Among the succulents, there are plants of various forms belonging to different genera and families; they are united by the fact that they are able to retain moisture in themselves and use the accumulated during the dry period. An interesting plant of this kind is the Rowley godson, who is called a “green pearl” for his unique foliage in the form of green balls. Find out what kind of plant the cross-hair of Rowley, what the growing conditions require, how to care for and propagate it.

Botanical description of the plant

This perennial succulent comes from the mountainous territories of Namibia, located in the south of the African continent. It has long, thin shoots with leaves in the form of small (6 mm) green balls. Thin rooted stems allow you to use it for a cache-pot and vertical gardening, as a groundcover; they can grow up to 1 m, and in natural conditions reach 2 meters in length. A variety with white spots on leaf-balls was developed.

At the end of the spring, an interesting look of this succulent is complemented by flowering. The plant throws long peduncles crowned with light pink flowers, which have a pleasant cinnamon aroma.

Did you know? The genus Krestovniki includes 1587 species, among which there are a variety of plants - both annual grasses and trees.

What you need to create a home environment

It is necessary to take into account the tropical origin of the godson Rowley, creating the conditions necessary for its normal development.

Lighting

The godson of Rowley needs a bright light, he feels good even in direct sunlight. However, in the hottest period from 12 to 15 hours, the plant needs to be shadowed. If the pot is on the windowsill, you should choose the south, east or west side of the apartment.

Ventilation

This succulent tolerates a draft well. Access to fresh air always benefits him, but the following must be taken into account - he does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, and the air coming from the window must not differ much in temperature from the inside. When it is warm outside, the baptist is shown to be outside, but it must be protected from excessive rainfall, and should be brought back into the house before the cold snap.

Temperature mode

The recommended temperature in the warm period for the Rowley savior + 23 ... + 26 ° C. In winter, when there is a period of rest, the temperature regime is set at + 11 ... + 15 ° C. At a colder temperature, the succulent begins to freeze, and at a higher temperature, it can begin to lose leaves.

Air humidity

This succulent is not very demanding on air humidity and perfectly tolerates the dry air of an ordinary apartment. The plant does not like waterlogging and normally tolerates the proximity of heating appliances.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with other varieties of succulents:

How to care at home

Caring for the Rowley godson is not difficult even for beginner gardeners.

Watering

The frequency and abundance of watering largely depends on seasonality. During the period of active growth, which begins from the second half of March to October, the plant gradually begins to be watered more abundantly, but without overflow. The frequency of watering is about 1 time after 2-3 days, but in small portions. During this period, the soil should not dry out.

When moving in cold time to a period of rest, watering is gradually reduced. Within a month, watered 1 time in 5-6 days. During the period of complete rest, the succulent is placed in a cool place and watering is stopped, but it must be controlled so that the soil does not completely dry out. If during the rest period this indoor flower remains in a warm room, it is necessary to regularly moisten the top layer of soil from the spray gun.

For watering use soft water at room temperature, which is upheld for a couple of days. To soften it, you can add a pinch of citric acid.

Important! Too much waterlogging for this succulent is undesirable, as it can cause decay. The soil should be moistened in moderation, and the water from the pan should be drained.

Specialists in growing indoor flowers recommend checking the moisture level of the soil with a match or a wooden stick before watering. If it remains completely dry after immersion, it means that the soil needs irrigation.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied during the period of active growth. Complex fertilizers for succulents or cacti in liquid form are perfect for this purpose; You can also use universal dressings with a low nitrogen content. The Rainbow fertilizer is well suited.

Recommended feeding frequency - 1 time in 2 weeks. In the resting period, feeding is stopped completely.

Pruning

The godfather Rowley does not need pruning. But experts still recommend pinching the shoots for better branching.

Transfer

As the godson grows, a transplant is necessary. Young specimens should be replanted every year, and older ones - once every 2–4 years as necessary, when the pot becomes cramped. Too old plants, which are 5-6 years old, need to be updated, because transplantation will not improve their condition. The transplant process itself is best done in the spring.

The soil for planting is recommended as follows - in equal parts take turf land, peat, humus, leafy soil and cleaned sand.

The new container for transplantation is taken 6-8 cm larger than the old one and always with holes for draining the water. The selected pot should be shallow, as the roots of the plant grow horizontally. The bottom layer of the drainage layer is filled up to no more than 1/4 of the capacity (expanded clay, brick chips of a fraction of 0.5–5 mm).

Transplanting into a new pot is carried out as follows:

1. Before excavation, you must first separate the soil adjacent to the walls of the pot with a knife.
2. Then carefully pull out the cross, trying not to damage the roots.
3. Next, you need to clean it from the ground and conduct an inspection of the roots.
4. Damaged and long roots should be removed with a sharp, pre-sanitized knife. Then you need to carry out the processing of slices with activated carbon powder.
5. A small layer of soil is poured into the pot on top of the drainage layer and placed in the middle of the cross.
6. The roots of the plant are neatly distributed over the tank and covered with soil, carefully tamping it.
7. Fall asleep to the root neck.

After transplanting, succulents are advised not to water 4-6 days, so that the roots damaged during this process do not rot.

Important! Rowley's godson is poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of children and animals. Children may be interested in its leaves, similar to gooseberries.

Breeding

Rowley's baptist is propagated by dividing the bush, cuttings and seed method. The process itself is better to carry out in the active life of the plant (spring, summer).

Dividing the bush

When this flower grows sufficiently, it can be propagated by separating part of the plant with the stem and part of the roots. The separated part is planted in a prepared pot with soil. This procedure is usually performed when transplanting a plant.

Cuttings

When the Rowley cuttings are cutted in the spring, shoots are cut about 5–7 cm long; then they are added in tanks with prepared soil. It is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out and is moist. The plant takes root within 7 days. To make the composition of succulents lush, several cuttings are planted in one pot.

Good rooting results gives reproduction by layering. To carry out this method of reproduction, another pot is placed near the adult specimen of the godson and several lashes of the plant are placed there on moist soil, after having made a pinch. After the layers are rooted, they are separated from the mother plant.

Video: cuttings of the godson Rowley

Seeds

Reproduction can also be carried out with seed material, but it should be noted that seeds must be necessarily fresh - otherwise seedlings are unlikely to appear. Seeds are sown in March.

Soil for sowing can be prepared independently as follows - mix 1 part of turf land, 1/2 part of leafy soil, 1/2 part of cleaned sand. Sowing to improve germination can be covered with a film; it should be opened for 15 minutes every day for ventilation. It is also necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out, and moisten it from the spray gun. Then, the sprouts that have appeared dive in the cotyledon phase and are planted in small pots (about 5 cm).

Did you know? Among indoor plants there are not so many representatives of the godchildren, and they are completely different from one another. The creeping godson, also South African succulent, has thick reed leaves 3-4 cm long, assembled into a rosette, and the stapelius cross gives ribbed erect, fleshy shoots up to half a meter long. A large-tongued godson generally resembles ivy, but is also capable of storing water.

Growing difficulties

Rowley's godson is quite resistant to many diseases, but all kinds of difficulties can arise during cultivation and maintenance. They are mainly associated with improper care of a flower.

Consider the main problems that can be encountered when growing:

1. Leaves turn brown and then begin to dry and die. Such symptoms often occur with a lack of watering, with heat with low humidity. Brown spots can also be a consequence of a burn from direct sunlight - in this case, the plant needs to be shaded in hot weather and intensified watering.
2. Leaves become smaller, fall, shoots are stretched and thinned - This is a sign of a lack of light. Succulent must be rearranged in a more lighted place, and in winter use artificial lighting.
3. Leaves turn pale, acquiring a not so bright uniform green color. This process occurs when there is a lack of light, as well as when the plant has grown, and the pot has become cramped. In this case, he is transplanted.
4. The leaves become brown, and a thin cobweb appears. Means that a pest appeared on them - a spider mite. Very often they appear in dry air. In this case, the indoor air should be humidified regularly. Leaves should be washed with warm water and chemical agents should be used (Aktara, Aktellik).
5. The appearance on the leaves of plaque-like lumps of cotton wool. It signals the appearance of such a pest as a mealybug. This insect is about 5 mm; it can be distinguished with the naked eye. To get rid of them, the godson is wiped with a sponge dipped in soapy water, then sprayed with chemicals ("Aktara", "Aktofit"). If necessary, the treatment is repeated after 7 days.
6. Sticky spots. Signals the appearance of scale insects - this pest eats the sap of the plant, and yellowish spots appear on the lesion sites. With such a nuisance, the leaves are cleaned with soapy water and insecticides are used (Fitoverm, Fufanon).
7. Whitish powdery coating, loss of decorativeness - All these signs indicate the appearance of a disease called "powdery mildew." An excess of nitrogen can lead to its appearance. In this case, it is necessary to remove all the affected areas and carry out the treatment with the chemical preparation Fundazol.
8. Yellow spots on the leaves, as well as their drying along the edges. This phenomenon indicates the appearance of gray rot. To get rid of this disease, the number of irrigations is reduced and treated with copper chloride.

If a houseplant is kept in accordance with all the rules, then the above troubles are not threatened by the godson.

Did you know? Succulents are very fond of using designers in an eco-style - for example, to decorate celebrations and weddings. But Susan Broker from Michigan makes leaves godson Rowley eco-friendly jewelry, inserting them into accessories instead of stones and beads.

So, the Rowley godson is an unpretentious and drought tolerant succulent, having an interesting appearance. This plant is easily propagated by cuttings, and if properly looked after, it is practically not sick and not affected by pests. This quality makes it promising for home growing.