Thick evergreen leaves that store their own water, carried on a neat little shrub the trade knows best as the Jade Plant (Crassula ovata): crassula is the succulent almost anyone can keep alive. It wants plenty of light but no scorching sun behind glass, and as little water as you dare, since overwatering is what usually kills it.
| Name | Crassula |
|---|---|
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Type | succulent plant |
| Height | 8 inches (20 cm) |
| Soil | light, well-drained |
| Exposure | well-lit |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Flowering | summer |
It shows up in more and more places for its very trendy ornamental value. Caring for it is something anyone can succeed in, even though to keep it beautiful these tips will be very useful.
Careful planting in the right soil is the key to a long-living crassula.
Crassula is most often native to South Africa and adapts well to mild climates.
It is preferable to grow your crassula indoors if you expect freezing over the winter. Indeed, the slightest frost would kill it.
Crassula can be propagated by preparing cuttings from young stems.
It is usually quite easy to get the crassula to sprout roots.
Although caring for crassula is straightforward, a few tips will help you grow a very nice, long-living plant:
Crassula stores water in its leaves, so the watering rhythm changes completely between the flowering season and the depths of winter. The table sets the three regimes side by side.
| Period | Watering frequency | Before you water |
|---|---|---|
| In bloom, early to late summer | 1 to 2 sessions a week | Only once the soil has dried well |
| Outside the flowering season | 1 to 2 sessions a fortnight | Wait for the soil to dry out fully |
| Early winter to late winter | One light watering a month | A light watering is largely enough |
Better one rare but generous watering than many small ones, and if the leaves begin to collapse or droop, water again.
In any case, it is important to wait for the soil to have dried well before watering, in which case it is also better to water once rarely with a significant amount rather then having many smaller watering sessions.
BE CAREFUL! Leaves from succulents are loaded with water. If they start collapsing or drooping over, it’s a sign to water again!
Crassula varieties are numerous and varied. There are hundreds of them!
Other interesting species include:
On top of this, many fascinating hybrids exist that rival in color, shape and bloom for the greatest pleasure of all succulent fans!
Native to either South Africa or Mexico, depending on the variety, Crassula is a very beautiful succulent with particularly appealing leaves.
With its reduced need for care, it poses practically no difficulty to the caretaker.
Although excess water is what most often kills it, it also like having a lot of light, but not scorching direct sun, as when behind a window.
You can set it in a pot or a garden box, along edges or on rocky ground.
If ever you mistakenly break a leaf off, simply rest it atop soil and mist it from time to time. It will sprout roots and give rise to a new plant!
Crassula cannot tolerate frost and will be killed by even the slightest frost, so it must be grown indoors if you expect freezing temperatures. It can only survive outdoors in winter in regions closer to the equator.
During blooming, water 1 to 2 times per week when soil has dried well. Outside blooming season, water 1 to 2 times per fortnight. In winter, light watering once a month is sufficient. Always wait for soil to dry completely before watering.
The article states that pots for crassula are usually designed for at least two years of growth before the plant outgrows them, and annual repotting is recommended thereafter when the plant looks tight in its container.
Prune crassula after blooming when branches get old or look weak. Avoid cutting more than one-third off each branch, and always leave at least a few leaves on each pruned branch.
Slice off young stems with a sharp, disinfected blade and plant them in special cutting soil mix. Keep the soil slightly moist, watering only when completely dry, and position the cutting near light but not in direct sunlight until roots develop.
