Money Tree (Polyscias) Care Methods and Precautions: Watering Frequency and Feng Shui Benefits Explained

Polyscias scutellaria gets its name because its leaves resemble round belly bands; it is also called "money plenty" or round-leaf Ming aralia. Because its leaves are round and pocket-shaped, it is called "money pocket," symbolizing good fortune and wealth, and is a very popular indoor ornamental plant. Below, we introduce the care methods and precautions for Polyscias scutellaria.

It is a plant in the order Apiales, family Araliaceae, native to New Caledonia, and now widely planted in tropical regions. Polyscias scutellaria has 1~2-pinnately compound leaves, alternate, odd-pinnately compound, with round leaflets, heart-shaped bases, and no silvery-white markings on the margins. It usually branches sparsely, and the stem surface is densely covered with prominent lenticels. The umbels form panicles.

Care Methods for Polyscias scutellaria

Soil Selection

Because of its place of origin, Polyscias scutellaria has developed strong drought tolerance, so its soil requirements are not very strict; just ensure it is loose and highly breathable. Do not use soil with high clay content.

Light Requirements

From late spring to mid-autumn, Polyscias scutellaria should be kept indoors or in a shaded environment, ensuring 50~70% shade. When keeping it indoors, be careful not to shade it too much, otherwise the newly sprouted branches and leaves will be slender, the color dull, the distance between leaflets large, the plant sparse, and the plant shape not compact and attractive.

In winter, move Polyscias scutellaria indoors promptly. Be sure to supplement light, place it on a warm south-facing balcony, and give it full-day light. Because the leaves of Polyscias scutellaria have no obvious phototropism, during growth there is no need to worry that it will grow crooked due to different light angles.

Water Requirements

To care well for Polyscias scutellaria, try to create a moist yet slightly dry environment. For indoor cultivation, when the temperature reaches 33°C, spray water once a day to increase humidity and lower temperature. In spring, summer, and autumn, keep the soil slightly moist and on the dry side; occasionally water with a little dilute fertilizer solution, and basically root rot will not occur.

After mid-autumn, reduce watering, or replace watering with spraying to ensure new leaves can safely overwinter. In winter, be sure to spray water on the leaves and the environment to keep indoor humidity above 50%. Take special care that in winter the potting soil must not be too wet; slightly dry is better, otherwise at lower temperatures it is very easy to cause root rot in Polyscias scutellaria, and in severe cases it will die directly.

Fertilization Methods

Normally, during the growing season, apply a special fertilizer for foliage plants or decomposed liquid fertilizer once every two weeks, choosing a suitable fertilizer according to the different varieties. But note that for variegated varieties, reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, so as not to reduce or even eliminate the patterns on the leaves.

After September, stop fertilizing to promote lignification of the branches and ensure safe overwintering.

Repotting Methods

Polyscias scutellaria is generally repotted once every 2~3 years. When repotting, choose potting soil that is fertile, loose, and rich in humus. It must have good breathability. After repotting, place it in a cool place for a week, suspend watering, and carry out normal care after a week.

Precautions for Caring for Polyscias scutellaria

Pay Attention to Ventilation

Indoor cultivation of Polyscias scutellaria is not the same as outdoor open-air cultivation. If ventilation is poor, it can easily cause the leaves of Polyscias scutellaria to wilt. It may not die immediately, but the leaves will drop one by one, and if not remedied in time, it will slowly die.

Watering Issues

Most Polyscias scutellaria are grown in large pots, with more and deeper potting soil, so often one watering takes a long time to dry. At this time, watering requires extra care: do not water if it is not dry. Otherwise, too much watering can easily cause root rot and eventually death! So before watering, be sure to check whether the potting soil is dry or wet; do not water if it is not dry, and just spray water as usual!

Key Watering Points:

(1) Potted Ming aralia prefers relatively moist soil and air environment.

(2) During the growing season, there must be sufficient water supply. Water after the surface of the potting soil becomes dry; it does not matter if the soil is slightly dry, but do not water too much, to avoid waterlogging and root rot.

(3) In midsummer when the temperature is relatively high, in addition to sufficient watering, also spray the leaf surface once a day, which can both keep the leaves clean and glossy and increase the air humidity around the plant.

(4) In late autumn and early winter, when the temperature drops below 15°C, control watering.

(5) In winter, reduce the amount of water used, or replace watering with spraying, keeping the potting soil slightly moist and a little dry, but when spraying the leaf surface, be careful to make the water temperature basically the same as room temperature.

Temperature Control

Beautiful plants are all a bit delicate, and Polyscias scutellaria is like this. The most suitable temperature for the growth of Polyscias scutellaria is 15~30°C, of which the temperature from April to October is 20~30°C, and from October to April of the following year it should remain at 13~20°C. In summer, when the temperature exceeds 32°C, it needs timely cooling and ventilation; in winter, the temperature must not be lower than 10°C. If the temperature can remain above 20°C, the stems and leaves can still grow normally.

What to Do If Polyscias scutellaria Leaves Turn Yellow

1. Unsuitable Soil

Unsuitable soil is one of the causes of yellow leaves in Polyscias scutellaria. If the potting soil has not been changed for a long time, the soil becomes compacted, causing poor root growth. If the roots remain in a state of poor respiration and lack of oxygen for a long time, the roots will gradually rot. Or, because the pH of the potting soil is too high, Polyscias scutellaria cannot absorb enough nutrients and develops yellow leaves.

Solution: When a few leaves of Polyscias scutellaria are found to be turning yellow, promptly check whether the potting soil is compacted or too acidic or too alkaline. If the potting soil is compacted, repot the Polyscias scutellaria once; if the potting soil is too acidic or too alkaline, mix some vinegar or plant ash into the water when watering to neutralize it.

2. Improper Watering

Improper watering can also cause yellow leaves in Polyscias scutellaria. If water is applied excessively for a long time, it will cause water accumulation in the pot and lead to root rot. In addition, there is lack of water: each watering only wets the surface soil and does not penetrate to the roots of Polyscias scutellaria, so the plant will show wilting and yellow leaves due to lack of water.

Solution: If too much water was given, promptly dry the potting soil and reduce watering frequency. If it is lack of water, be a little more diligent, but do not water too frequently either.

3. Improper Fertilization

When Polyscias scutellaria lacks fertilizer, it will also show yellow leaves and stagnant growth, or applying fertilizer that is too concentrated may burn the roots of Polyscias scutellaria, or there may be excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer.

Solution: If Polyscias scutellaria lacks fertilizer, supplement fertilizer. If too much fertilizer was applied, promptly pick out the fertilizer that has not fully dissolved, then flush the soil with a large amount of clean water, and ventilate to let the soil dry as soon as possible! Usually, pay attention to applying dilute fertilizer frequently, and pay attention to the combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers.

4. Unventilated Environment

If there is an air conditioner at home, placing it in an air-conditioned room in both summer and winter will cause yellow leaves because the air is too dry. In addition, improper ventilation is also an important cause of yellow leaves. If kept indoors for a long time in a stuffy environment, the plant will develop yellow leaves due to lack of oxygen.

Solution: When the weather is warm, simply place Polyscias scutellaria outdoors for care; a naturally ventilated environment is more conducive to its growth. In addition, if kept indoors in an air-conditioned room, keep it away from the air outlet of the air conditioner, place a basin of water next to the air conditioner, or frequently spray water on Polyscias scutellaria.

5. Poor Light

Polyscias scutellaria is a foliage plant, and its greatest ornamental value lies in its leaves. Normal growth requires a certain amount of light. So when Polyscias scutellaria is not exposed to sunlight for a long time, the color of the leaves will become lighter and turn yellow.

Solution: For Polyscias scutellaria cultivated indoors, move it outdoors to bask in the sun about every 3-5 days. If the temperature is relatively high in summer, avoid the period around noon when the sun is strongest. In addition, in winter, do not frequently move the pot; just place it in a sunny environment.

Feng Shui Benefits of Polyscias scutellaria

Placing Polyscias scutellaria on the balcony

The balcony is the place where the house has the most contact with nature's sunlight, air, and rain, and is a place for receiving qi; it has a very important influence on the feng shui of a house. Polyscias scutellaria has round, full leaves and upright branches, with vigorous vitality. Placed on the balcony, it can absorb the metal qi from the outside, which is beneficial to the family's wealth luck.

Placing Polyscias scutellaria in the living room

The living room is a place for entertaining guests and gathering with friends. Polyscias scutellaria has the meaning of gathering wealth and bringing prosperity. Placed anywhere in the living room, it helps enhance wealth luck and plays a role in bringing in wealth and treasure. Especially placing Polyscias scutellaria in the wealth position of the home will have an even better effect.

But note that Polyscias scutellaria kept in the living room is best grown in soil rather than hydroponically, so that when the plant has pests or diseases or withers, it is convenient to handle. And during care, it can save you the trouble of frequently changing the water.

Placing Polyscias scutellaria in the office

Polyscias scutellaria has thick leaves and is dark green and lovely. Planting several small Polyscias scutellaria together in an exquisite flowerpot and placing them on the office desk gives a feeling of vigorous upward growth, and also indicates that rolling wealth will be brought to you.

In addition, a large pot of money tree can also be placed in the office, especially in rooms with the air conditioner on all day, which can improve the indoor environment and ensure a good working environment.