Aichrizon (Aichryson) is also referred to as "love tree". It is directly related to the genus of succulent plants, which are part of the Fat family. Such a plant prefers to grow in cracks in rocks. In nature, it can be found in the Canary and Azores Islands, Madeira, Portugal and Morocco. This genus unites 15 species, among which there are herbaceous perennial and annual plants and dwarf shrubs. The name of such a flower is formed from 2 Greek words, namely: ai - "always" and chrysos - "golden". Aichrizon bears a clear resemblance to its closely related money tree.
Shoots at aichrizon are partly branched and hardly lignified. Opposite fleecy leaves have a round-ovoid shape, while they are collected in leaf rosettes. The color of the leaf plate is dark green or green, sometimes there are blotches of yellow, white, gray and red. A not very pleasant smell emanates from the damaged leaf plate. The leaves are heart-shaped, which is why such a plant is called the “tree of love”. Paniculate or corymbose inflorescences consist of small star-shaped flowers that can be white, red or cream in color. Flowering is observed in April or May. After the plant has faded, its leaf rosette, which gave the peduncle, dies off. At home, aichrizon is grown as a standard tree or a simple bush.
Caring for the tree of love at home
Caring for such a plant will not be difficult.
Illumination
Aichrizon needs a lot of light, but it should be borne in mind that it must be necessarily diffused (you can use a curtain or gauze). To place such a flower, it is recommended to choose a window of western or eastern orientation. In order for the branches and leaves of the bush to grow and develop evenly, experts advise that you regularly rotate the pot around its axis.
Temperature regime
In the warm season, this plant needs a normal room temperature. With the onset of the winter period, it is recommended to lower the temperature to 8-10 degrees. If at this time it will be warm in the room where the plant is located, then its stems may stretch out and leaves fall off.
How to water
In order to properly water aichrizon, you need to pay attention to the condition of its leaf plates. So, if they are elastic and dense, then the plant does not need watering. It is necessary to water it when the leaves begin to lose turgor. This is usually seen after the soil in the flowerpot has dried to half its height.
Watering is done relatively often, and not very much water is used. And that's all, because rare but abundant watering can cause rotting of the root system. It should be borne in mind that in the spring-summer period, watering should be more frequent than in the autumn-winter period.
Air humidity
It is not necessary to maintain high humidity. But at the same time, in the summer, a warm shower must be arranged for the plant. In winter, such water procedures cannot be carried out.
Pruning
In order to form a standard tree or a neat crown, pruning is required for aichrizona. At the same time, they try to cut off weak stems, and in order for the bush to be more lush, it is necessary to pinch the tops of young shoots. In spring, pruning of elongated stems is carried out.
Top dressing
Top dressing is carried out during intensive growth (in the spring-summer period) 1 time in 2 weeks. For this, a complex fertilizer for succulents with a low nitrogen content is used.
Flowering features
As a rule, flowering occurs in the summer. However, in order for the plant to bloom, you need to follow some rules. So, a flower requires a fairly tight pot, it does not need to be watered very often, and in winter it should be kept in a cool place. There is nothing super complicated in these rules, and if you follow them, then aichrizon will delight with its flowering for 6 months. After flowering is over, the flower sheds most of its foliage. At this time, all faded peduncles and weakened stems should be removed. Watering needs to be increased. Gradually, Aichrizon will be able to fully recover.
Transplant features
Such a plant requires an annual transplant, and a cramped flower pot should be chosen for it. Each new pot should only be slightly larger than the previous one. To prepare a suitable soil mixture, it is necessary to combine leaf and turf soil, cleaned sand and humus, which should be taken in a ratio of 1: 4: 1: 1. Do not forget to make a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot before planting (it is recommended to use expanded clay).
Reproduction methods
It can be propagated by seeds and cuttings, and this is done quite simply and easily.
Seeds are sown in a mixture consisting of refined sand and leafy soil (1: 2). The container with seeds must be covered with glass and placed in a bright place. Crops must be systematically ventilated and moistened from a sprayer. After about half a month, the first shoots should appear, which should be transplanted into boxes, while there should be a centimeter distance between the seedlings. The boxes should be filled with a mixture of leaf earth and light earth and clean sand, taken in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. After the seedlings grow up, they are seated in separate small (about 7 centimeters in diameter) pots. They are grown at a temperature of 16 to 18 degrees, while the plants need to be watered every day.
After pruning, you should have a lot of cuttings that you can root if you want. To do this, they must be put in a dry, dark place for 2 hours to dry. Then they can be planted in a low pot filled with a mixture of sand and vermiculite, or a soil mixture for succulents, into which you need to add some sand. Rooting occurs relatively quickly. Rooted cuttings are planted in separate small (7 centimeters in diameter) pots. For rooting, you can use a glass of water, into which you should add charcoal.
Diseases and pests
If you organize proper care for the plant, then there should be no problems when growing it. So, it should be ensured: the correct watering regime, bright but diffused light, as well as a cool wintering (you can take it out to the insulated loggia). If the rules of care are violated, they can settle on aichrizone scabbards, nematodes, spider mites, and mealybugs... If the irrigation regime is violated, then rot may appear on the plant.
A common problem when growing such a flower is foliage shedding. In the event that this occurs in the spring-summer period, the reason for this may be exposure to direct rays of the sun, complete drying of the soil or stagnation of water in the substrate. In the case when this happens in the autumn-winter period, the plant must be transferred to a well-lit and sufficiently cool place for wintering. Also, foliage can die off during the flowering period.
Video review
Main types
Below are the most popular types of flower growers.
Aichryson punctatum
This is not a very large succulent plant, which can reach a height of 15-40 centimeters. On the surface of the brownish-green stems, there is a pubescence consisting of whitish hairs. Dlinnochereshkovye weakly pubescent leaves have a diamond shape. They are collected in sheet sockets.
Aichryson tortuosum
This shrub is not very tall in width and height reaches 15-30 centimeters. On the surface of the fleshy rhomboid leaves, there is a pubescence, consisting of whitish hairs. They are also collected in sheet sockets. The leaves are short-peaked in length up to 1.5 centimeters, and in width - 1 centimeter. Flowering is observed in the spring.
Aichryson laxum or loose (Aichryson laxum)
This shrub in height can reach from 30 to 40 centimeters, and in diameter from 20 to 40 centimeters. The diamond-shaped leaves have long petioles, and their surface is covered with short whitish hairs. In length they reach from 1.5 to 3 centimeters, and in width - 1 centimeter. Inflorescences are large, racemose in length, reaching 30 centimeters. Consist of golden yellow flowers.
Aichryson sedifolium
This bushy succulent is a dwarf shrub. It reaches a height of 15–40 centimeters, and ―13 centimeters in diameter. Has straight branches. There is a sticky coating on the surface of the fleshy club-shaped leaves. In length they reach 1.5 centimeters. Form leaf rosettes up to 6 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are colored greenish-yellow or green, and there are red stripes on their surface. Inflorescences reach 7 centimeters in length. They are composed of golden yellow flowers.
Aichryson homemade (Aichryson x domesticum)
This is a hybrid plant created by crossing aichrison point and aichrizona sinuous. This succulent shrub has a width and height of 15-30 centimeters. Fleshy, clavate-shaped leaves have pubescence, consisting of short whitish hairs. In length, such leaves reach from 1.5 to 2 centimeters, and in width - 1 centimeter. They form leaf rosettes. The fragrant flowers are yellow in color. There is a variegated form with variegated foliage - Aichryson x domesticum "Variegatum".
Such a plant is called the "tree of love" due to the fact that its leaves have a heart-shaped shape. However, it is actually a "tree of happiness." The fact is that in a house where there is such a plant there is always harmony and harmony, which was noted by a huge number of people.
