Money tree care: light, water and braided trunks

Light

Bright light without direct midday sun is the target. Missouri Botanical Garden says money tree houseplants perform best in bright light, and NC State says the tree prefers indirect sunlight or a mix of sun and shade, warning that direct sun can scorch the leaves. In Illinois Extension terms, bright light is about 300 foot-candles, found directly in front of an east or west window or up to 5 feet from a south window. A spot a few feet back from an east or west window gives medium light, about 150 foot-candles.

Like most houseplants, a money tree grows toward its light, so a quarter turn of the pot every few waterings keeps the braided canopy even. If you move it outdoors for the summer, the Illinois Extension advises keeping houseplants out of direct sun, choosing a north-facing spot or the shade of a tree, and acclimating them over one to two weeks, then reversing the process before fall temperatures drop.

Water

Missouri Botanical Garden sums up indoor watering as moderate but even moisture, and NC State asks for a moist, well-drained potting mix. Both warn about the extremes. Standing water is not tolerated and causes root rot, NC State says, and both sources note that the tree drops leaves when the soil becomes too dry. In practice, water thoroughly when the top inch of mix starts to feel dry, let the excess run out of the drainage hole, and empty the saucer within a few minutes.

The swollen caudex at the base of the trunk stores water, according to NC State, which gives the plant some margin after a missed watering but makes soggy soil the bigger danger. If one trunk of a braid turns soft or wrinkled at the base while the others stay firm, check the roots for rot before watering again.

The Illinois Extension recommends room-temperature water, never cold or softened water, and watering by touch rather than by calendar; plants in unglazed clay pots dry out faster than those in plastic. In winter, growth slows and the mix dries more slowly, so check it more often than you water it.

Soil and pH

NC State recommends a moist, well-drained potting mix made of peat moss, perlite, loam or sand, and lists acid to neutral soil as suitable. A good peat-based houseplant mix with extra perlite for drainage fits that description. The pot must have a drainage hole: in the wild this tree grows where land floods for part of the year, Missouri Botanical Garden notes, but in a container, water that cannot escape simply sits around the roots and suffocates them.

Humidity

Humid air is the money tree's wetland heritage showing. NC State says it thrives in a humid environment and lists humidity that is too low as one cause of yellow leaves. Most homes fall below 30 percent humidity in winter, according to the Illinois Extension, which suggests a humidifier, a pebble tray with the pot held above the water line, or grouping plants together. It also cautions that misting raises humidity only for a short time.

Temperature

NC State gives an ideal range of 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C) and says the tree should come indoors before temperatures drop to 45°F (7°C), the lowest figure our sources give. Treat that as an emergency floor, not a target; the plant is hardy outdoors only in USDA Zones 10 to 12. Indoors, keep it away from cold window glass and from heating and air-conditioning vents, since the Illinois Extension warns that blasts of hot or cold air and cold panes damage foliage.

Fertilizer

Neither NC State nor Missouri Botanical Garden gives a feeding schedule for the money tree, so the Illinois Extension's general rule applies: no more than once every one to three months from March to September, with a houseplant fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or a 1:2:1 formula at the label rate, and none in winter. NC State links yellow leaves partly to inadequate nutrients in the soil, so a pale tree in good light that has gone a year without food is a fair candidate for feeding. Leach the pot with plenty of plain water every four to six months, as the Illinois Extension recommends, to keep salts from building up.

Work out the dose for your watering can with the fertilizer dilution calculator →

Repotting

Repot in spring or early summer, while the plant is growing, and only when the signs appear: roots through the drainage holes or on the surface, a soil mass filled with roots, smaller new leaves, or wilting between normal waterings, as the Illinois Extension lists them. Clemson recommends a new pot just 1 or 2 inches wider than the old one, which keeps the volume of wet mix around the roots in proportion. Set the braid at the same depth it grew before, as the Illinois Extension advises.

• Roots grow through the drainage holes or appear on the surface
• New leaves come in smaller than normal
• The plant wilts between normal waterings

Propagation

NC State lists softwood cuttings, layering and seed. Seed is out of reach for most owners, because NC State notes that money trees will not flower indoors or when braided. Stem cuttings taken in spring or summer root in moist mix under a clear plastic cover in bright, indirect light, following the Illinois Extension's method, with two or three leaves left on each piece.

For a longer branch, air layering lets roots form while the stem is still attached and fed by the parent. The Illinois Extension says roots usually show through the plastic wrap after 3 to 4 months. A rooted cutting grows as a single trunk; the braided look comes from twisting several young, flexible stems together, which NC State says began with seedlings in Taiwan.

Methods: Softwood stem cuttings, Air layering, Seed (rarely available, as indoor and braided trees do not flower) · Best season: spring or summer.

Common problems

NC State lists aphids, mealybugs, scale and fungus gnats as the pests to monitor, with anthracnose, powdery mildew and root rot from standing water as possible diseases, while Missouri Botanical Garden reports no serious insect or disease problems. Leaf drop is the most common complaint, and both sources tie it to soil that dried out. Yellow leaves, NC State says, come from humidity that is too low or from a lack of nutrients in the soil. Fungus gnats point to mix that stays wet at the surface, so let the top inch dry before the next watering.

Not sure which one it is? Try the plant problem diagnosis tool →

Is the money tree toxic to cats and dogs?

The ASPCA lists the money tree, Pachira aquatica, as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with no toxic principle. Its entry still mentions nausea, vomiting and loose stool as possible signs if a pet eats the plant. NC State is more cautious: its profile flags the money tree as a problem for cats, with mild to moderate gastrointestinal distress such as vomiting, diarrhea and drooling, and notes that some sources consider the seeds potentially toxic because of cyclopropenoid fatty acids, adding that houseplants never produce seeds. The money tree is one of the safer choices for a home with pets, but discourage chewing all the same and call your veterinarian if a pet seems unwell.

Check any other plant against the ASPCA lists →