The money tree symbolizes bringing in wealth and treasure, and represents prosperity and honor.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, also known as the money tree. It is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant and a very rare foliage plant with underground tubers. There is no main stem above ground; adventitious buds sprout from the tuber to form large compound leaves, and the leaflets are fleshy with short petiolules, firm and deep green; the underground part is a plump tuber. Pinnate compound leaves emerge from the top of the tuber, the leaf rachis is stout, and the leaflets are opposite or nearly opposite along the rachis. The spathe is green, boat-shaped, and the spadix is relatively short.

Money tree

Native to the tropical savanna climate zone of eastern Africa with relatively low rainfall, it was introduced to China in 1997. Zamioculcas zamiifolia is an indoor foliage plant and is useful for purifying indoor air. Its newly emerging pinnate compound leaves almost always come in pairs, one long and one short, one thick and one thin, so it is also known by the alternative name "dragon and phoenix tree," and symbolizes: bringing in wealth and treasure, prosperity and honor.

Mr. Zhong Zhiquan of Guangdong, China, wrote an article suggesting that its name be changed to "praise leaf," for three reasons: first, the transliteration of the specific epithet has a homophonic resemblance to "praise"; second, the plant is not a woody plant, and its main ornamental part is the leaves; third, the leaves tend to grow upward, conveying a sense of admiration and praise.

Money tree

It likes warm, hot and slightly dry, semi-shaded environments with small annual average temperature fluctuations, and grows suitably at 20°C to 32°C. During the growing season, watering should follow the rule of "do not water until dry, and when watering, water thoroughly." It is relatively drought-tolerant, but fears cold, avoids strong direct sunlight, and is afraid of heavy, sticky soil and water accumulation in the pot. If the pot soil has poor permeability, it can easily cause its tubers to rot. It requires loose, fertile soil that drains well, is rich in organic matter, and is acidic to slightly acidic. It has strong sprouting ability; after cutting off the thick pinnate compound leaves, new leaves will quickly emerge from the top of the tuber.

Money tree

Ornamental:

Each even-pinnate compound leaf of the Zamioculcas zamiifolia plant has a thick, sturdy base at the rachis, as if it were a protruding Buddha's belly. The middle and upper parts of the rachis are cylindrical, with irregular dark brown markings, as if covered with a layer of camouflage. The oval or ovate leaflets on its compound leaves are thick in texture and deep green in color, and in sunlight they look as if coated with a layer of sparkling glaze. If several plants are planted together in an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain pot, they present a vigorous, upward vitality and lush, vivid energy, with high ornamental value.

Purification:

Zamioculcas zamiifolia can absorb toxic gases and release oxygen through photosynthesis, bringing fresh air. During the day, it can absorb carbon dioxide from the room while releasing oxygen, increasing the concentration of negative ions in the indoor air, and can even take in dust that is difficult for even a vacuum cleaner to capture. More importantly, it can also absorb harmful gases such as formaldehyde and benzene series compounds, and kill bacteria in the air. In this process, it effectively purifies the air and increases the green atmosphere in the space, making people feel relaxed and happy.