Does the Money Tree Bloom? The Latest Answer Is Here
The money tree, also known as Zamioculcas zamiifolia and golden pine, among other names, originates from the tropical climate zones of eastern Africa with relatively low rainfall. It prefers warm, hot and slightly dry, semi-shaded environments with small annual average temperature fluctuations. It is relatively drought-tolerant, but fears cold, avoids strong direct sunlight, and dislikes heavy, sticky soil and water accumulation in the pot. If the pot soil has poor drainage and aeration, it can easily cause its tubers to rot. Now let us take a look together at whether the money tree blooms or not!
Does the Money Tree Bloom?
The money tree does bloom. The flowers of the money tree are spadix inflorescences, producing small flowers in pale yellow, brown or bronze colors, some hidden within the leaf bases. The flowering time is from mid-summer to early autumn. Generally, 3-4 years after planting a money tree, blooming will occur.
The Benefits of the Money Tree
1. Feng shui benefits: The money tree is a very famous feng shui plant, highly suitable for placing in offices. The newly emerging pinnate compound leaves of the plant have the nickname “dragon and phoenix wood,” which is very unique. The oval or ovate leaflets on the compound leaves have a thick, substantial texture and a lovely deep green color. If several plants are grown together in an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain pot, it gives people a feeling of vigorous upward growth and lush, dripping verdure. It is most suitable for placing on an office desk, suitable for openings and promotions, heralding the arrival of rolling wealth. At the same time, the money tree's function of regulating humidity can also play a role in the office. An air-conditioned office with a few money trees will become healthier.
2. Home pairing: The money tree is a world-famous new-generation indoor foliage plant with a graceful and neat plant shape. The sapling grows relatively slowly, and can be cultivated for viewing as a small or medium pot, or as a large combined planter, offering fairly diverse choices. It suits many occasions and can be placed in spacious offices, new homes, living rooms, studies, balconies and other places. It not only boosts energy and generates wealth with an auspicious meaning, but also makes the home environment appear elegant and simple in style, with a southern tropical flair. Its leaves, like strings of threaded copper coins, look from a distance like a large bird spreading its wings, very grand and beautiful. Seeing this plant full of vigorous vitality every day while working or living makes people more motivated and spirited to strive.
3. Ornamental value: Carefully observing the money tree plant from an aesthetic perspective, its newly emerging pinnate compound leaves almost always come in pairs of 2, one long and one short, one thick and one thin, hence the alternative name “dragon and phoenix wood.” Each of its even-pinnate compound leaves has a thick, sturdy leaf axis base, as if it were a protruding Buddha's belly. The middle and upper parts of the leaf axis are cylindrical, with irregular dark brown markings, as if covered with a layer of camouflage clothing. The oval or ovate leaflets on its compound leaves have a thick, substantial texture and a deep green leaf color, as if coated with a layer of sparkling glaze in the sunlight. If several plants are grown together in an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain pot, there is a kind of vigorous upward vitality and lush, dripping energy.
How to Care for the Money Tree
1. Temperature: The optimal growth temperature for the money tree is 20-32°C. Whether potted or ground-planted, it requires small annual average temperature fluctuations. For productive cultivation, it is best to carry it out in a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Every summer, when the temperature reaches above 35°C, the plant's growth is poor, and measures such as adding black shade nets and spraying water on the surrounding environment should be taken to cool it down, creating a suitable environment with a suitable spatial temperature and relatively dry conditions. In winter, it is best to maintain a greenhouse temperature above 10°C. If the room temperature is below 5°C, it easily causes the plant to suffer cold damage and further seriously endangers its survival. In late autumn and early winter, when the temperature drops below 8°C, it should be promptly moved indoors to a well-lit location. Throughout the overwintering period, the temperature should be maintained between 8°C-10°C, which is relatively safe and reliable.
2. Light: The money tree likes light and also has strong shade tolerance. It should be provided with an environment that has good sunlight but also a certain degree of shade. It avoids strong direct light, and especially should avoid the scorching sun exposure after long rain and sudden clearing in late spring and early summer, as well as the unobstructed strong light baking for 5-6 hours around noon in summer, otherwise the newly emerging tender leaves are very easily sunburned. During productive cultivation, from late spring to mid-autumn, it should be placed under a shade shed with 50-70% shading, but it must not be too dark, otherwise it will cause the newly emerging tender leaves to be slender, the leaf color to turn yellow and listless, and the spacing between leaflets to be sparse, thereby affecting the compact and beautiful appearance of the plant. For potted plants moved into the greenhouse in winter, supplemental lighting should be provided. Keeping the pot soil moisture on the dry side allows the plant to remain disease-free year-round. In addition, the newly emerging pinnate compound leaves do not show obvious phototropism, and the plant shape remains good.
3. Humidity: To care well for a potted money tree, efforts should be made to create an environment that is both moist and on the dry side. During productive cultivation, for plants placed in a greenhouse, when the room temperature reaches above 33°C, the plant should be sprayed with water once a day. Because this plant has strong drought tolerance, it is best to keep the pot soil slightly moist and on the dry side, but occasionally applying excessive water and fertilizer will not cause root rot. In winter, attention should be paid to spraying water on the leaf surfaces and the surrounding environment, so that the relative air humidity reaches above 50%. After mid-autumn, watering should be reduced, or spraying water should replace watering, to help the newly emerging tender leaves safely pass the winter. In addition, in winter, special attention should be paid to ensuring the pot soil is not excessively wet, and on the dry side is better, otherwise under low temperature conditions, overly wet pot soil more easily leads to root rot of the plant, and even the death of the whole plant.
4. Soil: The special climate conditions of the money tree's place of origin have given it strong drought resistance, so the basic requirement for the growing medium is good permeability and aeration. The basic requirement for the growing medium is good permeability and aeration. The growing medium mostly uses peat, coarse sand or washed coal cinder mixed with a small amount of garden soil, and its pH value is adjusted to between 6-6.5, in a slightly acidic state. Because its tubers are large, its root system is well developed, and its pinnate compound leaves are relatively long, during the growing season its growth should be observed promptly to decide whether to repot and change the soil. Always keep the growing medium well aerated and permeable, to help create a root environment with good air and water drainage. During the plum rain season, check frequently, and when water accumulation in the pot is found, promptly repot and change the soil.
5. Fertilizer: The money tree relatively likes fertilizer. In addition to adding an appropriate amount of decomposed cake fertilizer or multi-element slow-release compound fertilizer to the growing medium, during the growing season a mixed liquid of 0.2% urea plus 0.1% monopotassium phosphate can be applied 2-3 times a month, or a balanced fertilizer 20-10-20 (20-20-20) can be applied at a concentration of 200-250 ppm combined with calcium nitrate. After mid-autumn, to help it safely pass the winter, nitrogen fertilizer should be stopped, and 0.3% monopotassium phosphate liquid should be applied 2-3 times consecutively, to promote the hardening and filling of the young leaf axes and newly emerging leaves. After the temperature drops below 15°C, all forms of topdressing should be stopped, to avoid fertilizer damage to the roots under low temperature conditions.