Crassula Ovata Hobbit
Content:
Krassula is a popular indoor flower, which is known to most as the money tree. The plant was named so because of the shape of the leaves, resembling coins. But not so long ago, an equally interesting and attractive variety appeared - Crassula The Hobbit.
Crassula Ovata The Hobbit
The vast family of the hobbit was replenished with a new variety of Crassula Hobbit in the middle of the last century. The flower is attractive not only for its ease of care, but also for its unusual appearance.
Crassula the Hobbit - an unusual succulent
Description
The peculiarity of the plant is the unusual shape of the leaves. Unlike the usual crassula, they are not rounded, but elongated. The edge of the leaf plate resembles a funnel, which is framed by a thin reddish border.
In shape, the flower resembles a small tree with fleshy and powerful stems and juicy green leaves. In older specimens, the trunk may be partially stiff. Crassula flowers are inconspicuous, small and have a pale pink tint. In indoor conditions, they appear very rarely.
Origin story
Crassula Hobbit (crassula ovata hobbit) appeared thanks to the work of American breeders in the 70s of the last century. By crossing the Ovate and Dairy varieties, we managed to get an interesting new species. The flower got its name thanks to the publication of Tolkien's work "The Lord of the Rings".
In the course of the crossing experiment, another species was obtained - Crassula Gollum (crassula gollum). Externally, the plants are similar, but the shape of their leaves is different. In Crassula the Hobbit, the leaves are funnel-shaped, accrete only at the base, and in the fat girl Gollum, they are accreted along the entire length and extended to the edge. There is an even later species, outwardly similar to both of the above - Crassula Coral.
Crassula Gollum is very similar to the Hobbit variety.
Home care
Crassula The Hobbit is unpretentious, like all succulents. Even insufficient moisture, poor watering and lack of fertilizing do not prevent this plant from growing. But in order for the flower to fully develop, some requirements still need to be observed.
| Lighting | Lighting should be diffused, but with a long daylight hours. Direct sunlight should be avoided. Slight shading in winter is acceptable. |
| Temperature regime | In the spring-summer period, the optimal temperature indicators are +17 ... +20 ° С. In winter, it is better to lower the values to +14 ... +16 ° С with a difference between day and night temperatures of 2-3 ° С. |
| Watering schedule | The soil should be moistened moderately and regularly, as the soil dries up by 2-3 cm. In winter, watering is reduced to 1-2 times a month. |
| Air humidity | The optimum moisture content is 60-70%, but the plant feels comfortable even with lower air humidity. |
| Top dressing | There is no particular need for fertilizing, but as the flower grows and the soil is depleted, fertilizers should be periodically applied. You only need to use special formulations for succulents. |
| Soil composition | It is best to use a ready-made succulent substrate. If the mixture is prepared independently, then the composition must necessarily contain broken brick or small expanded clay. |
| Pot size | The root system of the flower is not very developed and rather superficial. A container of small diameter and medium depth is suitable. |
The Hobbit Fat Woman is especially suitable for novice florists.Even if you don't have a lot of experience in growing plants, there will definitely not be any problems with this flower.
Crassula is a very unpretentious flower
Transplant features
Given the rather slow development of the root system of Crassula, it does not need frequent transplantation. It is enough to replace the soil and the pot every 2-3 years.
The procedure is step by step:
- 2-3 days before transplanting, the flower is watered.
- The plant is removed by transshipment, holding it by the trunk.
- A drainage layer is poured at the bottom of the container, which should occupy ¼ of its volume.
- Pour the prepared soil into the pot.
- The plant is carefully placed in the center of the container.
- The pot is supplemented with the remaining soil and watering is carried out.
- After the soil has settled, the soil is poured to the edge of the container.
Although Crassula does not need frequent transplants, replacing the soil will benefit her anyway. The flower quickly takes root in a new container and begins to intensively build up its vegetative mass.
Flowering and dormant period
Crassula The Hobbit blooms very rarely and inconspicuously at home. But in winter, the plant still needs a dormant period. To do this, the flower needs to create conditions for the transition and stay in it until spring.
Crassula flowers are small and inconspicuous
At the end of autumn, the average daily temperature is lowered to + 14 ... +16 ° С and the frequency of watering is gradually reduced. Top dressing has been stopped since October. If at home the flower stands on the south window, then for the winter time it is better to move it to a less illuminated place. With the onset of spring, they gradually switch to the standard care regimen.
Reproduction
The ease of growing Crassula concerns not only care, but also reproduction. The plant takes root easily and quickly with leaf and stem cuttings. You can grow a flower from seeds, but this is a laborious and long process that growers rarely resort to.
Cuttings are rooted directly in the ground without keeping them in water. Sometimes planting is carried out in the same pot where the adult plant grows. There is no need to create greenhouse conditions. You should only monitor the moisture content of the soil, but at the same time do not allow it to become waterlogged.
Young seedlings take root quickly
Possible growing problems
Diseases and pests rarely affect Crassula. More often, the flower suffers from improper care, especially from non-compliance with the watering regime. Excessive waterlogging of the soil can lead to the development of root and stem rot.
A flower can only get sick by infection from other plants. At the first signs of deterioration in appearance, you should treat the flower with special means or use folk methods.
Crassula The Hobbit is an unusual plant that does not require much attention. It is easy to care for a flower, so even a novice florist can grow it.
