It is similar to Schmidt's Crassula. Only its leaves are flattened, rounded at the bottom, and the edges have cilia. flowering plant forms bright carmine buds with reddish inflorescences.
Crassula perfoliata (C. perfoliata)
Crassula perfoliata
This type of Crassula also pleases caring gardeners every year. beautiful flowering. In height this type can reach from 50 to 100 cm. Stems are erect, slightly branched. The leaves, as if strung on a stem, give it a special decorative effect. They are juicy and meaty. They have a triangular or lanceolate shape. Their length is from 10 to 15 cm. The upper surface of the leaves is dotted with red dots, and their edges are covered with a number of barely noticeable, small teeth. Abundant flowering occurs in the summer months. Small flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. Their color is white or red. A peduncle (about 10 cm) grows from the top of the stem.
Conclusion
We introduced you to the most attractive, from the point of view of beauty and unpretentiousness, species of Crassula (Money tree), which even a beginner can grow in his home. Choose which variety you like best. In favor of such an acquisition, we add that the leaves of the Money Tree secrete biologically active components that have a positive effect on the human body and have a bactericidal effect. It is believed that the Crassula forms a stable energetic atmosphere around itself. It cleanses the house of negative energy. As long as she is in your home, happiness and financial well-being will not leave him.
Briefly: Seed collection April 2018. Description
The Crassula plant or Crassula plant is a representative of the genus of succulent plants of the Crassula family, which according to various sources includes from 300 to 500 species. More than two hundred of them grow in South Africa, many in tropical Africa and Madagascar, some species are found in the south of the Arabian Peninsula - Crassulas are distributed mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. The name of the genus comes from the word “crassus”, translated meaning “thick”, which in most cases is the fleshy structure of the leaves of many members of the genus. In indoor floriculture, Crassula flowers are known as the “money tree” or “tree of happiness.”
Crassula is the guardian of your health: it releases substances into the air that have strong antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. In addition, the juice of Crassula leaves, like aloe juice, is used in folk medicine in the form of lotions for the treatment of herpes, bee and wasp stings, as well as for bruises, cuts and abscesses; as a rinse for the treatment of sore throat and gum inflammation; as a rub at night for arthritis. However, it should be remembered that Crassula juice should not be taken orally, since it contains arsenic in high concentrations.
It is believed that Crassula brings good luck in business and prosperity to the home, which is why, and also because of its ease of care, Crassula can often be seen not only in apartments, but also in the offices of trading companies and stores.
Crassula. Care and maintenance:
Most Crassulas will not be harmed by direct sunlight, so you can easily place the pot with the plant on the south window, although the most best place for Crassula - a window sill facing southwest or east. Lack of light negatively affects the decorative appearance of Crassula - the shoots become elongated and the leaves fall off. If you have the opportunity to keep Crassula outdoors in the summer - on a balcony or terrace - this will benefit the plant. Crassulas are heat-loving, so they tolerate the summer heat normally, and in winter they do not suffer from proximity to working heaters as much as other plants, at the same time they feel great in winter and in cool rooms at a temperature of 10-15 ºC. Low air humidity is also not a problem for Crassula.
In fact, constant care for Crassula only includes not very frequent watering plants, washing leaves and fertilizing. How to water Crassula, which, as has already been mentioned more than once, is a succulent? How often should I do this? In summer, moisten the plant only after the top layer of soil has dried; in winter, let the soil dry 2-3 cm deep. Crassula is much more afraid of waterlogging than drought, so it will calmly tolerate your departure on summer vacation for 3-4 weeks.
Fertilize Crassula once a month in the spring-summer period. liquid fertilizer for succulents and cacti, the plant does not need feeding in autumn and winter.
Crassula formation. The formation of a tree must begin when the plant is still young, since when an already mature tree is formed, stumps remain at the site where the leaves are removed and the shoots are cut off, which affects the decorative quality of the Crassula. The first thing you need to do is choose the right pot for the plant: the Crassula root in a too large vessel tends to go deeper, and the Crassula itself tends upward, causing the trunk to stretch out, becoming weak and thin, so the pot for Crassula needs to be small and, most importantly, shallow. As for the composition of the soil, the soil for Crassula should contain three parts of turf soil, one part each of humus soil, leaf soil, sand and fine gravel or brick chips. When the crassula reaches a height of 15 cm, pinch off the two smallest 
the upper leaves - branching should begin at this point, that is, instead of two, two pairs of leaves should appear. As Crassula grows, remove upper leaves in places where, in your opinion, the shoots should branch - this is how you will form the crown of your money tree.
Crassula transplant. Crassula is replanted as needed, when the roots fill the entire pot, not necessarily annually, but if you want to see Crassula bloom, then replant it at least once every two years. It is better to do this in the spring, at the beginning of active growth. How should Crassula be replanted? Take a slightly larger pot than the previous one, put a decent layer of drainage material in it - expanded clay or crushed shards, then transfer the Crassula from the old pot to a new one with a lump of earth and add as much fresh substrate as needed to fill the voids. If the Crassula root has become too long, shorten it before replanting to fit in the new pot. If you want to maintain the compact size of Crassula, try to avoid replanting the plant altogether, annually replacing only the top layer of substrate in the pot.
Crassula. Sowing seeds:
Crassula seeds are sown in wide bowls with soil of the following composition: leaf soil - 1 part, sand 0.5 parts. The bowls are covered with glass, which is removed daily to remove condensation and ventilate the crops. Seeds germinate in two weeks. Slightly grown seedlings dive at a distance of 1 cm from each other into a container with soil from one part of leaf soil and half of sand and light turf soil. Keep picked seedlings under bright diffused light. Strengthened and grown crassulas are planted in pots 5-7 cm in diameter in soil consisting of leaf, turf soil and sand in equal parts, and kept for the first time until they take root, at a temperature of 16-18 ºC, and then transferred to a permanent place .
Crassula got its Russian-language name for its dense succulent leaves. I like the tree-like types of Crassulas for their ease of formation and the possibility of obtaining an original man-made tree. These wonderful plants have a thick, woody trunk, the cuts of which quickly become overgrown. Crassulas are best formed by pruning and stretching.
Crassulas are very unpretentious in care. In winter, they require almost no attention - just keeping them cool (in my conditions, it’s a window sill, right next to the glass) and watering once a month, when the leaves become slightly lethargic. In summer, without shading, plants sunbathe on the loggia from the end of March to November, withstanding differences in night-day temperatures.
In hot summer weather, if the fat plant is placed on a sunny windowsill indoors, you need to water it carefully - in the evenings, almost every day. At temperatures of 30–40 °C, plants become stagnant and can easily rot after untimely heavy watering.
The following species of tree-like crassulas were in my collection.
Crassula ovata (argentea)
Crassula ovata has oval, ovoid leaves. Ovata is exactly the fat plant that our grandmothers raised.
Crassula ovata
Crassula ovata obliqua
Crassula ovata obliqua is distinguished by its characteristic pointed tip of the leaf. A striking representative of this variety of Crassula is the variegated Crassula ovata obliqua var. Tricolor with pure white chlorophyll-free stripes on the leaves:
Crassula Tricolor grows slower than other species and branches reluctantly. In good light, the underside of the leaf takes on a rich crimson color.
Crassula argentea Lemon & Lime
Crassula Lemon & Lime also has a second name - Solana. Crassula Solana differs from Tricolor not in snow-white, but in yellow variegation. Unfortunately, the variegation of this cultivar is unstable.
Crassula "Sunset" has a pronounced red edge along the yellow edge of the leaf:
The most amazing thing is that my specimen, purchased in a store, after a month on a sunny windowsill lost all this beauty and turned into an ordinary green-leaved Crassula ovata. But there is no doubt about the existence of this variety - there are photos of wonderful adult specimens on the Internet.
Crassula Blue waves
The tree-like crassula with curly leaves with a bluish-blue coating on them is very unusual:
It branches well, grows slowly, forming spherical clumps.
Crassula Coral is also known as Crassula Skinny Fingers. Crassula Coral branches well, grows quickly relative to the others, and has a powerful trunk:
I really love Crassula Gollum for its leaves in the shape of “Shrek ears” - tubular, with funnel-shaped tips:
It grows very slowly in the sun, and stretches out in the shade. I dream of having it in my collection Crassula Hobbit variegata.
Crassula ovata Minor
Other names for Crassula Minor - Compacta, Crosby's Compact. Crassula Minor Compacta is distinguished by the small size of its leaves that turn red along the edges in the sun - they do not exceed 1.5 cm in length and 1 cm in width:
Crassula Minor
Crassula Hobbit
After radical pruning of an adult specimen of the Hobbit Crassula, I ended up with a quite nice bonsai:
Crassula Hobbit
Several times I came across the opinion that Crassula is a shade-tolerant succulent. I can't agree with this. Only in the sun do they grow as they should, acquiring a wonderful color, short internodes, and good spontaneous branching.
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Now you can brag about their “children”)))
What can you say about it (Crassula)??? It seems to me that there is absolutely nothing new that is not on the Internet.
I’ll write about how to care for her a little lower, but now a couple of photos of my “new ones.” True, for me they are not new at all, but I didn’t brag to you, so it will be new for everyone)))
Photos of new Crassulas
From left to right: Treelike, Hobbit, Treelike,rupestris. The outermost pot on the right (white) is an aichrizon, not a Crassula, but also from the succulent family.
Now let’s talk about each one separately))) This tree has been growing for me for about a year and a half. There are two sprouts in one pot. When he was circumcised, his “mother” decided to keep these very shoots for herself. 
During this time it has more than doubled. And what’s most interesting is that I never fertilize Crassulas with anything. They grow with me, as they say, on a starvation diet. The only fertilizer is replanting. Maybe if I fertilized as expected, they would grow bigger))) but for now I appreciate their decorative appearance)) BUT!!! I already bought fertilizer for the summer))))
And this is a baby from Crassula, which I bought and shaped especially for my husband as a gift. This beauty has already grown))) It’s already taller than the previous bush. This one has small and not so fleshy leaves, and the stem itself has a burgundy tint and half of the leaves on the back side are also burgundy))). As I understand it, this is a completely different variety/variety of tree crassula 
Crassula the Hobbit
Crassula Hobbit, a common cultivar of Crassula oval, which is more compact than the parent natural species. It grows slowly and itself, without human intervention, forms a knotted stem of an interesting bonsai shape. It has unstable leaf shapes that are most often open at the bottom, along with some club-shaped leaves. Interesting with the rich burgundy shade of the reverse side of the sheet. Blooms pinkish-white star flowers in winter
Here is my handsome man in full. 
For comparison, I’ll show you what it was like last year (growth dynamics) on January 6, 2014. 
And these are its leaves closer. I love these "Shrek ears")))) 
In one year I grew twice as tall)))) Therefore, on personal experience I say that it grows quite quickly.
I also want to pay a little attention to such Crassulas as Gollum and Coral.
Crassula Gollum, Coral, Hobbit are often confused with each other and their distinctive features are not distinguished as characteristics of the variety... But they are really different! Both according to the leaves and according to the constitution.
Here Crassula Coral (Crassula Coral). It mostly has stick-like leaves, tapering towards the end and, for the most part, having funnel-shaped tips, as well as a powerful trunk and numerous side shoots
Crassula Gollum (Crassula Gollum). It mostly has leaves like “Shrek ears” - tubular, funnel-shaped, with cup-shaped flaring tips. Grows as a slimmer tree compared to Coral: 
And here is another photo, with a clear example of their difference:
And these are my two trees in one frame))
We seem to have sorted this out)))) Let’s move on to the next item on our “menu”
Crassularupestris
Crassula rupestris is a bush-like plant with vertical or lodging stems, highly branched, up to 50 cm high. Some sources write that in late autumn - early winter numerous star-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 6 mm, with a pleasant smell, pink or white, collected in apical inflorescences growing from the axils of the apical leaves. And some write that in May-June. It hasn’t bloomed at home yet, but at work every winter it showed off its flowers white. Sorry I didn't take a photo.
Botanist Vera Higgins describes the most common forms:
1. The leaves are lanceolate, rather large, bluish, with convex lower and upper sides. The flowers are white.
2. Leaves are ovate, green or slightly bluish with dots and a red stripe on top side. The flowers are pink. This form is typical of the Karoo Desert.
3. Leaves, like the previous form, but smaller in size. In culture it is often found under the incorrect name Crassula brevifolia Haw.
Care: unpretentious plant, which is grown in a sandy, well-drained substrate in bright light. During the growth period - moderate watering, during the dormant period, immediately after flowering - dry content. Minimum temperature 5C. It is recommended to avoid drafts.
Reproduction: by leaf or stem cuttings, which are rooted in a sandy substrate. I propagated it with twigs. I tore off (not even cut) a twig, shoved it into the soil and that’s it! No roots, no bottles. Everything is easy and simple))
Here is mine after transplanting into a separate pot. 
Watering
From April to September, water once a week; in December - January, do not water at all; the rest of the time between these two periods, once every three weeks. In spring and summer, the soil should be only slightly moist before the next watering; in autumn and winter, it should be almost dry. It is important to remember that excess moisture is more dangerous for Crassula than its lack, especially in winter. Excess moisture makes Crassula very vulnerable to fungal diseases, as a result of which the leaves turn yellow, then darken and fall off. In this case, the Crassula must be removed from the pot, the earthen ball dried and the root system treated with special preparations.
Lighting
The plant should be placed in a bright place with shade from direct sunlight. In the summer, they can be placed on the balcony or in the garden, being sure to protect them from the sun and rain. In the autumn-winter period, a place with the brightest light is provided for the plant - this is extremely important, since a lack of light can lead to leaf fall and death of the plant.
Top dressing
It is recommended to feed Crassula from April to September, about once a month with a solution of universal fertilizer or special fertilizer for cacti and other succulents. The rest of the time, the plant is also fed once a month, but with a fertilizer solution of half concentration. Fertilizer is applied only to moist soil immediately after watering.
Transfer
Adult plants are replanted every two years. Crassula grows quite slowly, gradually increasing in length and width. It is recommended to replant in the spring into soil for succulents with good drainage.
Possible difficulties
The main danger for Crassula is excess moisture, which leads to rotting of the root system and base of the trunk. The plant also does not tolerate drafts, as it causes its leaves to dry out and fall off. The mealybug is removed with a cotton swab soaked in pure alcohol, or the plant is treated with systemic insecticides for succulents.
Aichrizon
Aichrizon or as it is also popularly called the Tree of Loveis a small shrub with a diameter of 20 - 30 cm, reaching a height of 30 cm. The plant Aichrizon belongs to the Tolstyankov family; in nature it grows in rock cracks.
Distinctive feature Aichrizona are the appearance and shape of its leaves - fleshy, dark green, covered with fluff, with short white hairs, they seem to be in a fur coat))))
For unusual shape leaves resembling hearts, two beautiful folk names were attached to it - “Tree of Love” and “Tree of Happiness”. The straight or slightly curved fleshy stems of Aichrizon practically do not become lignified and branch very strongly even without pinching “operations”. It blooms when proper care, mainly in April or May, the flowers themselves are small and star-shaped in red, yellow or cream color. I have yellow ones)) At the end of the flowering period, the rosette that produced the peduncle dies.
This is how my tree bloomed!
Unfortunately, I don’t have a close-up photo of the flower itself, as I didn’t think of taking a photo of it at that time)))
Not everyone can observe flowering, as there are a number of rules that must be strictly followed if you want to achieve desired result- flowering:
1. The pot should not be large, solely in terms of the size of the roots;
2. Cool and light wintering;3. Not frequent watering, but I also don’t recommend drying the flower, as the leaves will become lethargic and begin to fall off; 4. WITHIt should be taken into account that during the flowering period, the aichrizon plant loses up to 70% of its leaves, thereforeit is necessary to remove peduncles and weak shoots,and increase watering; 5. Tree lover of bright diffused light, so no direct sunlight;
6. In the spring-summer period, the preferred air temperature for Aichrizon is around 20-25°C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to keep the airy zone at a temperature of +8-10°C. When kept in a room with a higher temperature (+15-22°C), the shoots become elongated and the leaves begin to fall off. Aichrizon should not be placed near heating appliances.
7. Humidity, in principle, does not play a significant role, since Aichrizon tolerates dry indoor air well. A useful procedure is to periodically bathe under warm shower. Only during the dormant period (autumn and winter months) such a process is contraindicated for the plant.
8. In spring and summer, Aichrizon is fed every two weeks. I use complex fertilizer for succulents with low content nitrogen.
9. The need for a spring transplant of Aichrizon is determined as the pot is filled with roots. Due to the shallow root system of the plant, I recommend using shallow containers or flowerpots. My pot is tall, so I filled half of it with expanded clay. I planted it in special soil for cacti. In general, a substrate of sand and turf soil is recommended, or a mixture of turf, leaf and humus soil with sand in a ratio of 4:1:1:1. Useful additions include pieces of coal or brick chips. The bottom of the pot requires good drainage.
The first watering is usually carried out 4-5 days after transplantation: Very carefully, in small portions, to prevent rotting of the root system. Clay pots are best suited for growing because they provide high porosity and breathability.
I, in turn, failed to follow all the rules in watering and almost destroyed my tree. The leaves began to brown, wrinkle and fall off. Root system was completely destroyed by me. There was even rot on the stem. I managed to chop two healthy branches from my tree and set them to root. There were no changes for a long time, but they were in no hurry to die.
Here he is my sufferer. 
Top view. 
Now I look after him like a little child, so as not to repeat my mistake.
That's all for today. See you soon.
