The Crassula (or Crassula) hobbit is a cultivar derived from the ovoid Crassula, called the "money tree." Consider what kind of plant it is, how to care for and propagate it, what difficulties you may encounter.

Botanical description of the plant

This is a perennial succulent from the genus Crassulaceae of the family Crassulaceae. It differs from ovoid Crassula, on the basis of which it was obtained by crossing with Milk Crassula, only in the shape of the leaves. It looks like a tree with unusual clad-shaped sheets wrapped in a tube. It grows slowly and branches well, has a more compact size than a money tree. Like many fat women, the stems become stiff and brown over time. Under direct sunlight, the foliage takes on a crimson tone.

At home, rarely blooms, white or pinkish flowers. In this case, only old plants bloom at least 10 years old.

Comfortable conditions for growing a house

They contain this variety in the same way as other Crassula (Crassulaceae).

Lighting

Crassulas love good lighting and prefer diffused light. They are best grown on the east or west side. You can put on the windows facing south, as these succulents are able to carry the direct rays of the sun. Under their influence, the hobbit at the Crassula ends of the leaves of the tubules are painted in scarlet.

After winter, a fat girl is recommended to be accustomed to the sun gradually, shading it during the period of the greatest solar activity.

Important! For the uniform development of the crown, the hobbit crassula is recommended to be turned to the sun in different directions.

On the northern windows, the plant will stretch, lose its decorative appearance. There he would be better off arranging the backlight, especially in the winter.

Temperature

During the growing season, the best temperature regime for the hobbit crassula will be an interval of + 20 ... + 25 ° С. In winter, she is advised to organize a rest period with a decrease in temperature to + 8 ... + 10 ° С. This mode can be achieved on the insulated balcony. Crassula is able to tolerate temperatures up to -2 ° C, but it will be better if the temperature in winter does not fall below + 6 ° C.

If the plant remains in a heated room, then it should be placed away from the battery. If it is not possible to lower the temperature in winter, the stalks of the Crassula can stretch and lose leaves.

Air humidity

Crassula the hobbit tolerates dry air, and there is no need to spray it. Sometimes it is recommended to wipe the leaves from dust with a damp cloth.

Did you know? The Crassula hobbit variety was bred in the 70s of the XX century, when the book “The Lord of the Rings” by John Tolkien came out and gained popularity, so the new variety was named after the name of the fictional race of the protagonist.

Home Care

Crassula the hobbit is unpretentious, but this does not mean that you can forget about it and not pay attention. In the care of this indoor plant has its own characteristics and rules that must be followed.

Watering

The plant is drought tolerant and does not like waterlogging of the soil, like all succulents. It is able to retain moisture in the foliage, it is she who is the best indicator of the need for watering. With a lack of moisture, the leaves become lethargic and soft.

Crassula is watered sparingly, with drying of the upper part of the soil. In the heat, two waterings a week will be enough, and in winter at low temperatures, it is enough to water a little 1-2 times a month. For irrigation take water at room temperature, which was defended for several days. Mild rain or melt water, heated to the temperature of the room where the crassula grows, is well suited.

Did you know? You can soften the water by freezing it by 2/3 in the freezer or in the winter on the balcony at sub-zero temperatures. Then, the non-frozen liquid must be drained by breaking a hole in the ice, and the ice itself should be brought into the room so that it melts. It is useful to use such water not only for irrigation of krassula, but also for drinking.

Top dressing

The hobbit is fed the crassula throughout the growing season: from March to October. From the beginning of spring and all summer, it is fed 2 times a month, and when it starts to get colder in September, feeding is reduced to 1 time per month. From October until the onset of a new period of activity, the plant ceases to fertilize. An exception is made only if the plant began to throw peduncles. In this case, it is fed 1 time per month.

For feeding, it is most convenient to use ready-made liquid fertilizers for succulents. A plant not so long ago planted in nutrient soil, growing well and having thick leaves, you can not fertilize for some period. It will take all the necessary substances from the soil, and overfeeding it is undesirable.

Important! Sometimes succulents can be fertilized with ash, because it there are phosphorus and potassium necessary for the plant. To do this, the ash is bred in water for irrigation or instilled into the soil 2 cm deep.

Pruning

The plant itself grows well in bonsai without human involvement. Trimming this plant is not necessary.

If the branches begin to appear near the ground and the crusulus takes the form of a bush, then to give it the appearance of a tree, the rudiments of low-growing branches are plucked until the central stem becomes like a trunk. When the plant grows to the desired height, you need to pinch the top.

Transfer

The hobbit Crassula is transplanted when the roots have mastered the entire space of the pot and a larger capacity is needed. This usually happens once every 3 years, in the spring. The transplant is performed using the transhipment method. A pot is selected in diameter equal to approximately the size of the crown.

Shallow wide containers, such as a bowl, are suitable for planting the Crassula. It is best if they are made of weighting ceramics. Be sure to check for drainage holes in them. It is also necessary to stock up on drainage (crushed stone, expanded clay, broken brick) and well-permeable earth for planting. Crassules do not tolerate stagnation of water.

You can buy ready-made soil for cacti and succulents, or you can cook it yourself. For example, to prepare such a mixture: mix turf, peat, sheet soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1. A little charcoal will be good to add to this mixture.

Drainage, a part of the finished soil is put into the pot and the transplanted crassula is placed together with a lump of earth, being careful not to damage the fragile roots. Then the flower is covered with the remaining soil mixture. The root neck should be at the same level as before the transplant. Crassula the hobbit for some time, until it takes root, keep away from the sun and do not water, just slightly moisten the soil with a sprayer.

Propagation by cuttings

The hobbit Crassula is propagated mainly by cuttings. For this, both leaf and stem cuttings are used. The process of grafting itself is best carried out in the active period of the plant's life - in spring or summer. For rooting, take leaves or cuttings 6–10 cm long. Cuttings for planting are slightly dried for several days. Then they are planted in a container with prepared soil.

Soil for planting can be purchased at a garden store, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, mix 2 parts of leaf soil, 1 part of turf soil and 1 part of cleaned sand. You can carry out the rooting process in water, in which the activated carbon powder is stirred for disinfection. After the appearance of the root system, young plants are planted in small containers with a diameter of 5-6 cm.

Video: Cutting of the hobbit

Reproduction can also be carried out with purchased seed material, but this method is not as productive as cuttings, and longer. At home, trying to get seeds is impractical, since the plant rarely blooms and is a hybrid.

Possible growing difficulties

Crassula the hobbit is quite resistant to many diseases indoor plant. It allows some deviations in the temperature regime, from the recommended illumination, normally tolerates the absence of moisture and fertilizers. It should be noted that this culture does not tolerate waterlogging, lack of drainage, and stagnation of moisture in the soil can provoke many fungal diseases.

Important! Overfilling often causes the appearance of rot, which affects the roots, and then the leaves and stem of the plant. When it appears, a whitish-pink coating appears on the root neck. If the stem is soft, then the plant can no longer be saved.

If measures are taken in a timely manner, then Crassule can be helped. To do this, transplant into a new sterile soil. Old soil is carefully removed from the root system, and rotten roots are removed. Prevention of the disease is minimal watering and good drainage.

You may also encounter a problem such as leaf fall.

The following factors can lead to this phenomenon:

• excessive watering;
• excess fertilizer in the ground;
• too high temperature.

To solve this problem, it is necessary to eliminate unfavorable factors - to make soil replacement in case of waterlogging and excessive feeding, and in case of heat, move the flower to a cooler place. If all the leaves have fallen, then the flower is better to update - cut the top and root it.

Lack of color is common for the hobbit. She pleases with her color extremely rarely and only in adulthood. In order to still wait for the color, you should adhere to all recommendations for caring for the rosula, especially in terms of illumination, and also without fail to ensure a rest period in winter.

Did you know? Crassulas are useful plants - they enrich the air with substances that release it from germs. The leaves of the plant have a bactericidal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effect, so they are recommended to be used for herpes, insect bites or wounds, but only externally since this succulent accumulates arsenic.

There is also a small likelihood of pests.. This is, first of all, scabbard, spider mite, mealybug and aphids. To cope with them, the plant is cleaned with a sponge soaked in soapy water. With severe infection, insecticides are used ("Aktofit", "Aktara").

Crassula the hobbit is a hybrid of the ovoid (money tree), and differs from it mainly in the form of leaves. This unpretentious plant requires not so much time for itself, like all the grasses, but it must be properly watered and create optimal living conditions.