How to Grow a Money Tree? A Complete Guide to Care Precautions

The money tree (Pachira aquatica) is a perennial evergreen shrub native to the Malay Peninsula and the South Sea Islands. In recent years, through cultivation and selective breeding, it has become widely introduced into urban and rural households in our country. For home cultivation, based on its habit of preferring high temperatures and high humidity and its intolerance of frost, cold and dryness, particular attention should be paid to the following four points:

Pay attention to sunlight

The money tree likes high temperatures, humidity and sunlight, and cannot be kept in shade for long periods. Therefore, during care and management it should be placed in a spot indoors with ample sunlight. When positioning it, the leaf surface must face the sunlight. Otherwise, because the leaves grow toward the light, the entire branches and leaves will become twisted. In addition, every 3 to 5 days, spray water onto the leaves with a spray bottle; this not only helps photosynthesis proceed but also makes the branches and leaves look more attractive.

Pay attention to watering

Watering is an important part of the care and management process. With too little water, the growth of branches and leaves stalls; with too much water, root rot and death may result; with a moderate amount of water, the branches and leaves grow thick and lush. The first principle of watering is to keep it moist rather than dry, and the second is "two more, two less": water more in the high-temperature summer season and water less in winter; water more for large and medium-sized plants in vigorous growth and water less for small newly potted plants. When the amount of water is too large, the plant is prone to root rot, causing the leaves to droop, lose their luster and even fall off. At this point, it should immediately be moved to a cool place, the amount of water reduced to the minimum, just enough that the potting soil does not dry out, and the leaves sprayed with water several times a day using a spray bottle; stop fertilizing with nutrient solution, and after about 15 to 20 days it will gradually recover.

Pay attention to fertilizing

The money tree is a flowering plant that loves fertilizer, and its demand for fertilizer is greater than that of other common flowering plants. When repotting each year, the proportion of fertilized soil can account for 1/3, or even more. Fertilized soil has a wide range of sources: you can collect leaf mold from the fallen leaves of broadleaf trees and mix it with a little garden soil, miscellaneous bone meal and soybean cake residue. This fertilized soil is highly effective, convenient and easy to obtain, but care should be taken to fully compost it so as not to "burn" the leaves yellow. In addition, during the money tree's growing season (May to September), every 15 days you can apply a fully rotted liquid fertilizer or a mixed flower-growing fertilizer once, to promote deep roots and lush leaves.

Pay attention to temperature and humidity

The money tree has relatively high requirements for temperature and humidity. If the temperature is relatively low or humidity is lacking, leaf drop often occurs, and in severe cases the branches become bare, which not only hinders its ornamental value but also very easily causes the plant to die. Therefore, when cultivating it, care should be taken to maintain a temperature above 15°C and to frequently spray water on the branches and leaves to increase the necessary humidity. In late autumn and winter, on the other hand, care should be taken to do a good job of overwintering cold protection and frost protection management.