The family Crassulaceae (Tolstyankovy) includes 30 genera and about 1500 varieties of succulent plants. The presence of various forms and color of leaves distinguish the members of the family of the Crassulaceae from other plants. Designer-florists love to use these flowers in creating unusual compositions, aided by the appearance of the plant and the unusual shape of the leaves, the color of which can vary from a silvery gray color to a dark burgundy.
Representatives of the Tolstiankov family very well tolerate a lack of moisture, as they are distinguished by the ability to retain the moisture they need in the leaves and shoots. Crazy potted plants are the most popular among gardeners represented in the photo and have such names.
Jade (money tree)
The money tree belongs to the Tolstiankov family, flower growers love it for its simplicity, ease of breeding and appearance.
Did you know? To ensure the abundant flowering of the money tree - it must be placed in a well-lit, warm and ventilated place.The fat woman very often has the appearance of a small tree: a tree trunk, small dense leaves. Unpretentious and elegant plant with the scientific name Crassula. He is credited with the properties of attracting wealth and happiness in the house, the harmonization of space. In summer, the ideal temperature for plant growth is the mark from + 20 ° С to + 25 ° С, and in winter it is necessary to ensure a temperature of + 15 ° С. Crassula loves well-lit places, it is best to have it on the windows facing the south-east side. In the summer, you can take it out to the balcony - there will be enough light and heat and ventilation for the tree. The fat woman grows well in the soil, which is intended for cacti. This composition includes turf and leaf soil, with neutral reaction sand, some parts of clay, humus and ash.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is an indoor decorative flower that is widely known for its healing properties and beautiful abundant flowering. There are 200 species of this plant. Homeland Kalanchoe is considered the sunny island of Madagascar and from the language of the indigenous people its name translates to "health." Kalanchoe is an undemanding plant, it does not need special care, and it grows quickly enough. A variety of decorative forms of Kalanchoe with fabulously beautiful flowers and original leaves quickly won the hearts of amateur growers.
Did you know? There is a legend about how this wondrous plant appeared in our country. She tells that during one voyage, one of the Russian sailors became infected with a terrible tropical disease, and in order to avoid an epidemic on the ship, it was decided that the sailor should be left on one of the South African islands. What was the surprise of the team, when after some time they saw the sailor alive and unharmed. According to him, it turned out that the leaves of a marvelous flower, which he chewed all the time, saved him. Believing in its healing properties, the sailor took this flower with him to the ship.The height of an adult plant can be completely different: small bushes of 20 cm and low trees of one and a half meters. This flower very quickly adapted to home conditions. It reproduces very easily: with cuttings and seeds. Many hybrid plants manage to bloom profusely, even in darkened rooms. In order for this flower to please you with its flowering, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Watering a flower should be moderate. In the summer, watering is done twice a week, and in winter one is enough.
- Kalanchoe does not tolerate high humidity, high temperatures, does not like fertilizer.
- The flower loves the sun's rays, but until a certain time (until 3:00 pm), after this time comes, it must either be removed in the shade, or covered with a cloth, creating the effect of a short day.
Aihrizon
Aihrizone is an ornamental houseplant, often bearing the second name "tree of love". Aihrizone grows a small bush 20-30 cm tall and 30 cm in diameter, has unusual leaves in the shape of a heart of rich dark green color, they are dense and covered with white fluff. Bush stalks can be straight, can be bent, they branch out strongly without any manipulation of them. Airflow in nature grows in rock crevices in the Azores and Canaries. Fleshy small leaves collected in the outlet at the tips of the stems, may have a different color: the whole palette of green, white, gray, yellow, red.
At home, the bush blooms in April and May. Flowers are collected in small inflorescences in the form of a panicle, similar to small stars, red, yellow, cream or white. When flowering ends, the branch on which the peduncle was located, dies and needs to be removed. Aihrizone - a plant undemanding to care and for its normal development requires very few conditions, namely:
- cramped pot;
- rare watering;
- wintering in a cool and bright place;
- does not like neighborhood with heating devices;
- in the summer period she likes to be in a well-lit place with diffused light;
- during flowering, it is necessary to remove weakened shoots and old flower stalks, to feed the flower with complex mineral fertilizers once every two weeks.
Sedum (cleanings)
Sedum (cleansing) - is the most extensive representative of the Crassula family, the largest native of succulent plants, which united in itself more than 600 species of plants. This genus has spread in the arid territories of Mexico, the USA, Novaya Zemlya, in the temperate and cold lands of the Northern Hemisphere, Alaska, China and Japan.
At home, you can grow other succulents: agave, aloe, zamiokulkas, lithops, euphorbia, yucca, havortiya, nolina, adenium.
Sedum is a perennial or annual herb, has stems up to 20 cm tall. The leaves have a round or cylindrical shape with a bluish or red tint. Blossoms cleansing small flowers that are collected in inflorescence. Flowers can be different colors, it all depends on the type of plant. Some sweeping types of cleaning bloom profusely throughout the year. Many species of sedum grow in decorative forms. As a rule, cleansing is used to create background compositions, in the form of a ground cover plant. At home, Sedum serves as an addition to cacti compositions, less often with an ampelous plant.
Important! Purification has many medicinal properties and is used in the treatment of many diseases, but the most valuable is its antimalarial properties.
Bryophyllum
A few decades ago, the Briofillum genus was separated from the Kalanchoe genus; now it is considered an independent representative of the Tolstiankov family. The genus Briofillum includes 25 species of plants. In the wild, the plant grows in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and can reach 10 meters in height, but we know it with a modest indoor flower 50–150 cm in height. Briophyllum is distinguished by succulent, fleshy leaves on a short scape, leaf blades have a serrate edge. We meet representatives with dark green leaves, but there are also motley varieties. For its ability to reproduce the kidneys with children at the edges of the leaves, the bryophyllum is called viviparous. Ready for planting kids have available air roots and fall off from the slightest oscillation, and if they fall on wet soil, they take root immediately. When bryophyllum reaches the age of two, it begins to bloom, inflorescences of white, pink or red are thrown out. The period when bryophyllum blooms is February or March.
Briofillum is famous for its medicinal and bactericidal properties, is widely used in the fight against inflammatory processes, colds, heals wounds.
Eonium
Unpretentious and ornamental plant, forming a rosette of leaves similar to fantastic flowers, often used to create decorative compositions. Aeonium is a true long-lived plant that will delight you for more than a decade. From the ancient Greek language, its name can be translated "alive" or "eternal." The plant has thick, fleshy leaves and shoots; the stem is grassy or woody with marks from fallen leaves; at the end of the stem a dense and patterned rosette of leaves is formed.
The eonium height can be completely different: from 10 cm (in this case, the socket is located almost on the ground) to 100 cm (it seems that an exotic flower is floating in the air). Sockets are always at the end of the stem, but can vary in diameter (from a few centimeters to a meter). The color scheme of leaves varies from soft green to red, purple tones, there are types of eonium with mixed colors, when one color turns into another.
Eoniums are very fond of sunlight, plants with a colorful pattern in the shade can lose their original color. Even in the penumbra, plants begin to stretch, deform, and rosettes decrease in diameter. For eonium, only windowsills that are located on the south or south-east side are suitable.
As if eonium did not like the sunlight, but the heat he does not tolerate the heat. The optimum temperatures for it are from + 20 ° С to + 25 ° С. The plant needs fresh air, it loves airing. In the summer, the eonium can be defined on a balcony or flower bed, this will positively affect its appearance. It can be taken outside when nighttime temperatures exceed + 10 ° C. Watering for eonium requires moderate and is made on the edge of the pot. Water should not accumulate in the center of the bush, as this can lead to decay and the occurrence of fungal infections.
Rejuvenated (stone rose)
Rejuvenated - an original and beautiful plant, in its appearance resembling the head of an exotic flower. In nature, there are 50 varieties of "stone rose" of different color. The name from the Latin language means "forever alive." Grow a flower in the open field, and at home on the window sills. Its unique look allows you to create extraordinarily beautiful compositions.
Important! Never plant young under leafy trees or very close to them - fallen leaves can cover the rosette of the stone flower, thus blocking sunlight and air. The rosette of the flower begins to rot and perishes.Rejuvenated loves sunlight very much, tolerates heat and lack of moisture well. It grows well on light soils with sand and pebbles, growing at home "stone flower" drainage is filled with one third of the pot.
Echeveria
Echeveria - an extraordinarily beautiful succulent flower, part of the Crass family, has about 200 varieties. The flower was named after the Mexican artist Atanasio Eheverría, who illustrated a book about the flora growing in Mexico. Plants have dense fleshy leaves, collected in a tight rosette, leaf length varies from 3 cm to 30 cm, and width from 1 cm to 15 cm. Leaf plates can be flat, can be cylindrical with a sharp tip, can be either trimmed or covered wax coating. Due to the structure of the leaf, Echeveria easily tolerates sudden changes in temperature, cold and heat.
In many species of Echeveria, the stem is shortened, it seems that it is not there, although there are types of bushy Echeveria, but there are few of them. Echeveria throws flowers on inflorescences up to 50 cm long that look like bells. The color of flowers is saturated, bright: red, orange, yellow, lime. Echeveria is represented in many species. In the content they are all unpretentious, differ from each other in size, color, shape of the outlet.
Important! Very often, Echeveria is confused with a young one - these are completely different plants, although they look very similar in appearance. The main difference is that the young can winter in the open ground at temperatures up to -30°C, while Echeveria does not tolerate frosts. If you compare the plants with each other, then the leaves of Echeveria will be thicker, fleshy.For indoor cultivation of Echeveria, a wide, almost flat pot with drainage holes is required. A good flower grows in the soil for succulents or for cacti, only it is necessary to add some stones to it.
How to choose the soil for chevery: squeeze a handful of soil in your hand, open your palm and see what happened. If the earth has turned into a lump - it is too heavy for chevery, if it crumbles - just right.
Crassula - extraordinarily beautiful plants. They will be the perfect decoration of your garden or apartment.