How To Care For A Money Tree?

A money tree is a terrific gift to offer someone. It is also known by the name Pachira Aquatica, and it is a symbol of prosperity, health, and contentment. They are so simple to care for that all that is required of you is to water them once per week or two using a container filled with water that has been brought to room temperature.

Make sure the soil never becomes dry; don't let the plant sit in a saucer full of water either. When you notice that your plant is starting to produce new leaves, take a pair of shears or hand pruners and cut them back by an inch from the tips so that they can develop into robust and healthy leaves.

You've definitely seen a money tree in your social media feed, and you may have been wondering how to care for one. Well, worry no longer! Instead, they will provide you with some advice on how to properly care for your money tree so that it can thrive. Worrying about tree removal? Then, Tree Amigos tree removal solution  is the right choice!

First thing to do: make sure the plant gets enough water! Next, make sure that there is adequate sunshine streaming into the room where it is situated. Last but not least, watch out that the soil is never allowed to get too dry or too moist. If these requirements are followed, then your money tree should grow robust and healthy, much like this example below!

Money tree plants are an unusual and lovely alternative to consider if you are thinking that it may be time to start looking into adding a little bit more life and greenery to your home. In addition, despite the fact that they make a bold fashion statement, they are actually quite simple to maintain.

If you give a money tree the appropriate quantity of water, light, and humidity, it will grow into a healthy and prosperous plant. Find out everything you need to know about the common houseplant, from the connotations associated with it to the specifics of how to keep it alive and thriving in this article.

First Things First: Are Money Trees Lucky?

Money trees, AKA pachira aquatica, are regarded a symbol of luck and fortune, but they haven't been for all that long. According to Bloomscape, this did not occur decades or even centuries ago, as one might assume based on its appearance, but rather in the 1980s.

The braided money tree, in its modern form, was really cultivated for the first time by a truck driver in Taiwan. It swiftly gained popularity in Japan and other parts of East Asia, and it also became associated with the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui.

Bloomscape explains that the braided trunks are believed to "trap fortune inside its folds," and that the five leaves that can be seen on each stalk are believed to represent the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and metal. And if you just so happen to uncover a money tree plant sporting a stalk with seven leaves—a big rarity—regarded it's to be more luckiest.

The Pachira aquatica, often known as the Money Tree, is a little tree that is well-known for its spectacular good looks and the fact that it requires little in the way of maintenance. Because an urban legend asserts that growing this houseplant indoors would result in financial success and good fortune, it has come to be known as the Money Tree. While this mythology may or may not hold true, this indoor plant is guaranteed to offer a multitude of plant styling choices into your home.

The thin trunk of the Money tree is wide at the base and becomes more narrow towards the lush canopy. These plants sometimes consist of multiple trees painstakingly braided together as they mature to create a plaited trunk. Shiny, oblong palmate leaves grow in bunches of five and radiate from a centre point. Each leaf includes a pale green midrib and dark green foliage.

Growing conditions that are ideal for the Pachira aquatica include marsh or swamp environments. In nature, these deciduous trees can grow to be 60 feet tall. However, when grown in a container, they retain a far more manageable height of no more than 8 feet tall under the correct conditions.

Basic Money Tree Plant Care

Sunlight

Money tree plants, according to ProFlowers, thrive best when exposed to a combination of direct and indirect sunshine. However, as is the case with the majority of houseplants, excessive exposure to direct sunlight can cause the leaves to become scorched. As a result, in order to strike the ideal balance with your money tree, you may want to turn or rotate it on a regular basis so that it receives a more even distribution of light; however, you shouldn't move it around too much because this could cause it to be overly stressed.

Something else worthy to mention? Because money trees are able to tolerate fluorescent lights, you shouldn't be concerned about keeping one at your office as long as you take care of it properly.

One of the reasons why Pachira aquatica is considered to be one of the easiest houseplants to care for is the fact that it can handle practically any amount of indirect light. It is conceivable for a houseplant that is a Money Tree to thrive either in close proximity to a sunny window that faces south or in a more remote region of the room such as a hallway or corner where it receives low indirect light. Both scenarios have the potential to support the plant's growth. To ensure that this houseplant grows to its full height potential, it needs to get a substantial amount of bright indirect light at all times.

Soil

According to the specialists at Breakthrough, you need to make sure that the potting soil you use has plenty of nutrients and is well-drained. To do this, you should utilise a potting mix that has good drainage, or you might increase the porousness of the soil by adding sand and gravel.

Water

The best way to keep a money tree plant happy? According to The Sill, give it a good watering every one to two weeks, leaving the soil to dry in between. Of course, if your plant is getting more light, you'll also need to raise its water intake, so it doesn't get too dried out. This is a plant that demands a lot of water, but not all the time.

When the top few inches of the soil on your Pachira aquatica plant become dry, give it some water. Because they thrive on consistent, in-depth watering, Money Trees are an excellent option for gardeners who tend to overwater their plants. Having said that, it is essential to make certain that your Pachira aquatica is planted in soil that drains properly and is contained within a container that allows for enough drainage. As much as Money Trees like moisture, they don't like damp roots.

These indoor plants can store water in their trunks, allowing them to wait for an extended time between watering. It is usual for the Money Tree to require less regular watering throughout the winter months because the weather is cooler.

Temperature And Humidity

Since money tree plants thrive in warmer conditions, the optimal temperature range for their care is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, you should place them in a location that falls within that temperature range. The good news is that despite this, money trees are also quite adaptable and forgiving, since they are able to survive in temperatures that are either 10 degrees below or 10 degrees above the ideal range.

Pachira aquatica thrives best at room temperatures that range from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit on average. However, Money Tree houseplants cannot tolerate frost, so if you relocate your plant to an outdoor place during the warmer months, you will need to remember to bring it back inside long before the possibility of frost sets in.

Because money trees require a high humidity environment in which to flourish, it is imperative that you periodically spritz your plant with water. In order to raise the relative humidity around your money tree plant during the dry winter months, Bloomscape recommends placing it on a pebble tray.

Plants of the genus Pachira aquatica enjoy high humidity, which makes perfect sense given that they are known to flourish naturally in damp environments. Place your Money Tree in the corner of a kitchen or use a humidifier or a pebble tray with water to increase the dampness surrounding the plant. It is important to keep in mind that the frequency of watering this indoor plant may decrease if the plant is exposed to a high level of humidity.

How Do You Take Care Of A Money Tree?

Although it is not required for money tree plants to have their roots braided, the majority of pachira aquaticas that are sold today have their roots braided before they are sold to customers. The trunks of braided money trees are actually those of numerous plants that have been intertwined while the plants were still young and their trunks were still flexible. Check this list of affordable Perth Arborist  to help you decide which services to choose.

If you want to braid your plant, you should first gently weave the trunks together, and then tie a string around the top of the plant in a loose knot to keep it together. You can proceed with this method even after the tree has grown significantly.

Pro Tips

• The Money Tree is a type of plant that does best when it is kept in the same location over time. Moving the plant to new areas an excessive amount of times can be stressful for a Money Tree, which might cause the plant to drop its leaves as a result of the stress.
• Houseplants of the Money Tree are capable of rapid growth when given the right conditions. This is sometimes a desirable condition to have, but it also means that these indoor plants can quickly outgrow their space. When pruning a Money Tree, remove leaves from just below the axil, which is the point where the leaf stems emerge from the main stem.
• Cuttings are one method of propagation for the Pachira aquatica plant. Choose a cutting from a branch that is at least 6 inches long and has numerous nodes when you are taking a cutting. Both soil and water can be used to grow new plants from cuttings.

Just like the majority of houseplants, money trees need to be pruned on a regular basis. When you begin to prune, the first thing you should do is keep an eye out for any leaves that are damaged, withering, or dead, and remove those leaves. To accomplish this task in the most effective manner, take a pair of pruners or scissors that are spotlessly clean and razor sharp, and after each cut, wipe the blades clean with a damp cloth.

You can also trim them to be a specific shape if that is what you desire. The tops of money tree plants are generally circular, but you can also let your plant do its own thing and merely prune troublesome sections to maintain your plant alive and encourage new development.

As money tree plants may grow rather tall (according to Garden.org, they can grow up to 60 feet tall in their natural habitat! ), you can also prune your plant to keep it modest if you'd like to.

Common Money Tree Problems

Due to the fact that money tree plants demand a substantial amount of water all at once, there is a possibility that their roots will rot. If you're not familiar with the term, root rot occurs when there is an excess of water in a plant, which leads to the roots beginning to deteriorate and eventually die.

When you water your plant, check to verify that there isn't any extra water sitting in the saucer under the drainage holes; if you find that there is, remove it immediately to prevent root rot from occuring. Using a pot that isn't too big (the larger the pot, the more room it has to keep water), has adequate drainage, and is placed on a saucer that can be readily removed and dumped out when it fills with water is your best chance. The larger the pot, the more room it has to hold water.

Pests such as aphids and mealy bugs may also be attracted to money tree plants; however, arborists.net recommends using neem oil to treat the soil in order to ward off any pests and using water to remove aphids off the plants. All of these pests have the potential to inflict significant harm to your plant; therefore, you should take action as soon as you notice any of them in order to prevent the leaves from becoming wilted, falling off, or falling off altogether.

Provide Warmth

It seems sense that money trees would flourish in warm temperatures because they are more likely to grow in their natural habitat in warmer regions of the world. Above sixty degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature range in which a money tree thrives best. It is also crucial to make sure that you keep your tree away from draughty regions or chilly rooms in your home. If you do this, the tree's growth may be stunted as a result.

Use Quality Soil

It is essential to the health of your money tree plant that it receives proper nutrition and drainage. Flower, cactus, and moss-based soil are all types of soil that are typically used for growing money trees. It is common practise for owners to also add gravel or sand to the base of the tree in order to assist with the tree's drainage. Because over-watered soil is one of the most common causes of problems with plants, you should always grow your plants in containers that have drainage holes (such as root rot).

Give It Sunlight

The optimal conditions for the growth of money trees are placement in full sunshine. They are able to resist direct sunshine; nevertheless, their leaves will quickly burn if there is an excessive amount of it. Having said that, it is recommended that the plant be kept in sunlight that is either indirect or half-shaded on the majority of days.

It is advisable to do this gradually so as not to shock the plant when exposing it to direct sunlight for the first time. The natural growth direction of money trees is towards the sun, therefore turning the plan occasionally will assist to ensure that it continues to grow in a straight line.

Water It Weekly

The plants that make up a money tree are huge admirers of wetness, and their development really requires it. In most cases, watering them once every seven days ought to be adequate. However, in order to prevent root rot from occuring, it is critical that any extra water that collects in their drain pans be removed.

Before you re-water your plant, check to see that the top centimetre or so of the soil has completely lost its moisture. You can water your money tree with either distilled water or rainwater; but, if you see that the leaves are beginning to droop, it is likely that you have over-watered the plant. If this is the case, you should reduce the amount of water you give the plant and do a soil test before giving it any more water.

Keep It In Humid Environments

Even though money trees may thrive in environments with humidity levels lower than 50 percent, it is advisable to maintain a humidity level of at least 50 percent in your home so that it is more analogous to their natural habitat.

Use Fertiliser

The fertiliser requirements for money trees are rather low. You need to be careful not to over-fertilize your money tree because doing so can hasten the demise of the earth. In most cases, they only require fertilisation two or three times per calendar year, if at all (Bonsai Money trees will need to be fertilised).

Re-Pot It As Needed

In order to protect the roots of your money tree from being damaged as it gets bigger, you will need to repot it at regular intervals. It is essential to have the knowledge that your tree can attain a greater height if it is planted in a larger container, however the growth of the tree will be restricted if it is kept in a smaller container. When you repot your tree, make sure to remove any roots that have become dry or dead, and try to avoid giving the plant too much of a vigourous shake when you move it into the new container.

Trim It Regularly

It will be necessary to prune these plants in order to keep them at their current size; if this is not done, the plants will continue to expand and may even lose their form, growing in unpredictable directions. Do not worry if you accidentally cut off too much of the plant when you prune it because money trees tend to re-sprout quite fast after being pruned. Additionally, the springtime is the ideal time to prune your plant.

Yellow Leaves From Overwatering

When it comes to the care of money trees, giving them the appropriate amount of water is of the utmost significance. If you have been over-watering your tree and have noticed that its leaves are beginning to turn yellow or brown, this may be the reason why. If you're looking for tree removal services, you’re in the right place! Check Tree Amigos! To correct this issue, you will need to repot the plant and ensure that the new saucer does not collect any excess water.

An atmosphere that contains an excessive amount of humidity can also cause the leaves of a plant to become yellow. The use of a hygrometer can assist you in determining the present level of humidity in your home so that you can make the appropriate adjustments.

Potassium Deficiency

If you notice blotches on the leaves of your tree, it may be suffering from a potassium deficit (if not a nitrogen deficiency). This can be remedied by amending the soil around the tree with fertiliser and removing any leaves that have died as soon as possible.

Common Pests

Although money trees are not often renowned for having many problems with pets, it is possible for them to have infestations.

• Spider mites are a frequent type of pest that can be found on indoor plants. It is possible that you have a spider mite infestation if you find white webbings on the undersides of the stems or leaves of the plant. It is better to catch them early, thus inspecting your plant at least once each week might be quite important in order to guarantee that it is clear of any pests. It is possible to reduce the severity of an infestation of spider mites by either washing the plant in warm water or spraying it with an insecticide. You might also try applying some rubbing alcohol to the affected parts of your skin.
• Aphids are likely to be the most prevalent type of pest you will come across, particularly if you choose to place the plant outside during the warmer months of the year. You can eliminate them by applying neem oil into the leaves of the plant and then rinsing the leaves off with warm water.
• Wireworms are a type of insect pest that, by feeding on the tree's roots, bring about its gradual degeneration and death. They are also notoriously challenging to keep under control. Insecticide and the use of slices of sweet or white potatoes as decoy traps are two common approaches that can be used to get rid of them.