The String of Buttons or Crassula Perforata comes from the provinces of the cape, the southernmost, region of South Africa.
It is easily confused with the Marnierian crassula.
However, it is a very unique species in its genre and its use is widespread in ornamentation both indoor and outdoor.
The characteristics of the most remarkable Crassula Perforata are.
Small, fleshy bumps, dark green, bordered with reddish tones that it’s born with.
Embraced around a long stem.
Like other crass plants, this type of crassula grows coated of a floury substance that allows it to accumulate a greater amount of moisture, making it even more resistant.
This plant can survive long seasons without irrigation, so it is ideal if you consider yourself a person with little experienced in caring for these types of plants.
However, whether you are an expert or a newbie, these bananas are the perfect succulents to have inside your home, given its beauty and easy handling.
Also, its reproduction is very simple.
Simply cut a twig and you already have a perfect gift for a good friend.
Tips to take care of the String of Buttons “Crassula Perforata”
The main characteristic of this plant is its great resistance.
However, like the rest of succulents of style, cultivating a String of Buttons “Crassula Perforata” requires a very specific process but nothing complex.
Soil
The best substrate for crassula perforata, will be one that does not contain organic material.
Being mainly mineral and sandy.
This character will allow you not to retain excess water, avoiding plant rot.
I recommend you acquire a specific cactus soil that possesses the properties that this plant needs.
Watering
To water a string of buttons “crassula perforata” you will have to check the humidity of the earth.
Ensuring that it remains continuously moist, but not wet or waterlogged, to prevent the rot of the roots.
Remember the great capacity to accumulate water that these crass plants have.
Can stand long periods of drought without any problems.
Fertilizer
I recommend you fertilize the crassula perforta once every 2 or 3 weeks.
Use a specific cactus fertilizer.
Perform this process during the flowering of the plant, to take advantage of its full potential.
Where to plant
The best way to know how to grow a string of buttons “crassula perforata” is to remember its origin.
In this case, this succulent is an indoor and outdoor plant.
So these are the four basic tips.
- They can be placed in full sun 18-35 C
- Do not get below 10 c
- Use pots and planters wider than tall.
- They do not need to prune.
Transplanting
Remember that the transplant is an ideal time to check the state of the plant.
During this process, try to eliminate all the roots that are taking grayish colors, since this is an indicator of the possible presence of fungus.
Also, consider placing pieces of cooked clay over the drain holes of the new metal, to prevent the roots of the host plugging it and undesirably increase the humidity of the soil.
Although the process is not difficult, remember that these are very delicate plants.
Go around the pot holding the soil with one hand and tapping the talents of the pot bowl with the other.
Help yourself with tools to remove the plant without hurting the roots or exposing them too much in the sun.
I recommend you use a tool for cacti that ensure that the plant does not suffer in this process.
These are usually delicate tools and of a correct size that does not damage the roots or Cactus leaves in the process.
Flower
If you have taken good care of the plant, in spring, this succulent will generate some small flowers almost imperceptible.
These will be born by a section of the plant and will come to take a form of corsage full of tiny white-colored inflorescences not very showy.
Propagation
Like its brothers, the multiplication of the string of buttons “crassula perforata” can be done by cuttings or seeds.
Although the seed method is much more complete and beautiful, we recommend you to carry out this process to through cuttings, since you will get the same replicas to the mother and the probability of failure is almost void.
To reproduce this plant through this method you will have to separate one of the stalks from the plant when it has reached maturity.
Remove it, let the wound dry for 24 hours and plant it in a pot with a substrate-specific and clean, watering as normal.
Propagation by seeds
If you opt for seed reproduction, keep in mind that this is a slower but much nicer process.
This plant gives seeds during the months of March-April.
To succeed in this task, prepare pots with a mixture of the soil for cactus and vermiculite in a proportion 2-1.
Then you will submerge the pots in water until the soil is well soaked.
After this, you will introduce the seeds to a depth not exceeding 1.5 centimeters .
Then you will cover the pots with transparent film paper and try to water them with a sprayer. Every time the soil is dry.
Opening the plastic once a day to remove condensation water.
After 1 or 2 months you will have some newly germinated cactus babies that will be ready for a new life.
Wait until these small plants reach a sufficient size to be manipulated, before transplanting them to the pot definitive.
Diseases
This is not a weak plant.
It is one of the most resistant succulents out there.
So it is usually the favorite to start in the incredible art of succulent cultivation.
However, you must be careful with certain aspects vital as irrigation and the type of substrate to avoid the most common evil, fungi.
Usually with an excess of irrigation the body of this plant rots.
Giving the plant a wrinkled appearance and straight.
Unfortunately, if there are already symptoms of rot on the stem, there is not much to do.
For what I recommend be cautious with the watering.
Trust your plant she can take care of herself almost alone.