The spiral plant is a low-maintenance succulent, a popular, easy-care houseplant. The plant gets its common name from its curved, sickle-shaped, gray-green leaves that resemble those of an airplane.
This cold-sensitive plant is easiest to grow indoors in a bright spot with well-drained potting soil. It provides vibrant summer color in hot, dry xeriscape gardens when vibrant red clusters of tiny flowers bloom.
common name | Propeller Factory, Aircraft Factory, Red Brush, Sith Factory |
Botanical Name | There is Crassula perfoliata . Falcata, Crassula perfoliata var. secondary |
the family | Crassulaceae |
Type of plant | juicy |
mature size | Up to 24" tall x 12" wide |
sunlight | Complete, partial |
Terrain type | Good drainage |
Soil pH | Acidic, neutral |
Flowering time | spring autumn |
flower color | Orange red, red red |
hardness zone | 9-11 (USDA) |
homeland | South Africa |
Propeller Maintenance
The main requirements for care for growing a spiral plant are:
Place in full sun or bright indirect light. Too much sun can burn the leaves.
A prerequisite is well-drained soil.
After the soil dries out, water deeply, being careful not to overwater.
Provide a warm, dry environment.
the light
A spiral plant does well in a window that receives bright, indirect sunlight. You can choose a sunny, south-facing window, but remember that too much midday sun can burn the leaves. Three to four hours of direct sun or six to eight hours of indirect sun is sufficient.
If you grow the plant outdoors, choose a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade to avoid problems on hot summer days.
the world
One of the most important requirements for caring for your power plant is well-drained soil. These plants hate wet roots. Prepared cactus soil. Alternatively, make your own rock mix using light pumice and/or soil mixed with sand, gravel or perlite.
Helix plant can tolerate any soil pH, but prefers it to be acidic or neutral.
waterfall
Although drought-tolerant spiral plants are somewhat indifferent to watering, the leaves look healthy if they get enough water during the warm growing season. During the semi-dormant winter months, reduce watering frequency significantly.
The biggest killer of this plant is overwatering. Wet soil causes root rot, so wait for the soil to dry before watering again.
Check the soil moisture level with your fingers instead of your eyes. When watering spiral succulents, water slowly and deeply from the base of the plant, making sure it doesn't sit in standing water.
temperature and humidity
Its control unit is not frost resistant. If the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it will have difficulty surviving. Therefore, they are more suitable as indoor plants.
Even at home, keep this plant away from drafts, doors and windows and avoid environments with sudden changes in temperature.
These plants like moderate humidity indoors and don't like to be too crowded.
fertilizer
Helix plants are unpretentious succulents that can do without fertilization. However, fertilizing a mixed cactus mix once or twice during the growing season can promote vigorous, healthy growth.
Spiral plant propagation.
If you want to expand your succulent collection, it's easy to do so by using a healthy specimen you already have. The most popular way to propagate spiral plants is through leaves, but you can also create new plants from offsets and side shoots.
Follow these steps to propagate from these succulent leaves throughout the growing season.
Carefully remove all healthy leaves at the base (where they attach to the stem). Shake and swirl gently. The sheet should remain intact. If you accidentally damage a sheet, throw it away and try to free another.
Keeping the leaf in a warm, dry, shaded area for 72 hours can help remove the callus from the base in preparation for planting. Promotes strong root growth.
Place the leaf in a pot with well-drained potting soil. Make sure the base of the callus touches the support surface.
Place the plant in a location that receives bright, indirect light, not direct sunlight, as this can burn the leaves.
Wait a few weeks for small roots to appear at the base of the leaves before watering. However, water sparingly to prevent root rot and be careful to direct water droplets toward the roots to prevent waterlogging of the leaves.
Continue watering when the soil is completely dry.
As the old leaf dries up, let it fall off the new growth naturally without removing it.
After a few months, when the roots are about 2.5 cm long, transplant the plant into a pot or a suitable place in the garden.
If you place the pot in direct sunlight, remove it gradually over a few days to a week to reduce the risk of leaf burn.
Spiral plant planting and transplanting.
Helix plants are not the fastest growing succulents, but they benefit from reproducing in a warm growing season even after they are established.
Transplanting promotes good water absorption and vigorous growth. If you see roots coming out of the pot's drainage holes and water not penetrating the soil well, this means the plant is ready to be transplanted.
Choose a pot that is a few inches larger than the existing pot. Don't take too many steps; Otherwise, spiral plant roots may have difficulty absorbing moisture from the potting soil, causing root rot.
When planting, carefully remove rotten roots and wait about a week before watering again.
How to grow helix plants
If you grow helix indoors, it is less likely to flower. When grown outdoors, with proper care and conditions, you can enjoy impressive blooms in summer.
The month of flowers
Helix plants usually flower in July or August.
How long does the spiral bloom?
Although the flowers appear slowly, they bloom for a long time. You can enjoy the magnificent flowers for about a month.
How do spiral plant flowers look and smell?
The spiral plant's small flowers grow in beautiful, dense clusters. They are usually bright orange-red, but sometimes have a deep red color. The mild aroma is sometimes compared to the aromatic spice of cinnamon.
How to stimulate flowers
Your spiral plant needs lots of sun to produce such gorgeous flowers, and it's important to water it regularly (not keeping the soil soggy). They can be drought-tolerant plants, but they won't flower if they dry out.
Be patient with young plants or plants spreading from leaves. Flowering may take several years.
Common plant pests and diseases.
Helix plants are relatively disease-free, but growing in hot, dry conditions can be affected by mealybugs and mites. Insecticides or organic neem oil can effectively remove these pests from your plants if washing them off isn't enough to stop the infestation.
Common problems with installing screws.
With proper care and attention, you should be able to enjoy your propeller equipment for decades. And if you pay attention to early warning signs, you can change them to prevent premature death.
The leaves are falling
When leaves drop from your spiral plant, it's usually due to a water problem. Overwatering causes succulent leaves to become overwatered, causing them to drop. Leaving the soil too dry can also cause leaf drop.
Leaves turn yellow
Another sign of improper watering is yellowing of the leaves. This is usually due to excess water. You may also notice fallen or broken tree limbs. Underwatering can cause yellowing of gray-green leaves, low light and cold drafts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the size of the propeller unit?
Helix plants are medium-sized, slow-growing succulents. Indoors they can reach 2-3 feet. Outside they can be twice as big. Provide plenty of light, fertilize occasionally during the growing season, and maintain adequate water balance to ensure rapid, vigorous growth.
What are the options for screw installation?
Spiral plants are part of the Crassula genus, and there are many jade plants (sometimes called) to choose from. The most admired and widespread oval Crassula. According to Feng Shui this tree brings luck and fortune and its colorful variety is available for something more interesting.
How long can screw installation take?
Fan plants, like all Crassula species, are long-lived succulents. With proper care, your specimen can easily live for at least twenty years and possibly longer. Be sure to position the plant properly, plant it in a well-drained environment, and transplant it if it's rooted to increase the longevity of your plant.
Read the original article at Yale.
