Without dwelling too much on the broad field of plant classification (here, if you want, you will find an article dedicated to this topic) and taking it for granted that the term “succulent plants” refers both to cacti and to many other succulent botanical families whose specimens have a different appearance from any other cactus, we are addressing a very “heartfelt” topic among novice growers. Even the grower who boasts a good knowledge of a given family, however, may find the following article useful, which recommends succulent plants (belonging to various botanical families) that are less demanding, more robust and simple to grow and therefore more suitable for those who are only now approaching the world of succulents. (…)

Premise

With a minimum of initial documentation and experience it is possible to grow all succulents without particular difficulties. Striking down to the essentials, the main cultivation elements to take into consideration are the substrates, watering, exposure and temperatures. In many cases these elements may be common to different types of succulents, for example the substrates, which for succulents must always be very draining, rich in inert materials and able to dry quickly. Other cultivation factors, however, can vary enormously from family to family but also from genus to genus. Some examples: cacti tolerate the cold well, while succulents originating from Madagascar or some African areas (e.g. Adenium, Uncarina, Pachypodium) cannot resist temperatures below 15-16 Celsius degrees. In the same Cactaceae family we find genera that are very resistant to cold (Echinopsis, Pediocactus, Opuntia) and genera that do not tolerate low temperatures (epiphytic cacti such as Epiphyllum, Schlumbergera, Rhipsalis or Melocactus and Discocactus).

This is why, for those who are only now approaching the cultivation of succulents, it is important to know which plants to start with in order to accumulate experience and best cultivate the newly purchased plants. The discussion, as mentioned, applies as much to cacti as to all other succulent families, since an enthusiast can be an expert in cacti and approach other families for the first time, such as Crassulaceae, Aizoaceae, Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, etc.

Cactus

Let’s start with cacti. The first genera recommended to those who have no experience with these plants are undoubtedly Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Rebutia, Parodia (=Notocactus), Opuntia, Ferocactus. Be careful, there are many other cacti that are easy to grow but if you have to suggest some kind, you can’t go wrong with these. These are genera that group together very robust species, with few demands, capable of tolerating many cultivation errors and at the same time easily giving abundant and splendid blooms.

Attention: in some cases by clicking on the genus you will be directed to the downloadable PDF cultivation sheet of that same genus: a useful and detailed tool (4 pages) to deepen your knowledge of those plants.

Echinopsis are very common plants, extremely robust and able to tolerate the cold very well. They are therefore ideal for those who do not have a greenhouse or winter shelter (cold environment, necessary to encourage flowering). Echinopsis can spend the winter outdoors, often even in damp soil, although it is advisable to place them under a shed or porch. In spring and summer they produce showy flowers with a large corolla and long calyx.

Gymnocalycium are plants of South American origin (Argentina). They are easy to grow, tolerate the cold well (not frost: it is best that they do not go below 5 Celsius degrees and always in dry soil) and have growth rates that are not particularly slow. Furthermore, the genus brings together a large number of very different species and even just by cultivating Gymnocalycium it is possible to set up a very respectable collection. They flower in spring and summer already 4 or 5 years after sowing.

Other cacti recommended for those with little experience are the Rebutia. These are plants of South American origin, generally globose and with a tendency to cluster. Cultivation is very simple and their strong point are the flowers. In spring, these cacti produce an impressive quantity of medium-sized flowers of various colors depending on the species.

Parodia (once classified as Notocactus) are robust and very easy to grow cacti. They are satisfied with little care, have growth rates that are not excessively slow and produce beautiful blooms at the apex during the summer. Depending on the species, the flowers can be yellow, purple, red, orange. Even the thorns are variable from species to species and you can go from plants with slender and thin thorns to plants with very respectable thorns (P. maassii, P. buiningii).

Opuntias are bombproof cacti. They grow quickly, tolerate intense cold, multiply extremely easily by cutting and in many countries they can grow in the open ground, even exposed to bad weather during the winter. They can reach large dimensions (especially if grown in open ground) and produce beautiful flowers with colors ranging from pink to red, from yellow to orange.

Finally, for lovers of thorns, the first genus to recommend is Ferocactus. These are very robust cacti, always equipped with notable thorns, easy to grow, as long as they are guaranteed plenty of light, and grow relatively quickly. Some species flower relatively early (F. macrodiscus, F. schwarzii), others require at least a dozen years to produce the first flowers. Many species of Ferocactus can reach considerable dimensions even if grown in pots. However, those who have little experience with cacti should avoid starting with Ferocactus johnstonianus and Ferocactus lindsayi: two slightly more demanding and slow-growing species.

Crassulaceae

If you’re not particularly fond of thorns, the Crassulaceae family offers a wide variety of succulent genera and species. This family includes genera such as Aeonium, Adromischus, Crassula, Echeveria, Kalanchoe, Graptopetalum, Pachyphytum and the immortals Sedum and Sempervivum. Recommending a genus or a single species is almost superfluous: all Crassulaceae are easy to grow, very decorative, resistant and have good tolerance to cold. Having to indicate a couple of plants of this family, we can mention the very widespread Crassula ovata, called “jade tree”, with a small tree shape and oval, fleshy and bright green leaves. Another very interesting genus from an aesthetic point of view and easy to grow is that of Echeveria: plants of Mexican origin, very robust and with a characteristic rosette shape. Thanks to the high number of species and the many crossings carried out over the years, an infinite variety of Echeveria is available, with colored leaves that can range from blue to red.

Euphorbia

The Euphorbia family is very vast and includes very different genera. You can go from plants with a rounded stem without thorns, such as E. obesa, to plants with a columnar, curled shape, with leaves and thorns. Overall, the cultivation of Euphorbia is simple, but there is no shortage of species that require some experience. To begin with, E. resinifera, a very resistant and adaptable plant, E. enopla and E. obesa, beautiful and with an epidermis characterized by fascinating striations, can be indicated.

Agaves

It’s hard to go wrong with Agaves. These are very robust succulents, extremely adaptable and very easy to grow. In reality, they can almost be ignored completely: if placed in draining soil they are satisfied with rainwater, they resist intense sun and cold very well, to the point that in many regions they are grown in the open ground. They have rather rapid growth rates and many species can reach considerable sizes within a few years, particularly if kept in open ground.

Aloe

Even Aloes, in some ways similar to Agaves, are succulent plants suitable for those who are approaching the world of succulents and do not yet have much experience. Compared to Agaves, however, Aloes (succulent plants of African origin) tolerate intense cold less and should be kept at minimum temperatures no lower than 6-7 degrees. To begin with, you can start from the common but always elegant Aloe vera, a robust and relatively fast growing plant. Other very widespread and easy to grow species are Aloe arborescens and Aloe variegata, very easy to propagate and very generous with blooms.

Hoya

Finally, a succulent plant belonging to the Asclepiadaceae family. Hoya has seen its popularity grow among green enthusiasts in recent years. Aesthetically it has little in common with other succulents, but it is still a very decorative plant, also suitable for home cultivation and capable of producing beautiful cluster blooms. The star-shaped flowers are very particular, they have fleshy and smooth petals to the point that the Hoya themselves are also known as “porcelain flower” or “wax flower”. The plant produces long stems from which thick and fleshy leaves are formed, ranging in color from dark green to bright green, up to green streaked with yellow. Cultivation is simple and growth is relatively fast. Furthermore, Hoya also tolerate relatively low temperatures well, around 10 Celsius degrees.

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L'articolo Succulent plants, a small guide for those approaching this world: the simplest species to grow proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In the following article we see in detail where it comes from, what are the cultivation needs of this succulent, what are its weaknesses and how it can be successfully reproduced even by those who are beginners in the cultivation of succulent plants. (…)

Description

Crassula ovata belongs to the large Crassulaceae family (also known as the “Borracina family”), made up exclusively of succulent plants. It is the third family in the world in terms of number of species and genera, immediately after that of the Cactaceae and that of the Mesembreyanthemaceae (now Aizoaceae). Just to give a few examples, the Crassulaceae family includes widespread and appreciated genera such as Aeonium, Adromischus, Cotyledon, Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Kalanchoe, Pachyphytum, Sedum and Sempervivum.

Understanding plant classification: a specific article.

With such a wealth of genera, it is not surprising that the Crassulaceae family is widespread in all continents, with the exception of Antarctica, and the plants attributable to it have adapted over the years to conditions of all kinds, from the ones offered by subtropical and tropical areas up to the mountain areas of the Alps (Sempervivum, for example).

Maps with the distribution of succulents in the world.

The Crassula genus includes between 250 and 260 species, almost all with thick, fleshy leaves. We can have Crassulas of all shapes and sizes, from herbaceous annuals to arboreal perennials. The provenance of this genus is predominantly African, in particular the southern area of the African continent. The ovata species is probably the best known and most widespread of the entire Crassula genus: it can be seen in cultivation almost everywhere in houses, on windowsills, terraces and gardens. It seems that it has been habitually cultivated as an ornamental for at least a couple of centuries. Once classified as Crassula portulacea, over the years the Crassula ovata forms real saplings which in habitat can reach two and a half meters in height, with very thick and robust brown central trunks, loaded with the characteristic intense green leaves , edged in red if exposed to full sun, which emerge from the many ramifications.

If we grow this plant in sheltered and not very bright environments we will have dark green leaves, while if we expose the already well-formed plants to direct sun we will have light green leaves with a beautiful red border. But be careful: from what I have been able to ascertain, these are plants that should be kept in direct sun only for part of the day. Too many hours of sun risk inhibiting its growth and excessively lightening the leaves until they become yellowish. On the other hand, the cold also contributes to a chromatic variation, which leads the leaves to take on a reddish color over the entire surface.

Cultivation

The cultivation of Crassula ovata is decidedly simple and also suitable for beginners. The plant, as mentioned, has a high adaptability and tolerates many of our mistakes. It can be kept in the apartment or in closed places, as long as it is near a bright window, as well as outdoors in full light for a few hours (preferably in the morning until noon).

The suitable substrate can go from the common mix based on pumice, lapillus and peat in equal parts, to a soil a little richer in organic matter (even 50% peat and 50% various aggregates). Clay is also suitable, provided that a good part of organic matter is added (at least 30% peat or earthworm humus) and aggregates such as gravel, sand, pumice. In summary, the soil must be richer than the one we use for cacti but still loose and draining, able to dry in a few days.

Watering can be frequent and abundant (even once every two or three days in the warmer months) in the growing season and heavily spaced in the autumn and winter months if we keep our Crassula in cold environments. I keep my specimens in the greenhouse with low night temperatures around zero degrees and from November to March, for example, I limit myself to wetting them in moderation only when I see that the leaves begin to wrinkle. If, on the other hand, we grow Crassula at home, in winter it is good to water a few more times, but always in moderation because the plant slows down the vegetation anyway.

As far as temperatures are concerned, I have seen that if the Crassula spend several nights below zero it is easy for them to start to deteriorate and lose their branches. I guess it’s a defense mechanism that leads the plant to sacrifice the “periphery” to safeguard the “center”. It has happened to me several times, in the past years, that I have had to intervene by cutting cleanly dried branches during the winter, until I have almost completely pruned the plants. Over the course of a growing season, the central part emits new branches and new leaves and returns to full shape, but it is clear that to have large specimens it will take much longer. For some years now I have kept my Crassula in the greenhouse but covered by a couple of layers of non-woven fabric, so that the temperatures do not drop below two or three Celsius degrees on the coldest nights.

The growth of these succulents is relatively fast and, if you water and fertilize regularly during the growing season, within a few years from a simple twig we will have a beautiful shrub which we can also give a tree shape with appropriate pruning (to be done in late spring).

Flowering

Flowering is winter: generally, in my area (Northern Italy) between the months of November and December. The flowers are small, white and with some pink hues, but all in all inconspicuous. They are very simple and decidedly unattractive when compared to those of other succulent plants, and are collected in inflorescences supported by thin stems that emerge from the grafting of the leaves. The flowers of these plants last a few weeks and this is also thanks to the low temperatures that characterize the flowering period.

Reproduction

The reproduction of Crassula is very simple and is done almost exclusively by cuttings. In spring, it is sufficient to cut a well-formed branch with a garden shears and let it dry in a shady place for a couple of weeks and then plant it for a few centimeters in very sandy soil (or rich in pumice). For the first two/three weeks it will be sufficient to nebulize both the leaves and the surface of the soil every day, then the substrate can be moderately wet directly. A month later, if we see new leaves appearing, it will mean that the cutting has rooted and we will be able to slightly increase the frequency of watering. The following year it will be possible to repot the new plant in a larger pot and in a soil richer in organic matter. Leaf cuttings can also be made, substantially with the same procedure described above, but I have never tried it directly since the branch cutting obviously ensures much faster development times for the new plant.

Pests and diseases

Crassula is a robust and rustic plant. This does not mean that it doesn’t have its own weak point: in fact it seems to be particularly appreciated by the cottony cochineal, which nestles among the leaves and on the branches, sucking the sap from the plant. For this reason it is always good to keep our specimens under control and, if we identify the cochineal, intervene immediately. If the attack is still contained, it is sufficient to remove the insects with a toothpick, but if the attack is massive, the plant must be immediately isolated and treated with specific products.

Other varieties

Crassula ovata can come in several forms, including some man-made cultivars. The most common variant is the “monstrous” Crassula, also known as the “hobbit” Crassula. It differs from the typical shape for the leaves, which are not wide and flat but almost cylindrical and resemble green “tubes” with reddish ends. The cultivation of the “hobbit” form does not present particular difficulties and is substantially identical to that of the traditional ovata.

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Correlated articles

Succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
Watering succulents
Classification of succulents

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L'articolo Crassula ovata, “Jade Tree” or “Money Plant”: here’s how to grow this beautiful succulent proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.