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.
Diseases and pests
Under natural conditions, the Crassula does not have many pests. It mainly suffers from being part of the herbivore food chain. Under indoor breeding conditions, Crassula may be at risk of attack by bacteria and pathogenic microflora, to which it has no immunity.
An indicator of damage is a change in the color of the leaves: it acquires a “red” tint. The plant drops the affected leaves. To heal a plant, you do not need to wait until the plant itself gets rid of diseased leaf blades. They are cut off at the slightest sign of damage, and the entire crown is treated with phytoncides according to the scheme for the drug.
If cobwebs and cotton balls are seen on the leaves, then the fat plant is being devoured by a spider mite or mealybug. Affected leaves usually fall off.
Plants affected by the pest are treated with foundationazole several times with a break of 10 days. Sick plants should be quarantined during treatment, isolated from other indoor plants.
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.
Flower diseases
A money tree can get fusarium rot if it is watered abundantly and other care rules are not followed. Treatment is carried out with a suspension of foundationazole at the rate of 2 grams of the product per 1 liter of water and transplantation.
Brown or yellow spots on the foliage are a signal that the flower is damaged by a fungal or bacterial infection. A complex drug is used for treatment.
Black spots on the surface of the leaves that become soft are the result of severe sunburn. Take care to protect your pet.
If the leaves of a plant are deformed, then it may not have enough moisture. If there is a lack of moisture, they can also dry out.
In the autumn-winter period, leaves may fly off from a completely healthy Crassula. Then it should be moved to a bright window sill or additional artificial lighting should be used.
A silvery coating on the surface of the foliage should not frighten gardeners - this is a normal physiological process. But a white coating indicates that the crop is infected with a mite. If it smells musty, it is most likely a fungal infection called powdery mildew. In this case, treatment with “Fitosporin” or “Fundazol” will help. If there is no smell, your pet has been attacked by ticks. Then for treatment you will need the drugs “Fitoverm” or “Aktara”.
If the plant wilts, the root system may rot. The salvation will be transplantation and placement in diffused light. In the first month, watering should be done from a tray and in small quantities.
At the beginning of spring, the foliage may turn red. It is associated with a disruption of the process of photosynthesis. In order for the leaves to turn green, the pot must be removed from the illuminated windowsill deep into the room.
When Crassula has too small leaves, it may not have enough light or nutrients. Then you will need fertilizing for succulents, which contains less nitrogen and phosphorus.
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.
Preventive actions
Various reasons can provoke the beginning of yellowing of the crown of the money tree. To avoid this problem, you should adhere to simple but effective preventive measures:
- the plant is removed from the bright sun and placed in partial shade, lighting should be moderate and diffused;
- It is useful to regularly ventilate the room, but at such moments the flower must be covered with newspaper, since drafts and sudden changes in temperature are unacceptable;
- in the cold season, the pot should be placed as far as possible from heating appliances;
- at low temperatures, spraying is unacceptable; such a procedure is carried out extremely rarely if there is an urgent need and only with settled water at room temperature;
- in winter, it is necessary to place a screen between the window sill and the plant, and put a layer of foam under the pot;
- transplantation is carried out no more often than once every few years and strictly in the spring or at the very beginning of summer;
- you need to choose the right container and suitable substrate;
- be sure to place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot;
- fertilizing should be moderate and only during active growing season; you can only use those compounds that are intended for cacti;
- place the pot with fatty grass in a place inaccessible to cats;
- in the room where the Crassula is located, the temperature should not fall below +5˚С;
- Watering is carried out only with settled and warm water.
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.
