The string of coins has bloomed - is it a good omen that money will come your way?

Many succulent lovers enjoy growing the string of coins. Not only does the string of coins carry an auspicious meaning, but the plant itself is fresh, elegant, and comes in a thousand shapes and forms.

Here, Duorou Shuo takes you to admire the elegance of the string of coins.

Chinese scientific name: string of coins

Latin scientific name：Crassula marnieriana

Plant family and genus: Crassulaceae, Crassula

Growth characteristics: winter-growing type

Light index: provide appropriate shade in summer, avoid harsh sun exposure

Watering index: during the growing season, keep the potting soil moist and avoid waterlogging

Fertilizing index: during the growing season, apply a dilute, fully decomposed liquid fertilizer about once every 15 days

Summer survival and overwintering: provide shade when summer temperatures are >35°C; in winter

Propagation method: cuttings

Distribution area: native to South Africa, can be cultivated in many parts of China

Growing environment: prefers a sunny, cool, and dry environment; tolerant of partial shade; afraid of waterlogging; dislikes muggy, humid conditions.

Appearance characteristics: stems upright; leaves round-triangular and thick, opposite, with upper and lower leaves crossing in a crisscross pattern and tightly arranged. The leaves of the string of coins are usually green, and under certain temperature differences and light conditions, the leaf margins tend to turn red. It blooms from April to May, at the growing point at the top, with small star-shaped white flowers.

Origin of the name

The string of coins gets its name because the plant closely resembles strings of ancient coins. It is one of the small succulent plants much loved by people. Its plant form is unusual, dainty and cute, with bright, pleasing colors. It is suitable for growing in small decorative pots, and can also be paired with ornamental stones to make a small succulent bonsai to decorate a desk, windowsill, and other places, fresh and elegant, full of charm. It can also be planted together with other varieties of succulents in one pot to make a combination planter or a garden terrarium.

Appearance characteristics

A perennial succulent herbaceous plant, the plant is subshrub-like and about 60 cm tall; in pots it can be kept at around 20 cm. It has small branches, and the stems are fleshy and later become somewhat woody. The leaves are grayish-green to light green, with slightly red leaf margins, which become more obvious from late autumn to early spring in the cool season, under conditions of ample sunlight and a large day-night temperature difference. The leaves are ovate-triangular, without petioles, joined together at the base; young leaves are stacked one above another, while older leaves have a slight gap between the upper and lower ones. The leaves are 1.5-2.5 cm long and 0.9-1.3 cm wide. The flowers are white and open in April-May.

Cultivation and management

From September each year to April or May of the following year is the growing season for Crassula marnieriana, and it should be given ample sunlight. If light is insufficient, the plant will become leggy, the vertical distance between leaves will lengthen, making the plant shape loose, and the red color on the leaf margins will also fade, affecting its appearance.

After May, as temperatures rise, the plant grows slowly or stops growing completely. It can be placed in a well-ventilated spot for care, with shade netting installed or placed under eaves and other places without direct sunlight, to avoid harsh sun exposure. During the growing season, keep the soil moist, but avoid waterlogging, otherwise the roots and base of the plant will rot. Apply a dilute, fully decomposed liquid fertilizer about once every 15 days to provide ample nutrients and promote plant growth. During the summer dormancy period, restrict watering, do not leave it in long periods of rain, and do not fertilize, so as to avoid plant rot.

In addition, it should be pruned and shaped regularly to keep the plant form attractive. Because the stems of old plants easily become hollow and the fleshy leaves shrink and fall off, leaving the lower part of the plant leafless and bare, which is very unattractive, old plants should be renewed and new plants propagated.

When the string of coins grows too crowded, it can be repotted in spring or autumn. The potting soil should be loose and fertile, with good drainage and air permeability. A mixed growing medium of leaf mold, garden soil, coarse sand, or vermiculite can be used for planting.

Propagation method

Propagation of Crassula marnieriana can be done by cuttings during the growing season from September to May of the following year.

Stem cuttings: cut healthy, vigorous stem sections with leaves. There are no strict requirements for length, but they must have 2 nodes (two pairs) of leaves. To prevent rot, let them dry for 1 to 2 days, and after the wounds are dry, insert them into a growing medium of leaf mold mixed with sandy soil or vermiculite. Afterward, keep it slightly moist; they root easily.

Leaf cuttings: cut healthy, mature fleshy leaves, let them dry for 1 to 2 days, then place them flat on sandy soil or vermiculite. Be careful to make the base of the leaf fit closely with the cutting medium. Afterward, keep it moist, and in about 20 days new roots and new shoots will grow from the base.

Pest and disease control

The main disease of the string of coins is gray mold. In the early stages of the disease, fungicides such as thiophanate-methyl, carbendazim, and chlorothalonil can be sprayed. For the concentration, refer to the drug instructions or the text on the outer packaging.

For the pest whitefly, related pesticides can be used to kill it.

So, has the graceful and elegant string of coins captivated you?