Money trees are sold for their beautifully braided trunks, their bonsai shape, or as a good luck charm that bring wealth and prosperity to the space. It’s no wonder this plant appeals to so many different people! But now the question becomes… how do I keep my money tree alive?!?! Because a dead money tree definitely won’t be bringing you any of its good luck charm! So here is what you need to know to properly care for your money tree!
Don’t have one of these awesome plants yet?! You can get one here!
**Note: This post contains affiliate links, which if purchased, I will receive a portion of the profits. This helps me to keep providing awesome information to all of you!**
Just to be clear… in this post, we are talking about the money tree, Pachira aquatica. There are two other plants that are commonly referred to as a money tree. These are jade plants, and Chinese money tree plants, or Pilea peperomioides.
Money Tree Plant Care: Light Requirements
Money trees are some of the best indoor plants due to the fact that they aren’t very picky when it comes to lighting. Try to give them bright, indirect light, but they will do okay in lower light settings as well, especially during the winter when the plant isn’t actively growing. Just be sure to keep it out of hot, direct sunlight. Money tree leaves are sensitive to direct sunlight and will easily burn. If your leaves are looking pale, white, and wrinkled on the edges, this is a sign of too much sunlight and you should immediately move it to a location with less sunlight.
Money Tree Plant Care: Water Requirements
Money tree is sensitive to root rot. This means that it doesn’t like being wet for too long without having a chance to dry out its roots. So to keep it happy, only water your plant once the top several inches of the soil is dry (more or less depending on how big your pot is). Then water thoroughly. Also make sure that your pot has good drainage to help it to dry out quickly in between waterings. But if your plant is still wet a week after watering, then you’ll need to increase your drainage, as well as add water in smaller amounts.
Money Tree Plant Care: Additional Tips
The last thing that I need to address is that money trees NEED high humidity. This can be achieved in several ways. You can either grow it in a group of several other high-humidity plants, spray it often, or purchase and use a humidifier nearby. You can also place it on a tray of pebbles that is filled with water. All of these methods can be used to boost humidity levels. And just like palm trees, if a money tree isn’t getting enough humidity, it’s leaf tips will start to turn brown. This is the plant’s signal that you need to increase the humidity.
Also, if you move your plant (like when you first bring your plant home), it might drop some leaves simply due to the change in environment. Because of this, try not to move your plant once it gets settled. And if you’ve recently moved your plant, then don’t be surprised by a few leaves dropping.
I hope these money tree plant care tips help you to keep your plant alive and healthy for years to come! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below! I love hearing from all of you! And for some plant inspiration, check out my list of easy, low-maintenance plants!
Happy Digging!