Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce

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Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce

Rep. Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles 1916: 617 1917.

Family: CRASSULACEAE

Cultivo y propagación: Crassula ovata es una planta que se vende con relativa frecuencia en los viveros de jardinería, y puede hacer un buen chicle bajo y suculento en el jardín, se adapta bien en contenedores y es una buena planta de interior o bonsái de interior. Se cultiva ampliamente y no es difícil de cultivar. Prospera con luz brillante y amplio flujo de aire.

Tasa de crecimiento: Moderadamente rápido.

Suelo: crece mejor en suelo arenoso y arenoso. Un buen drenaje es muy importante ya que es propenso a la pudrición de la raíz.

Replantación: Repoten cada tres o cuatro años en primavera. No corte radicalmente las raíces: aproximadamente el 10 por ciento del cepellón es el adecuado.

Fertilización: aliméntelo desde mediados de primavera hasta principios de otoño cada cuatro o cinco semanas con un fertilizante específicamente formulado para cactus y suculentas (pobres en nitrógeno), incluidos todos los micronutrientes y oligoelementos diluidos a la mitad de la concentración recomendada en la etiqueta. No alimente a las plantas durante el invierno.

Necesidades de riego: es una planta tolerante a la sequedad. Riegue regularmente en la temporada de crecimiento, pero evite el agua y deje secar entre riegos. Riegue con precaución en invierno, ya que la planta puede perder sus raíces si el suelo se mantiene frío y húmedo durante períodos prolongados. Cuanto menor es la temperatura, menos agua se necesita. Si se cultiva en un recipiente, se recomienda regar el fondo sumergiendo el recipiente. La nebulización de niebla no es necesaria, debe tener una atmósfera muy seca.

Exposición al sol: lo hace bien en el sol filtrado, pero también puede manejar un poco de sombra. En la sombra, el color de las hojas se mantendrá más verde, mientras que en las duras condiciones de pleno sol el follaje puede desarrollar un tinte rosado. En verano, manténgase fresco y proteja del sol directo durante las horas más calurosas. Puede quemarse con el sol si se mueve de sombra / invernadero a pleno sol demasiado rápido. Tiende a ser leggy en la sombra profunda.

Tolerancia a las heladas: proteger de las heladas para evitar las cicatrices. Requiere una temperatura mínima de alrededor de 5 grados Celsius por períodos cortos si está en suelo seco (temperatura letal en hábitat -6 a -10 grados Celsius). Zonas USDA 9A? 11. En áreas propensas a las heladas, crezca en un invernadero intermedio o invernadero, en macetas. La planta puede mantenerse en el interior durante todo el año a una temperatura mínima de invierno de 10 grados Celsius que no exceda los 18 grados Celsius. En verano, la temperatura aumentará más, pero como esto va acompañado de una mejor luz, no importa. Coloque la planta cerca de una ventana soleada.

Usos del jardín: hacen maravillosas plantas rocker en áreas cálidas y secas y también se cultivan bien en contenedores o patios soleados o en un rincón caliente al lado de una piscina.

Usos tradicionales: Las raíces que comían los hotentotes bajo el nombre de "T'Karckay", se rallaban y cocinaban, después de lo cual se consumían con leche espesa. Las hojas también se usaban medicinalmente, se hervían en leche como remedio para la diarrea y se usaban para tratar la epilepsia, los callos y como purgante. En el Lejano Oriente, Alemania y los EE. UU. Tradicionalmente se cultiva en tinas de porcelana cuadrada con "pies de león" para brindar buena suerte financiera, y ha atraído nombres más comunes, como el Árbol del Dinero, Penny Plant, Dollar Plant y Tree of Happiness.

Cultura Bonsai: pode en cualquier momento del año y corte las ramas que cruzan. El cableado rara vez es necesario.

Plagas y enfermedades: Puede ser susceptible a las cochinillas y rara vez escalar. Proteger del frío

Propagación: de la semilla, pero se aumenta fácilmente mediante esquejes. Los esquejes se arraigan fácilmente. También es posible plantar las hojas en un suelo bueno y arenoso donde echarán raíces: los miembros de esta familia a menudo se propagan vegetativamente de esta manera. Toma esquejes de hojas en primavera y verano. Separe una hoja de una planta establecida tirando o doblándose, y déjela secar por un día. Inserte el extremo roto de la hoja en una mezcla de una parte de turba ligeramente húmeda y dos partes de arena afilada. Firme la mezcla alrededor de las bases de cada corte, que luego crecerá en las raíces. El corte de la hoja puede ser replantado

 

Origin and Habitat: Crassula ovata is found in scattered localities in northern and central Natal and near Queenstown in the eastern Cape and is fairly common in the Eastern Cape from Willow-more to East London and northwards to Queens-town, also in KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique from Manhoca to Maputo, and is widely seen outdoors in other warm areas, such as California and Mediterranean.

Habitat: It grows among shrubs in open forests, on sandy-clayey grey soil on rocky slopes, hills and fields, often in sheltered ravines, together with a variety of aloes, euphorbias, Portulacaria afra and other succulents. The flowers attract bees, wasps, flies, beetles and butterflies. The fine dust-like seed is dispersed by the wind. Tortoises love the leaves but rarely devour them completely. Any discarded leaves left around the foot of the plant send down roots and grow into new plants. The stems also make handy bases for wasps to build their nests.

 

Synonyms:

 

Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce

Cotyledon lutea hort. ex Lamarck

Cotyledon ovata Mill.

Toelkenia ovata (Mill.) P.V.Heath

 

SPANISH (Español): árbol de jade

 

Description: Crassula ovata (the jade plant), first described as Cotyledon, is a succulent multibranched, very floriferous bonsai like shrub with glossy green leaves that are flattened yet succulent. They are pear shaped and shiny jade-green with or without a red margin. Slowly, after about two or three years, the plant develops a thick, gnarled light fawn trunk. As is often the case with plants that have been in cultivation for many years, this species has been given a number of names both Crassula argentea and Crassula portulacea are synonyms of this species."Jades" encompass several forms (often classified as distinct species of Crassula) and many various cultivars.

Habit: It is a large, much branched perennial shrub (0.6-)1-1.5(-3) m tall, completely glabrous and old leaves deciduous.

Stems: Up to 20 cm thick at the base, subterete, robust, succulent, greyish; branches jointed, denuded, marked with the scars of the fallen leaves.

Leaves: Opposite, distinct at base, 2-5 cm long and 1-3 cm broad, condensed at the extremities of the branchlets, longer than the internodes. In spite of its name, C. ovata usually has broadly elliptical to obovate-spathulate leaves, shortly acuminate and acute or subrounded at the top, with or without a red entire margin. Sessile or with petiole up to 4 mm long, wedge-shaped towards the base, subconnate when young, free with age, fleshy, flattened, slightly concave above and slightly convex beneath, with nectary dots in one row on both sides near the margin (but dots also scattered on both surfaces), green and shining when fresh, dark brown and covered with a peeling layer when dry.

Inflorescence: The inflorescence is round-topped, corymboso-paniculate, pedunculate, dense to loose with numerous flowers and trichotomous.

Flowers: Corolla star-shaped, 5-merous, white tinged pink. Peduncles 1-4 cm. long. Pedicels 4.5-8 mm long. Calyx c. 5 mm in diameter campanulate to nearly saucer-shaped.Sepals 1.15 mm long and 1.5 mm broad at the base, broadly triangular, acute, fleshy, their external surface similar to that of the leaves. Corolla white or faintly rose Petals (5)6.25-7.5(10) mm long, oblong or lanceolate, keeled, acute, mucronate at the apex, slightly connate at the base, spreading. Stamen-filaments 4-5.5 mm long with purple anthers. Anthers fertile c. 0.5 mm broad, transverse-oblong, or sterile c. 0.75 mm. long and oblong or lanceolate. Scales broader than long. Styles 2-3 mm. long, filiform.

Blooming season: It flowers in winter (in habitat form June to August. Its companion species in the Western Cape is Crassula arborescens which flowers from October to January)

Fruits (follicles): 3-3.25 mm long, obliquely oblong-ovoid.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Crassula ovata group

 

Crassula cv. Gollum: has leaves that are nearly tubular and tipped with a suction cup reminiscent of the J.R.R. Tolkein character by the same name. it is considered a hybrid of Crassula ovata.

Crassula cv. Hobbit: has finger shaped leaves that are curled back around. it is considered a hybrid of Crassula ovata.

Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce: has elliptical to pear shaped leaves shining with or without a red margin. The plant develops a thick, gnarled light fawn trunk. Distribution: Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal.

Crassula ovata cv. Hummel's Sunset: has glossy leaves that take on spectacular colours when grown full sun and especially during winter, green with golden yellow and red margins.

Crassula ovata cv. Lemon & Lime: close in appearance to the common jade but with shiny cream stripes on spoon-shaped leaves. Just as its all green cousin it has a stout trunk.

Cultivation and Propagation: Crassula ovata is a relatively commonly sold plant at garden outlet nurseries, and can make a nice low succulent shrublet in the garden, does well in containers, and makes a good houseplant or indoor bonsai. It is widely grown and not difficult to cultivate. It thrive with bright light and ample airflow.

Growth rate: Moderately fast.

Soil: It grows best in sandy-gritty soil. Good drainage is very important as it is prone to root rot.

Repotting: Repot every three or four years in spring. Do not radically cut off roots: about 10 percent of the root ball is right.

Fertilization: Feed it from mid spring to early autumn every four or five weeks with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus and succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to half the strength recommended on the label. Do not feed plants during winter.

Watering Needs: It is a very dry-tolerant plant. Water regularly in the growing season, but avoid water-logging and let dry between waterings. Water with caution in winter, as the plant can lose its roots if the soil stays cold and wet for extended periods. The lower the temperature the less water is needed. If grown in a container, bottom watering by immersing the container is recommended. Mist spraying is not needed, it must have very dry atmosphere.

Sun Exposure: Does well in filtered sun, but can handle some shade, too. In shade the leaves colour will remain more green, while in harsh full sun conditions the foliage can develop a pinkish tinge. In summer keep cool and provide some shelter from direct sun during the hottest hours. It can be sunburned if moved from shade/greenhouse into full sun too quickly. It tends to get leggy in deep shade.

Frost Tolerance: Protect from frost to prevent scarring. It requires a minimum temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius for short periods if it is in dry soil (Lethal temperature in habitat -6 to -10 degrees Celsius). USDA zones 9A ? 11. In areas prone to frost, grow in an intermediate greenhouse or conservatory, in pots. The plant may be kept indoors throughout the year at a minimum winter temperature of 10 degrees Celsius not exceeding 18 degrees Celsius. In summer, the temperature will rise higher, but as this is accompanied by better light it does not matter. Position the plant near a sunny window.

Garden uses: They make wonderful rocker plants in hot, dry areas and also grow well in containers or sunny patios or in a hot corner next to a swimming pool.

Traditional uses: The roots werw eaten by the Hottentots under the name "T'Karckay", they were grated and cooked after which they were eaten with thick milk. The leaves were also used medicinally, boiled in milk as a remedy for diarrhoea, and used to treat epilepsy, corns and as a purgative. In the Far East, Germany and the USA it is traditionally grown in square porcelain tubs with 'lion feet' to bring good financial luck, and has attracted more common names including the Money Tree, Penny Plant, Dollar Plant and Tree of Happiness.

Bonsai culture: Prune at any time of the year and cut off crossing branches. Wiring is seldom needed.

Pests and diseases: May be susceptible to mealybugs and rarely scale. Protect from cold.

Propagation: From seed but it is easily increased by cuttings. Cuttings root easily. It is also possible, to plant the leaves in good, sandy soil where they will take root - members of this family often propagate vegetatively in this way. Take leaf cuttings in spring and summer. Detach a leaf from an established plant by pulling or bending, and leave it to dry for a day. Insert the broken end of the leaf into a mix of one part slightly moist peat and two parts sharp sand Firm the mix around the bases of each cut-ting, which will later grow roots. The leaf cutting can then be repotted

Done