Money Tree Pictures: Get to Know This Auspicious Indoor Green Plant

The money tree, botanically known as Pachira aquatica (Malabar chestnut), is an evergreen small tree in the Malvaceae family. Because its name carries an auspicious ring, it is often placed in living rooms, offices and shops. The money tree pictures commonly seen online are mostly potted specimens in which several slender trunks have been braided into a plait, topped with whorls of glossy palm-shaped compound leaves, giving the plant an upright and spirited form.

From clear photos you can make out its typical features: the leaflets usually number five to nine, are long and oval in shape, with smooth surfaces and a deep green color; the stem is thick and swollen and can store a good deal of water, which is why it is fairly drought tolerant. When choosing one, it helps to look at several real photos and check whether the leaves have spots or dry tips and whether the stem is firm; these details are usually obvious in the pictures.

Many people cannot tell the money tree apart from the schefflera, since both have palmately arranged leaves. Comparing pictures makes the difference clear: the schefflera's leaflets are smaller and denser and the plant's form is looser, while the money tree's leaflets are broad and glossy and its main trunk is thick and conspicuous. Comparing pictures is the most intuitive way to distinguish these two plants.

As for care, the money tree fears waterlogging rather than drought, so it is safer to water only after the potting soil has dried out completely, and in winter you should also keep it warm. The best spot is one with bright indirect light; long periods of shade or harsh sun are both bad for growth. Many people are won over by a picture and take a plant home, only to trip up by watering too often, which causes root rot and yellow leaves, so this point deserves special attention.