How to Grow a Money Tree? Master These Care Methods and Precautions

The money tree (Pachira aquatica) is a plant introduced to China from abroad for cultivation. It is now found in many parts of China and is a fairly common plant in daily life. Because of its high ornamental value and auspicious meaning, the money tree attracts many people to grow it. But before growing it, mastering its care techniques is the most important thing.

How to Grow a Money Tree

1. Light: The money tree likes high temperatures, humidity and sunlight, and cannot be shaded for long periods. In home care it should be placed in a spot indoors with plenty of sunlight. When placing it, the leaf surface must face the sun. Otherwise, because the leaves grow toward the light, the entire branches and leaves will become distorted. It also must not be moved suddenly from long-term shade into sunlight, as the leaves are easily scorched.

2. Temperature: The optimal temperature for money tree growth is between 20 and 30 degrees, so in winter the money tree is quite sensitive to cold. When the temperature drops to 10 degrees it should be brought indoors; below 8 degrees it will suffer cold damage, with mild cases dropping leaves and severe cases dying. In winter, pay attention to cold-proofing and warmth measures.

Money Tree Growing Methods

3. Flower pot: Veteran growers all know that when growing flowers you should consider the size, breathability and depth of the pot, and choose according to the plant's habits. Because the money tree has an underdeveloped root system, you cannot choose a pot with poor breathability that is too deep or too large and prone to water accumulation, as this easily causes root rot from watering problems. Therefore it is recommended to use the method of a large pot holding a small pot to grow the money tree; this solves both the aesthetic problem and the water accumulation problem.

4. Soil: The money tree generally uses loose garden soil or peat soil, leaf mold, coarse sand, plus a small amount of compound fertilizer or chicken manure as base fertilizer and growing medium.

5. Watering: Watering is an important part of money tree care and management. With too little water, branches and leaves grow slowly; with too much water, root rot and death may result; with a moderate amount of water, the branches and leaves are plump. Watering should follow the principle of preferring moist over dry, and secondly the “two more, two less” principle, namely watering more in the hot summer season and watering less in winter; watering more for large and medium-sized plants in vigorous growth and watering less for small newly potted plants.

6. Fertilizing: The money tree is a flowering plant that likes fertilizer, and its demand for fertilizer is greater than that of common flowering plants. When repotting each year, apply sufficient base fertilizer, with a fertilizer-to-soil ratio of about 1:3, or even more. May to September is the money tree's growing season; fertilize once every 15 days, using decomposed liquid fertilizer or a mixed flower fertilizer, which can promote deep roots and lush leaves.

Precautions for Growing a Money Tree

If the money tree is planted outdoors, it needs no pruning and can simply be left to grow; but if it is grown in a pot as a foliage plant, without timely pruning it easily grows too fast and loses its ornamental appeal. Timely pruning can control its growth rate and at the same time change its shape, making the plant more ornamental.

Money Tree Diseases and Their Control

1. Root rot. Control method: Ensure the environment is relatively dry and the air is fresh. When the plant shows signs of disease and the leaves turn yellow, promptly spray with procymidone to prevent the mold from worsening. If the plant's roots and stems are found to be rotting, take the plant out of the pot, cut away the affected parts, then apply fungicide to the wounds, let them dry in a cool place and replant. Disinfect the soil promptly; one week after replanting the money tree, disinfect the soil a second time. Spray the bare trunk of the money tree with Previcur, Anchor or zinc manganese metalaxyl (Ridomil-MZ), so that the solution runs down the trunk into the pot soil. For the following weeks, spray with fungicide once a week for 3 to 5 weeks in a row.

2. Leaf blight. Control method: Remove and destroy diseased leaves promptly when found. Strengthen care, water at the right time, and apply foliar fertilizer 2 to 3 times each growing season, such as spraying the leaves with a 0.5% nitrogen and potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution. For early prevention, in northern regions spray fungicide once a month during the money tree's growing season, using a 70% chlorothalonil 800-fold solution. In southern regions, starting from the rainy season, spray a 50% carbendazim 800-fold solution every 10 to 15 days.

The money tree's growing methods are actually not difficult. You can start from its growth habits, and when growing it you must control temperature and light well, providing shade during high summer temperatures. When growing it you also need to prune and prevent disease, so that it grows even better.