What to Do When a Money Tree's Leaves Turn Yellow? Only Treating the Root Cause Can Truly Solve the Problem

After a money tree (Pachira aquatica) has been grown for some time, its leaves turn yellow, which affects its appearance and, even more, your mood. So what should you do when a money tree's leaves turn yellow? It is said that there are as many as 10 causes of yellowing leaves on a money tree, and if you apply remedies blindly, the problem of yellowing leaves may remain unsolved.

Yellowing leaves on a money tree can be said to be a common situation, and it is closely related to improper care during cultivation.

1. Improper watering

The money tree likes a warm and humid climate environment, and the potting soil is best kept moist, but when grown indoors the potting soil is generally not watered until it is dry, and when watered it should be watered thoroughly. This is because if you do not water thoroughly and only wet the top while the bottom stays dry, nutrient absorption will be affected, causing the leaves to become dull and lusterless and gradually turn yellow and drop from the bottom upward. In this situation, you need to water lightly and spray water frequently so that it gradually recovers, and then return to normal watering.

2. Unsuitable light

The money tree likes light, but it is not tolerant of strong direct light, and semi-shade or scattered light is best; only in winter does it need better light conditions to grow well. Starting in late April, you can choose a sunny and warm noon to move the pot outdoors or onto a balcony to receive direct sunlight for 1-2 hours, then gradually extend the time, which will give very good growing results. If it is kept in shade or in a dim place for a long time, the leaves will turn yellow and drop, and in severe cases the plant may even die.

3. Damage from pests and diseases

Leaf spot disease is a common disease of the money tree. Garlic juice can be sprayed to disinfect it. As for pests, the main problems are red spider mites and scale insects. To deal with red spider mites, you can use miticides such as manjing, kemany, and dicofol for effective control. For scale insects, when there are few, you can wipe them clean with a strip of cloth, because scale insects die as soon as they leave the plant; when there are many, you can spray a 0.2% solution of essential balm or laundry detergent for control.

4. Too much fertilizer

During the suitable temperature period for the money tree's growth, fertilizer should be applied regularly to ensure vigorous growth of the plant; generally, a light fertilizer is applied once about every 20 days, and when repotting, decomposed base fertilizer should be added. However, if too much fertilizer is applied, or if the fertilizer applied is not decomposed, it will cause root burn in the money tree, resulting in yellowing and dropping leaves.

5. Dust on the leaf surface

If the dust on the leaf surface is too thick, it not only affects the appearance but also affects the plant's respiration and photosynthesis, thereby causing the leaves to turn yellow. The dust should be wiped off promptly.

6. Incorrect soil-changing operation

When changing the soil, improper operation can also cause the money tree's leaves to turn yellow. When changing the soil for a money tree, try to damage the roots as little as possible; the added medium should be sterile, breathable, fertile, and slightly acidic, and the potting soil should also be filled in firmly without leaving gaps. If there are gaps, no matter how much water is given to the plant, water deficiency will still occur, thus causing the leaves to turn yellow.

7. Low ambient temperature

The money tree likes a warm and humid environment, and its suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. When the temperature is below 18°C, the money tree stops growing; it can also adapt to temperatures as low as 10°C, but the temperature must not be lower than 5°C, otherwise freezing damage will occur, with mild cases showing yellowing and dropping leaves and severe cases leading to death.

8. Hot and high temperatures

For a money tree, which likes a warm and humid environment, if it is placed under high temperatures and exposed to strong sun, the plant's transpiration will be excessive, and the roots will not be able to supply enough water and nutrients, very easily causing scorched leaf tips or yellowing and dropping leaves; it needs to be moved promptly to a well-ventilated, cool place.

9. Too dense and poorly ventilated

If the money tree's branches and leaves grow too luxuriantly and are not pruned for a long time, the inner branches and leaves will lack light, very easily causing yellowing and dropping leaves; pruning should be strengthened promptly to allow ventilation and light penetration.

10. Soil and water tending toward alkaline

In most areas of the north, the soil and water contain relatively more salt and alkali and are not very suitable for planting the acid-loving money tree, because the soil lacks iron elements that it can absorb, so the money tree's leaves will gradually turn yellow. Therefore, when planting, attention should be paid to choosing acidic soil, and during the growth period, alum fertilizer water should be applied frequently.

When a money tree is grown indoors, its growing environment has changed, so we need to create a suitable environment for its growth. This is the fundamental way to prevent and treat yellowing leaves on a money tree.