Why Are the Leaves of the Money Tree Turning White? A Few Rescue Methods to Teach You

The money tree (Pachira aquatica) is a perennial evergreen tree, upright and straight, with palmate compound leaves spreading out like an umbrella and a rounded canopy of green branches and leaves, making it very suitable as a landscaping tree species. As an ornamental bonsai, its novel shape suits the mindset of modern people looking to beautify their home environment in homes, guesthouses, shopping malls, hotels and office buildings, and it is deeply loved by consumers. But during cultivation, the leaves may turn white, so why do the leaves of the money tree turn white? What rescue methods are there?

I. Why do the leaves of the money tree turn white?

The most likely cause of the money tree's leaves turning white is “manganese deficiency” or “excess manganese,” so let's take a closer look below.

1. The importance of “manganese” to the money tree

Manganese is one of the trace nutrient elements necessary for maintaining normal plant growth, and both deficiency and excess will affect the normal growth of the plant. In the plant body, manganese is a catalyst for many enzymes, can promote nitrate reduction, improve nitrogen utilization, aid protein synthesis, and is related to chloroplast synthesis; it can enhance the plant's photosynthesis and has the effect of resisting disease and increasing yield.

2. The relationship between manganese content and the money tree's leaves turning white

Severe manganese deficiency or excess manganese will both inhibit root elongation and extension, affect the absorption of nutrient elements, block chloroplast protein synthesis, and cause a reduction in chlorophyll content; at the same time, it will disrupt the supply levels of hormones in the plant body, thereby affecting the plant's normal growth and causing the money tree's leaves to turn white, and in severe cases it can lead to death.

It is worth noting that this is a process from quantitative change to qualitative change, meaning the money tree's leaves will not suddenly turn white all at once, but will go through a process of yellowing. Therefore, when symptoms appear, it is easy to mistake them as being caused by disease and to carry out control measures, with very little treatment effect, and sometimes the condition even spreads and worsens.

II. What rescue methods are there for the money tree's leaves turning white?

So when the money tree's leaves turn white, how should they be rescued?

1. Determine the cause

After the money tree shows symptoms of leaves turning white, carefully determine whether the cause is manganese deficiency or excess manganese. You can examine the plant's roots and stems; if there are no symptoms of disease, you may suspect a problem with manganese content, and it is necessary to determine the cause of the white leaves and the degree of toxicity by testing the manganese content of the plant and the soil.

2. Improve the soil

Plants can only absorb available manganese from the soil, and its content is related to the soil type and conditions. Therefore, the exchangeable manganese content should be reduced or increased. In addition, for strongly acidic soil, alkaline substances or fertilizers such as lime can be applied to raise the soil pH to above 5; at the same time, for low-lying waterlogged land, the drainage system should be dug deeper to improve soil permeability.

3. Chemical treatment

For plants that already show symptoms of leaves turning white, you can spray about 0.3% ferrous sulfate solution 1-2 times, or spray 0.2% calcium nitrate solution, which can alleviate the symptoms of leaves turning white in poisoned money trees.