Widespread in indoor floriculture, the oval or ovoid Crassula (Crassula ovata) is popularly called the money tree. A lot of legends and beliefs are associated with this extremely unpretentious flower. It is believed that the owner’s material well-being depends on the condition of this plant. But if suddenly leaves begin to fall from the Crassula, do not panic and tie a red ribbon around the pot or bury coins in it. The reasons for leaf fall are much more prosaic.
Why do Crassula leaves fall off?
Dropping leaves is the most common reaction of the Crassula to unfavorable living conditions. The leaves of the money tree fall for many reasons, sometimes it is very difficult to find out. Here are the most common reasons why a plant's leaves fly off:
- Insufficient or excessive watering and air humidity;
- Incorrect lighting of the plant;
- Lack of feeding and replanting;
- Diseases and pests.
Lack and excess of moisture in the soil and air affects the plant differently. But both of these factors can lead to the fact that the fat plant begins to shed its leaves. Insufficient watering and low air humidity lead to wilting and wrinkling of the leaves of the fat plant. The leaf blades become thinner, curl up and gradually dry out. Dry and half-dried leaves of the money tree flower are falling off.
When there is an abundance of moisture in the air and it stagnates in the soil, the leaves of the fat plant become covered with white dots.
If watering and humidity are not reduced in time, the root system of the plant will rot. This is accompanied by massive yellowing of the leaves, starting from the bottom. With root rot, leaves fall off, completely exposing the branches.
Errors in lighting the Crassula also affect its leaves and decorativeness.
When there is insufficient lighting, the leaves of the plant become smaller and the branches become elongated. Then the leaves fall, but this happens gradually, starting from the bottom. And in direct sun, the leaves wrinkle and turn red, and then dry out and fall off.
Very important components of plant care are fertilizing and replanting in new soil.
Crassula does not require a lot of nutrients. But if irresponsible gardeners do not replant their plants for years and never feed them, they no longer have enough nutrition. Crassula slows down its growth and loses leaves from below. In advanced cases, the plant is completely exposed.
Crassula often loses its leaves due to disease or pest damage. The most common diseases of this species are root and stem rot. At the same time, the leaves turn yellow and fall off already at the initial stages of the disease, first individually, then en masse.
There are other accompanying symptoms. With root rot, this is a cessation of growth. With stem rot - softening of the trunk and branches. The pest-affected Crassula also sheds its leaves. They may turn yellow or dry out before falling off. If during leaf fall harmful insects are found on the plant, it is for this reason that the money tree withers and sheds its leaves.
Incorrect lighting
Errors in choosing the lighting mode can also cause massive leaf shedding:
- If the lighting is insufficient, then gradually the leaves become smaller in size and the tree branches become elongated. Then the leaves gradually begin to fall off, first from below, and then gradually the stems and branches are exposed to the very top of the plant.
- If the fat plant is in direct sunlight, then inevitably the leaves will begin to wrinkle and acquire a red tint. After this, they dry out and then fall off.
Have you noticed these symptoms? Then immediately adjust the light mode. Place the pot on a windowsill where the light is bright but diffused. Partial shade is not suitable, since in such conditions the fat plant will begin to weaken and stop its growth, after which the leaves will begin to fall. The ideal place to place the pot is a south-eastern window; in winter, additional illumination with phytolamps is necessary.
How to save a money tree if its leaves fall
If leaves fall from the money tree (crassula), and the causes of this phenomenon are established, they must be eliminated immediately. If this is incorrect care, you can simply correct it.
The plant will begin to grow foliage and send out new shoots. With the treatment of diseases, the situation is more complicated. Here you can’t do without special compounds. You should also know how to deal with harmful insects so that the fat plant suffers less from them and regains its decorative appearance.
Adjust the watering regime
If a money tree loses its leaves due to improper watering, it needs to be adjusted. In summer, the fat plant needs to be watered abundantly, but rarely. Between waterings, the earthen ball in the pot should dry out almost completely.
Typically watered every 2 weeks in summer. In winter, the plant, which is in a cool hibernation, is watered very rarely and little.
Only in very hot weather can you water a little more often. At low temperatures, there is a high risk of developing fungal infections.
Therefore, the money tree is kept so that only the lower part of the soil in the pot is slightly damp. The rest of the earthen lump should be dry. Watering is carried out monthly in small portions.
Tap water is left to stand for 3-4 days in an open container. Water the tree with warm water, the temperature of which should be 2-3ºC higher than the ambient temperature. You should not water the plant with cold water, since when the roots suddenly cool down, the leaves of the tree often fall off.
Choose the right lighting for the plant
The fat woman is very light-loving. It grows well in bright light. But the light must be diffused. Direct sunlight can leave burns on the leaves and cause defoliation. Lack of lighting can also cause leaves to fall and branches to stretch out.
A plant in partial shade weakens and grows poorly. First, the leaves fall on the lower branches, then in the rest of the crown.
In order for the fat woman to feel good, it needs to be placed on the south-east window. There is too much direct sun on southern windows; the plant needs to be shaded. In winter, the tree also requires bright light. But since during this period the natural light is weak, it is recommended to supplement the plant with phytolamps.
Adjust the feeding scheme
Crassula is adapted to life on depleted soils. Therefore, the leaves of the money tree fall only when there is a severe nutritional deficiency. To prevent leaf falling, it is necessary to regularly feed the plant with fertilizers.
Feeding of the fat woman is carried out from the beginning of May to the end of September.
Feed every 2 weeks. Fertilizers are applied to moist soil 3-4 hours after watering. This way the fertilizer is better absorbed and does not damage the roots.
When feeding fat plants, they use fertilizers for cacti and succulents. It is advisable to purchase liquid formulations that can be easily diluted with water to obtain a portion for watering. They can be used in accordance with the instructions.
You can buy fertilizers for decorative leafy plants. If you dilute them according to the instructions, then their concentration will be too high for the fatty acid. They are diluted with water to obtain 2 times less concentration.
Choose the right container for planting
When choosing a pot for Crassula, the following characteristics are important: material of manufacture, dimensions and shape. Crassula is best planted in a clay pot. This is a porous material, it allows air to pass through to the roots, and water evaporates through it. In a clay pot, the roots of the plant will not rot, since the earthen ball has the ability to dry out evenly in all directions.
Crassula grows much worse in plastic pots. There is a risk of root rot even with moderate watering.
Crassula does not need a large pot. Its root system is small, much smaller than the crown of a tree. The pot is needed such that when planting there is a distance of 1 cm from the roots of the plant to the walls of the pot.
You can’t buy a pot “for growth.” The roots of the plant will not develop the soil, it will begin to turn sour. The tree pot should not be tall and narrow. Wide and shallow pots are preferred. The container should be no higher than its diameter.
Cure Crassula from disease
The most common diseases of the money tree that cause leaves to fly off are fungal infections. The most common of these are:
- Root rot is a dangerous disease. First, the leaves of the crassula turn yellow and fall off, and the fall becomes widespread. Then the plant dies, since its roots are completely damaged and do not perform their functions. The only way to save a plant from root rot is by emergency replanting;
- Trunk rot is a disease in which the trunk and branches of a plant gradually rot and the tree falls. No treatment has been developed for this disease. Sometimes root rot progresses to stem rot. In this case, you need to trim the roots and part of the stem to living tissue. The top of the tree can be rooted and then you can enjoy the look of the Crassula;
- Sometimes rot occurs on tree branches. Such a branch is cut out, removing all rotten places. Its top can also be rooted. And the entire plant must be treated with an antifungal drug.
Eliminate Crassula Pests
, the following types can most often
- Spider mite - when affected by this pest, the leaves of the Crassula intensively fall off. The pest itself is not visible due to its small size. But the cobwebs on the undersides of the leaves give it away;
- Scale insects are one of the most dangerous pests. Adult insects can be collected by hand, as they are not sensitive to pesticides;
- Mealybug - can infect not only the fat plant, but also nearby flowers. It moves slowly through the plant. In places where they accumulate, everything is covered with white powdery discharge.
To control pests, commercial preparations are used:
- Insecticides – to control insects;
- Acaricides – means to combat ticks;
- Mixed drugs.
Insect pests
Plant parasites are something that any indoor plant grower faces, including the owner of a money tree. Dealing with pests is much easier than dealing with bacteria or fungi.
Shchitovka
The scale insect is quite easy to detect: light brown tubercles or spots with a yellow tint can be seen on the surface of the leaf and stem.
It's not difficult to fight her. Insects are collected by hand, and then the plant is treated with a soap solution or Fitoverm. This bio-product must be used according to the instructions; it is safe for humans and plants, but extremely effective against plant pests.
The scale insect on the Crassula leaves clear signs of its presence
Spider mite
Spider mites are very small insects that cause enormous damage to the plant. Despite its small size, the tick can be seen with the naked eye. It looks like a small gray or red dot that is in constant motion. A clear manifestation of a mite attack is a cobweb enveloping the leaves of the fat plant, as well as yellowing or browning of the leaves.
Spider mites leave visible marks on the occupied plant
If you find a tick on the Crassula, you should immediately spray the plant and immediately put a bag on the Crassula, tightening it on the pot. In conditions of high humidity, the tick will die. Other means to combat the pest are a soap solution or the Apollo preparation.
Mealybug
This is a fairly frequent visitor to the Crassula. It likes to be located on the roots and in the axils of leaves, feeding on plant tissues and gradually weakening the bush’s immunity. In addition, it spoils the appearance of Crassula, covering the greens with powdery secretions that resemble cotton wool.
The mealybug on the Crassula is visible to the naked eye
The scale insect is easily washed off the foliage with a stream of water. After getting rid of insects, Crassula is treated with a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution or garlic infusion. The drugs Fufanon and Actellik also cope well with the pest.
Root mealybug
The root bug settles on the roots of the fat plant. It's not easy to find him there. This usually happens during the spring transfer of the plant to another pot.
If a scale insect attacks, you should wash the roots of the plant under running water (temperature 50°C), and then treat the root bundle in a solution of Fufanon or Actellik (twice with an interval of 7–8 days).
The root bug unfolds its activity inside the root system
What to do if a tree has dropped its branches
Crassula lowers branches when their elasticity decreases. This happens for several reasons:
- Insufficient watering and decreased air humidity. The fat woman is adapted to life in water shortages. However, the room often experiences not only a dry, but even an arid climate, especially in winter during the heating season. If the branches of the plant become limp and drooping, the leaves fall off, you need to water the plant, and then adjust the watering regime;
- A sharp drop in temperature. A sudden drop in temperature occurs not only in winter, but at any time. After standing in a cold draft or under air conditioning, tree branches lose turgor and leaves fall off;
- Stem rot. Turgor is sharply lost due to stem rot. The trunk and branches rot from the inside, the leaves fall off. A sick plant can be revived by removing rotten areas. Cut branches are rooted. The plant is transplanted into a new pot and cared for as usual.
What measures to take if the money tree breaks
Crassula is a fairly large and fragile plant. When a money tree falls, not only will its leaves fall off, it may break or break into small pieces. The plant may fall out of the pot during dry wintering. Its roots do not hold well in dry soil, and its crown is quite lush and heavy. Sometimes a tree falls when the trunk softens.
In case of a normal fall, if the plant is severely damaged, it is recommended to collect fragments of the tree and cut cuttings from them.
If the plant is almost undamaged, you need to trim the fat plant, removing broken branches. Plant the rest in new soil. If a tree falls due to stem rot, it cannot be saved. You can try cutting cuttings for rooting from apical shoots. But they must be cut carefully so that there are no rotten areas left on the cuttings, otherwise the cutting will not take root and will die.
Unpretentious, but requiring attention
Florists classify the money tree as an unpretentious plant that does not require special care. But inexperienced amateurs quite often do not take root, which leads to excuses for their financial situation. For the poorest and those with limited means, given the right conditions, the money tree can grow to gigantic proportions, and without coins in the pot or a red ribbon on the crown.
Krasulla
It all depends on how much they care about him, how carefully they observe him, and whether they create the necessary conditions for existence. The plant can even react to the wrong proximity on the windowsill and not perceive other exotics that emit harmful fumes.
For successful breeding, you need to understand the language that your pet speaks to a person. An excessively long stem asks for light, rotten roots signal excess moisture, falling leaves are also an eloquent sign. You need to look at what happens to them, what part of them the plant loses, what accompanying signs appear in this case.
