Aichrizon - a tree of love and happiness

Succulents are plants that simply amaze with their diversity. One of the most interesting types of the group is aichrizon, the tree of love, as it is often called in everyday life. This plant is native to warm regions, but it is quite possible to grow it at home.

Aichrizon - what is this flower and why is it called the tree of love and happiness

Aichrizon is a flower that is interesting primarily in the shape of its leaves, which resemble hearts. That is why he received such a poetic name for the tree of love and happiness.

What does aichrizon flower look like?

In nature, aichrizone grows in warm countries. Moreover, these are by no means deserts. It is found in Portugal, the Canary and Azores Islands, and grows in Morocco. This plant loves cracks in rocks, where it is reliably sheltered from the wind.

For your information! It can be a one- or a perennial plant. Perennials are grown at home.

Short description

This plant is a shrub or semi-shrub, outwardly it may resemble a tree, but its stems are rarely lignified. At the same time, the stems are quite branched and often covered with fluff, as well as the leaves growing on them, resembling hearts.

In most varieties, the leaves are dark green, sometimes lighter in color. There are varieties with yellow or red blotches, with white stripes.

Note! In normal condition, the leaves do not smell, but if they are damaged, the smell will be unpleasant.

Most varieties bloom in small, star-shaped flowers. Their color is most often yellow, but there are varieties with white, cream and even red petals.

Flower varieties

If a florist is looking for a succulent attractive for breeding at home, then it is worth choosing aichrizon, the types of which differ mainly in the height of the stem and the size of the leaves. In any case, such a plant looks very impressive, recalling the tropics.

Aichryson homemade (Aichryson x domesticum)

What is the name of the indoor flower of love that brings happiness to the house

Succulent lovers are interested in Aichrizon as an indoor flower. Several types are suitable for growing indoors. One of the most popular is aichrizon home. This variety is a short shrub (it rarely grows above 20-30 cm). Its diameter also usually does not exceed 30 cm.

The leaves of the plant are fleshy with a rich green hue. They are covered with short pale hairs and are collected in relatively small rosettes. The leaves themselves are small, up to 1 cm wide and up to 2 cm long.

Note! In spring, this succulent is covered with yellow flowers that exude a rather strong but pleasant aroma.

A variety of this plant is variegated aichrizon. It is distinguished by very spectacular variegated leaves with a pronounced light border.

Aichrizon homemade does not smell very good

Aichryson tortuosum

Like the rest of the varieties, it is a small shrub, only with twisting twigs, on which leaves grow, collected in a rosette. The crown diameter rarely exceeds 30 cm. This tree is a bit like a bonsai.

Aichryson sedifolium

The aichrizon tree of happiness during flowering can look very impressive when it comes to the cleansing variety. Without flowers, this is a relatively small, but rather dense subshrub, which can reach a height of 40 cm, but its width is small, up to 13-15 cm.At the same time, its leaves look quite interesting: they differ in a yellowish-green tint interspersed with red lines. The leaves are small, but they gather in a rosette that can reach 6 cm in diameter.

For your information! When the plant is about to bloom, inflorescences resembling large brushes appear on it, the length of which reaches 7 cm. Aichrizon blooms with golden yellow flowers that bloom for the first time in April-May.

In winter, part of the foliage falls off, this is a natural process. But this is not the only problem. This variety is very sensitive to waterlogging of the soil, and you need to take care of it especially carefully.

Aichryson laxum

Popularly, this plant is sometimes called loose, although the scientific name sounds like prostrate aichrizon. This succulent also does not differ in height, it reaches only 30-40 cm in height and the same length. It differs from other varieties not so much in height as in the shape of leaves resembling rhombuses. They are also collected in a socket, but on a longer petiole.

Inflorescences are large brushes, the length of which can reach 30 cm (this is 3-4 times longer than that of the species described above). The plant blooms with small yellow flowers. During this period, it almost completely loses its leaves, but then it always recovers.

Aichryson punctatum

It is a small plant with greenish-brown shoots. Its diamond-shaped leaves have an unusual shape. One edge seems to be uneven, as if wavy. The petioles of the leaves are long, they are collected in rather dense rosettes. Plant height is 15-30 cm, sometimes more.

Aichrizone care at home

If the grower is interested in Aichrizon, home care must comply with all the rules, only then the plant will be able to show all its best qualities.

Illumination and temperature conditions

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Although aichrizon is a southern plant, it does not like direct sunlight. He needs a lot of light, but he must be diffused, otherwise burns will appear on the leaves. Experts advise placing a pot with this flower on the west or east window. In winter, you may not be so afraid of a direct hit of rays, but still it is better not to risk it and not change the location.

Note! For the crown to have a beautiful shape, you need the leaves to grow evenly. To do this, the pot is regularly rotated so that everyone gets enough light.

Under natural conditions, the plant thrives in hot climates. In room conditions, it also loves warmth. The most comfortable temperature for a plant is up to 25 ° C. But this only applies to the spring and summer months. In winter, during the dormant period, the thermometer should not rise above 10 ° C. If the plant is too warm, it will shed its leaves, and the shoots will begin to stretch. In addition, in winter, you need to take care that the container with aichrizone is away from the radiators of the heating system.

Aichrizon meandering

Watering rules and humidity

To prevent the plant from starting to dry, it must be watered regularly. A large amount of moisture is not needed for this, watering should be moderate. The owner will determine the frequency of watering on his own, the main thing is that in the interval between these two procedures, the soil in the pot has time to dry only half.

Important! This plant has its own watering prompt system. If you press on the crown and feel that it is springy, it means that you can do without watering for now.

In winter, the amount of watering is reduced, but not completely stopped. It is very important to control the condition of the roots. An excess of moisture affects them the most, as they begin to rot.

As for the humidity of the air, it is not important for succulents, and the tree of love, whatever you call it, refers specifically to them. Therefore, aichrizon does not need spraying. But taking into account that Aichrizon is a tree, although it is southern, but does not like droughts, in the midst of the summer heat, you can bathe it. In this case, only soft warm water is used.

Top dressing and soil quality

Whether it is aichrizon Gucci or any other plant species, in most cases these succulents are not very demanding on the soil. A good option would be a self-prepared mixture, for which 1 part of sand, 4 parts of turf, 1 part of leafy earth and humus are taken.

Note! Some growers advise simply adding pieces of charcoal to store-bought potting soil.

The plant should be fed only in spring and summer. This is done every two weeks. A special fertilizer designed for succulents and containing a reduced amount of nitrogen is best suited for these purposes.

Aikhrizon purum-leaved

Flower container size

It is necessary to select a container for growing aichrizon, taking into account a specific variety. But in general, the pot should be short, but wide enough for the plant to feel comfortable.

Pruning and replanting

Too many transplants can damage the plant. As a rule, aichrizon develops at such a rate that one transplant per year is enough for him. It is still necessary to transplant it, since the roots during this time are completely entwined with an earthen lump. This is done in the spring by transferring to a new larger pot. You can water it only after a week has passed since the transplant.

Blooming aichrizon cannot be cut off

Pruning is done for sanitary purposes only, when wilted peduncles, leaves and shoots are removed as necessary.

Flowering and dormant period of the plant

The flower of love - perennial aichrizon - begins to bloom only in the second or third year. Flowers usually bloom in spring. With proper care, flowering can last long enough, about six months. In winter, the plant is dormant.

Important! For the flowering season to last long, you need to provide the plant with the appropriate conditions. For example, a pot for it needs to be taken relatively close, without a margin for growth.

Aichrizon, when it blooms, looks very elegant, although it loses its leaves at the same time (sometimes a third of the initial amount, sometimes even more). There is nothing wrong with that, this is a natural process. In order to maintain a beautiful shape in the future, faded peduncles and weak shoots are immediately cut off. In this case, subject to all other care rules, new shoots will soon appear.

Reproduction of the tree of happiness

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Taking into account the structure of the aichrizon, the reproduction of the plant should not cause problems. You just need to choose the most convenient way. Aichrizon can be propagated by leaves, cuttings and seeds.

Aichrizon Gucci

The first method is considered quite simple. It is necessary to cut off a leaf from an old plant and place it in a dark room for a while so that it slightly withers, but does not wither completely. After that, it must be rooted in a small container, into which the substrate for succulents or wet sand has already been poured. Do the same with the handle. But it is advised to root it in water. When the roots appear, the seedling is placed in a larger pot and a kind of mini-greenhouse is arranged for its correct development.

For your information! The plant can also be propagated by seeds. This is a rather complicated method, since they still need to be collected, prepared, planted in a pot with a substrate and, again, arrange a mini-greenhouse, covering the container with film or glass.

Some difficulties in growing

Breeding aichrizone can be difficult. Basically, flower growers are interested in questions related to the flowering of a plant, it is with him that problems can arise, and why exactly, a specialist can say only after he has studied all the facts.

Why does not it bloom

The main reason why aichrizon does not bloom is that it is not properly cared for. The plant is quite demanding in this regard, so in the absence of flowering, it is worth replanting it in a tighter container, making sure that there is no excessive watering and root rot. And during the dormant period, he needs coolness, so you need to keep the plant where it will not dry out and overheat.

Falling leaves

If your beloved Aichrizon began to wither in the warm season, and its leaves fall off, then the problem is either that it has been exposed to sunlight for too long, or that its earthen lump is constantly drying out (less often the reason may be too frequent watering). If a plant such as aichrizon began to lose leaves in the autumn-winter period, it means that it is too warm, and it is time to transfer it to a cooler room for the winter.

Aichrizon variegated

However, it also happens that the leaves fall when the flowers bloom, and this is a completely understandable and natural phenomenon, especially since it is temporary in nature.

Diseases and pests

This flower faces the same dangers as other houseplants. For example, it can be spider mites and mealybugs. The presence of the latter can be determined by lumps of sticky white fluff on the cuttings of the plant, while the mite leaves thin cobwebs. And with that, and with another pest they fight with the help of systemic chemicals such as phytoverm and aktara.

If the plant is too wet, rot may appear.

Advice! In this case, the damaged leaves and roots will have to be removed, and in the future, adhere to the correct watering regime, there are no other ways to combat this.

Aichrizon will certainly decorate the house, and if you believe the popular belief, will bring love and happiness to it. But for this to happen, you need to properly care for this unusual plant.