Crassula Tetragona, commonly called the Miniature Pine Tree, is a native South African evergreen, can grow up to 3-4 feet in height on receiving favorable growing conditions.
Succulents have always been in the heed of novice gardeners and if you are thinking of decorating your home garden, the mini pine tree is one of the best choices.
The Crassula Tetragona has thin & narrow greenish stems that grow into thick & hard woody bark with time. Often referred to as a pine tree that looks like a cactus, the small cluster of leaves also develops into fleshy ones for water storage.
Crassula Tetragona can easily be propagated and therefore cost of purchasing multiple plants can easily be carved out of the scenario.
The best part is that crassula tetragona can be grown even by the kids since it is easy and fun to grow.
How to Identify the Pine Tree?
You must be thinking about how to uniquely identify the succulent? Well, not to worry anymore since this article will guide you with the Crassula identification.
Miniature pine tree is an evergreen fleshy 3-4 feet tall succulent plant. The succulent has fat pine-like apple-green leaves growing on vertically upright branches, and that’s why the name.
Initially, it looks like shrubs with small, thin narrow leaves and uniformly distributed green stems. But with maturity, they become more tree-like and the stem gets more woody and hard.
In late springs or early summer, the plant blossoms with yellowish-white blooms on the branch tips.
Indoor or Outdoor Plant
Are you thinking about which one is better – to plant it indoors or outdoors? Let me tell you that the Crassula Tetragona grows happily both indoors and outdoors under the adequate supply of the care parameters.
Providing 4-6 hours of filtered sunlight and watering of the plant as and when required will itself be sufficient to bring up a magnificent miniature pine tree.
When growing the pine tree outdoors, make sure you plant them in a dry garden with rocky soil. Use a shade or acclimate the plant to prevent it from getting sunburns.
When growing pine trees indoors, make sure you plant them near the east-facing window panes such that the plant receives an adequate supply of sunlight for at least 4 hours.
Make sure to keep the temperature conditions favorable. For extremely humid conditions water less frequently and for extremely dry conditions increase the watering frequency.
How to take care of your houseplant?
A very crucial factor to the successful growth of any indoor plant is hidden within the fact that how well you care, and it is the same for the tetragona houseplant.
The Crassula Tetragona care will determine how elegant your indoor pine tree will look.
You must be thinking about how to take care of pine trees flourishingly? You can count on us for this as we have got all the vital points covered for you. So, let us now go ahead with the vital parameters for crassula tetragona care.
Temperature & Sunlight
The baby pine tree requires bright sunlight for healthy growth and the quantity & quantity of exposure will determine the attainment of vibrant color.
When grown outdoors, it can grow in a wide range of temperatures but it is happiest when it receives bright filtered sunlight or partial sunlight.
When kept indoors, it requires 4-6 hours of direct or indirect sunlight depending on the location as to where it is planted.
Keep in mind that extreme temperatures of any kind can harm your miniature pine tree plant. It may result in internal burns. Just like the extreme heat, if your tiny pine tree is exposed to extreme cold it may result in zero growth.
For colder areas, we can make a mini-greenhouse to provide warmth, or else we can keep the plants in relatively warmer places using artificial grow lights.
It is advised to the owner to keep the mini tree plant at a site with morning sun and evening shade.
Humidity
Humidity & moisture also plays a vital role in miniature pine tree care. Plants in high dampness & cooler temperatures will require less continuous watering than plants in hot & dry atmospheres.
A hygrometer can be used to estimate the moisture content in the soil thereby helping us in watering the plant.
Watering
A very common question that is often asked by people is – do pine trees need a lot of water? The straight answer to this is an absolute ‘NO’.
Not much watering is needed for the pine tree care since Crassula Tetragona is a tough succulent with fleshy leaves for additional water storage.
Now, you must be having an obvious query like – how much water does a pine tree need? Well, the most significant standard for watering pine trees is to water when the soil in the developing compartment of the houseplant becomes very dry and is not brittle.
Mimic desert downpour for your succulents by dousing it when you water it. Pour water on it gradually and do not stop until water runs out of the channel gap in the base.
Crassula Tetragona improves intermittent long, profound beverages that drench its soil to the lower part of the pot than standard yet meek watering that wet the top inch or two of the soil in the compartment.
So when your succulents’ soil is very dry, soak it. Let the soil dry out totally, at that point soak once more. Remember not to overwater your Crassula Tetragona plant as it might kill the succulent.
Season of Growth
Crassula Tetragona grows the best in spring & summer, hence you must water the plant adequately & frequently during this dynamic growth period.
It will be best if you can water the pine tree like succulent 3 times a week for normal temperature & soil conditions. For humid conditions, the frequency of watering should reduce.
During the winter season, the watering frequency should increase to prevent torpidity only and do not water unless it is necessary.
Mini pine tree succulent care modifies with changing seasons. Being a careful owner can get you rewarded with a vibrant bloom from the Crassula Tetragon plant.
Soil mixture
The pine tree comes from an arid region and is therefore habituated with the dry soil conditions. The ideal soil type for the pine succulent is porous, rocky & sandy and must hold a little dampness & supplements.
Do you want to know how to prepare your soil mixture well? This is very easy once you follow the below-listed steps.
You need to first mix peat moss & drainage ingredients in a 1:1 proportion. Use less quantity of the inorganic drainage ingredient since you have a tiny pine tree.
Now, after mixing both the ingredients, wet some portion of it and then crush it into a ball as per your grasping ability.
Make sure, the ball mixture does not stick together as it will reduce the water drainage efficiency. If the mixture happens to stick, then just add a bit more of the inorganic matter.
When the wet mixture crumbles easily without squeezing, that is when you will know that the potting soil mixture is ready.
To start with the succulent potting the best potting soil will be an African violet mix easily available at most garden centers.
Potting & Pot-size
After the potting soil mixture has been prepared, now it is time for placing the plant in a pot.
Wondering what can be the ideal pot size for your Crassula Tetragona?
Wonder no more! This mini pine tree succulent can grow in any pot size. But the ideal pot is half-inch larger than the base of the plant, 4 inches deeper with base holes for water drainage.
Crassula Tetragona bonsai pots can also be a classic choice if you want are very like decorative pots.
After potting has been done, make sure to water it properly following the plant requirements and the weather conditions.
Re-potting the succulent
The re-potting of the Crassula Tetragona is mainly done during warm seasons.
Before re-potting, make sure the soil is dry for easy removal from the pot. Old soil and dead or rotten roots are knocked off the plant and fungicide treatment is provided to the injured plant parts.
Fill the new pot with the potting soil; spread the mini plant roots and place it in the new pot.
The plant needs to be kept dry for at least a week and then slight watering can be done. This is to prevent any root rot.
Blooming the Indoor pine
The plant has a vibrant bloom of white creamy flowers during the time of early summers or late springs.
The velvety and yellowish-white star-shaped cluster of flowers blooms at the branch tip.
To energize the sprouts, ensure that the plant is receiving satisfactory light and that all the Crassula Tetragona care parameters are properly fulfilled.
Fertilizers are not that important for this succulent but adding necessary nutrients to the soil can surely promote growth. It is best to provide your succulent with supplements during the blooming season for obtaining fantastic blooms.
The proper pine tree maintenance will surely fill your plant with mesmerizing flowers. So, you must always take good care of your houseplant.
Propagating the Pine houseplant
Many buyers have a thought regarding how to propagate pine trees. Think no more, as you would get to know all the necessary details after reading this.
The crassula tetragona can be easily propagated by both stem cutting and leaf cutting. But, the stem cutting is more favorable since it requires less time and patience as compared to the leaf-cutting.
To initiate the stem cutting, make use of sharp scissors or a sharp blade and cut a portion of the stem. Remove 1/3 of the leaves off and then isolate the stem for healing before potting it.
If you want to propagate the plant by leaf-cutting, you need to gently pluck the leaves in a twisted motion off the succulent and then place the healed cutting in the soil for rooting. This method is quite a time and patience consuming.
How to grow pine trees from cuttings?
After the pine tree cuttings have healed. We need to put them in the potting soil.
The stem cuttings can be placed in the soil in any manner because it will successfully root with adequate supplies of the caring parameters as long as the cutting has been done properly.
The leaf cuttings are also placed on the potting soil. Watering of the leaf cuttings is done when they are completely dry.
It will take 2-3 weeks for the succulent to start rooting if all the favorable parameters are received.
Transplanting your Succulent
Now that you know about how to propagate crassula tetragona, you must also know some important facts about the transplantation of the indoor succulent. Most succulents have shallow, sinewy roots, making them simple to burrow cautiously and replant.
Also, there is no requirement to rush things while relocating the crassula tetragona. It is a smart thought to permit a day or more before replanting to permit roots to mend over a piece before being watered.
Plant your new crassula tetragona succulent in radiant beds or pots with an all-around depleted soil.
For example – fertilizer or gardening soil, in addition to a liberal measure of coarse waste material like sharp sand, pumice, coarseness, or the extended mud utilized for improving air circulation in sports fields.
All the above items are well accessible at garden focuses or ranch flexibly stores.
While burrowing the crassula tetragona in your garden, brush off overabundance soil from roots. The pruned succulents ought to have fertilized soil and roots extricated delicately.
Plant at a similar profundity they were initially developed, packing new soil around them for help.
Spread soil with rock or coarseness, and permit plants to get comfortable for a day or two preceding watering, so broken roots can recuperate and most importantly never keep succulents wet.
Crassula Tetragona Problems & Solutions
Slanted growth
Have been wondering why is my Crassula Tetragona not growing upright?
The failure of receiving adequate sunlight results in the bending of the plant. Remember, the plant requires 4-6 hours of adequate sunlight for vibrant and cheerful growth.
Overwatering the plant
Have you overwatered your succulent and are now wondering how to save an overwatered pine tree? You can do it by following the simple steps listed below.
At first, you need to remove the houseplant from the pot and remove the soil up to a certain limit keeping an inch to cover the root.
Now try to drain the water out from the pot. If it fails, then gently remove the moist soil from the roots of the succulent.
Refill the pot with fresh moist soil and if possible cover it with 3-4 inches of mulch to allow water circulation to the roots.
Now you are ready to re-pot your plant.
Do not worry, in most cases the overwatering does not lead to severe consequences and the plant can be revived to its original form easily.
Loss of Leaves
Have been wondering why is your Crassula Tetragona losing leaves?
When the mini pine tree leaves are exposed to extreme unfiltered heat for long hours it gets dormant and loses its leaves. To prevent this, acclimatize the plant or use a shade during intense heat.
Shriveling of Leaves
A drooping pine tree is an indication of the fact that your succulent is running short of storage water.
The shriveling usually occurs due to under watering of the plant and the leaves of the droopy pine tree are generally deflated.
Pest attack
How to save your Crassula Tetragona from a pest attack?
Look out for the potential pest attackers, aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites.
Remove the dead leaves to prevent the bugs from hiding there. Keep your succulents dry and avoid reusing the soil of an infected plant.
Spray some alcohol or soap water or use a fungicide as a chemical approach towards preventing pest attack.
Threat to the Pets
These succulents are a favorable purchase for your indoor garden but considering your furry members these plants may come out to be toxic.
Although we cannot generalize the toxicity towards pets, like most of the succulents Pine tree is not toxic to cats and dogs.
In case you still suspect any kind of positioning, do not hesitate to reach out to your vet.
You can also check out the list of all the toxic & non-toxic plants provided by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to find out which succulents can harm the health of your lovable pet.
Whether to purchase or not?
Are you thinking if you should buy the Crassula Tetragona plant or not? These low maintenance succulents are an excellent purchase for anyone and mainly if you are new to succulent gardening.
This succulent like any other of its kind helps to boost up your concentration & efficiency by creating a peaceful and pure atmosphere around the interior of your house.
Wondering where to make a purchase? Plant boutiques are everywhere. For indoor lovers, we have online boutiques to make a purchase and if you are an outdoor person then there are plenty of options open for you.
Succulent plants have become so well-known because they offer low upkeep and different shapes and surfaces, both in the nursery and inside. The miniature pine tree is a differing and broad class of succulent plants, with around 350 species.
The pine tree succulent is normally utilized for development in pots, as they can get obtrusive ashore. It is simple to develop a plant that needs introductions in full sun or incomplete shade.
It is impervious to dry season and can endure short and not exceptionally serious ices. It is anything but a requesting plant with the dirt and it is sufficient for it to be a little ripe however very much depleted. Water modestly, permitting the dirt to dry well, and barely water in winter.
As you already know, the Crassula Tetragona plant can be grown by kids even. This is certainly going to enhance their chances of being around nature for a longer period avoiding the constant use of mobile phones which the modern generation is prone to.
Crassula Tetragona duplicates from seeds planted in spring or, even better, by cuttings of stems or leaves simultaneously.
Happy planting now!