Why do the leaves of the money tree fall

Many novice growers are wondering why the leaves of the money tree are falling. After all, this plant is picky, its cultivation never gives problems to its owner. But, nevertheless, such a problem occurs periodically. This happens as a result of the influence of various factors, but most often the problem lies in improper care.

Monkey tree, crassula or fat woman - what is this flower

Monkey tree, crassula, fat woman, money tree - all this is the name of one indoor flower. It belongs to the Fat family, which includes about 350 species, most of which grow in the Southern Hemisphere.

Crassula tree in nature

The fat woman is a tree with a thick trunk and dense fleshy leaves, covered with a light waxy coating. Due to the shape of its leaves, similar to coins, the flower was named the money tree.

Growing it is already a tradition passing from generation to generation. And even feng shui experts could not stand aside. They have special views for Crassula, they constantly recommend it to many clients.

Domestic forms of the money tree can reach a maximum height of 1.5 m, while their wild relatives also step over the 3-meter line.

The flowers are white, inconspicuous, located on a peduncle of medium length. Depending on the variety, they can be either single or collected in inflorescences.

The money tree sheds its leaves in summer or winter, is that normal?

Crassula can shed its leaves in summer for several reasons. First, too much stress due to the heat, a long period of drought, lack of watering and feeding.

But the discharge of foliage due to the negative impact of external factors is not difficult to notice - the leaves will wither, become soft, begin to turn yellow and dry.

Home money tree

If the fallen leaves are green and juicy, there is nothing to worry about. The fat woman threw them off for breeding. After some time, they will give thin roots, and it will be easy to grow new plants from them.

New bushes can be used as a symbolic gift to family and friends, especially those who believe in signs or are fond of feng shui practices.

The appearance of a young fat woman from a leaf

In winter, the plant most often loses its leaves due to excessive heat. Still, the fat woman needs a period of rest in a cool room. If the plant suddenly shed its leaves, something urgently needs to be done.The money tree should be removed from the heating devices as far as possible by placing it in the coolest place of the apartment (not in frost, the temperature should not be lower than +10 ° C).

Reasons why a money tree can shed its leaves

Despite all its unpretentiousness, Crassula, like any houseplant, needs to create comfortable conditions. It does not happen that a flower does not require absolutely any attention. Therefore, one of the reasons why the leaves of the fat woman fall off is improper care.

Illiterate watering regime

The fat woman is a succulent; it accumulates water in thick stems and fleshy leaves. This plant can withstand drought.

However, many inexperienced growers begin to actively "fill" the flower, which does not tolerate excess and stagnation of moisture in the soil. They, of course, do it with the best intentions, but for Crassula it is a spontaneous indifference. In this case, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off.

A similar situation will also occur with an excess of sunlight and a complete lack of irrigation. When the earthen clod dries out completely, the leaves begin to wither and they completely fall off. Therefore, when watering, you should adhere to the golden mean. Crassula is watered once every 2 days in summer and once a week in winter. It is important that the plant has good drainage.

Crassula leaves suffering from overflow

Direct sunlight

Some houseplants like to sunbathe, but they definitely cannot be attributed to the bastard.

Like other succulents, it is prone to damage from direct sunlight, which can scorch it. Burns form on it, Crassula sheds leaves, and it is difficult for her to recover after that. The flower does not like direct sunlight, in summer it should not be taken out to open areas, in winter it should be kept away from heating sources.

Too much fertilizer

An excess of minerals impairs the well-being of the plant, a large number of leaves are shedding. This problem can be solved: the flower is transplanted into a new pot, the soil in which is mixed with wood ash to neutralize the soil.

Incorrect water temperature for irrigation

One of the reasons why the leaves of the bastard can fall off is watering with too cold or too hot water.

The water should be separated, at room temperature.

Temperature changes

Crassula is one of those plants that prefer stability in everything. This also applies to the location, and the conditions of care, and temperature changes. If this rule is not followed, the leaves may begin to fall off. Moreover, after several days in a hot room, the flower can still be revived, and freezing is absolutely unacceptable.

These are the problems that most often cause the leaves to fall. They arise if the plant is not properly taken care of. But there are other problems that even experienced flower growers sometimes face.

Can leaves turn yellow and fall off due to diseases and pests

The leaves of the bastard (money tree) can crumble under the influence of diseases and pests. This happens less often than problems due to improper care. The main diseases include:

• fungal infections;
• viruses;
• pests (extremely rare).

It is impossible not to notice the appearance of the primary signs of diseases. The plant begins to look worse, wither slowly, but the green mass is shedding only at the last stages. This only happens if the owner absolutely does not follow the plant.

Since when a disease occurs, it is rather difficult to determine its true cause, experienced florists advise periodically spraying the money tree with antifungal agents and Fitoftorin.

Leaves of the money tree affected by the fungus

Of the insect pests, the fat woman is most often affected by:

• a scab, which is most often washed off with ordinary soapy water (the use of insecticides is also permissible);
• a spider mite is more dangerous - if it is found, you need to remove all parts damaged by it, thoroughly rinse the tree under the shower and treat it with any disinfectant;
• the mealybug is afraid only of insecticides, only they will help in getting rid of it, but after processing and removing the damaged parts, it is better to transplant the money tree into a new pot.

Natural aging is the reason why the leaves of the bastard fall, and the plant itself gradually fades away. Doing something to save the old tree is not worth it. But you can try to cut off a few more green shoots from it and plant them in fresh soil. In order to acquire a new young money tree, a large, healthy leaf will be enough.

The death of Crassula, according to legend, threatens with a deterioration in financial condition. But if you take a young twig from the mother plant and grow a new tree, everything will be fine. It is also important that the dead tree should not be thrown away, it should be buried in the ground or at least put out on the street. Perhaps there will be an owner who will be able to revive him.

What to do, how to help the money tree

If it became noticeable that the leaves began to disappear due to excess moisture, it is worth temporarily stopping watering, waiting for the earthen coma to dry completely. After that, watering is resumed, but initially the volume of water should be small, gradually increasing to an acceptable level.

The foliage can dry out from overdrying, then watering, on the contrary, should be done more often. But in everything you need to know when to stop. In winter, it is better to transfer the plant to a cool room with a temperature of about + 15 ° C. If this is not possible, and the Crassula will remain in the room for the winter, on the windowsill under which the battery is located, it is worthwhile to come up with an elevation that will separate the pot from the hot air.

The pots in which you plan to grow the money tree should not be deep, but you should give preference to wide dishes. Crassula is worth taking care of and trying to save at least one healthy branch if you can't do it with the mother plant.

The fat woman is a plant that is guarded in many homes as a family heirloom, passed from generation to generation. Despite the fact that grandmothers often grow plants in ordinary enamel pots, it is worth getting more creative with the process.

The tree is well formed, pruning, multiplies quickly and easily. And compliance with the rules of minimum care will not allow the leaves to turn yellow and fall off, Crassula will always respond to care and attention with the beauty and bright green of the leaves. And if you believe the signs, she will also give financial and family well-being to the inhabitants of the house. Therefore, it is worth acquiring it, at least as a talisman, as well as taking care of it and not allowing the leaves to be thrown off.