Houseplant · Malvaceae
Money Tree
Pachira aquatica
Forgiving, pet-safe, and happy in bright corners, the money tree asks for little and grows fast.
Bright indirect
64–75°F · 18–24°C
USDA 10–12
6–8 ft · 1.8–2.4 m
Overview
The money tree, Pachira aquatica, comes from the wetlands of Mexico and Central and South America, where it grows into a real tree. As a houseplant it stays a manageable 6 to 8 feet (183 to 244 cm) tall, with glossy hand-shaped leaves fanning out from the top of a slim trunk. Most are sold with several trunks braided together, a look that growers create by hand rather than one the plant makes on its own.
It earned its place indoors by being easy to keep alive. The plant tolerates lower light than many houseplants, grows fast when it's happy, and shrugs off the odd missed watering far better than a soggy one. It also belongs to the short list of houseplants that are genuinely safe around cats, dogs, and small children.
The main thing it asks is bright, filtered light and a watering routine that doesn't leave it standing in water. Get those two right and the rest is forgiving. Push it into harsh sun or a permanently wet pot, and you'll see dropped leaves or rotted roots in short order.
Care
The short version: give it bright indirect light, water once the top of the soil dries, keep it warm and humid, and never let the pot sit in standing water.
Light
Money trees want bright, indirect light, the kind near a window but out of the direct beam. They cope with medium light and even some shade, which is why they survive in dim rooms, but the brightest spot short of harsh sun gives the best growth.
Water
Let the top of the soil dry between waterings, then water thoroughly. The plant hates wet feet far more than dry ones, and standing water is the fastest way to rot the roots. Let it run too dry, though, and it answers by dropping leaves.
Soil
Use a moist but well drained potting mix, something with peat, perlite, and a little loam or sand so water passes through. The plant isn't fussy about pH, handling anything from 6.0 to 8.0.
Temperature
Keep it in ordinary room warmth, between 64°F and 75°F (18°C to 24°C). It's a tropical plant with no tolerance for cold, so keep it away from chilly drafts and frosty windows in winter.
Humidity
This is a tropical plant that likes high humidity. Average indoor air will do, but it grows better with extra moisture, so group it with other plants or set it near a humidifier in a dry, heated room.
Feeding
Feed monthly with a balanced houseplant fertilizer through spring and summer while it's actively growing. Ease off in fall and winter, when growth slows and the plant needs far less.
Pruning
Prune to keep the size and shape you want; the plant takes it well. The flexible young stems are also what growers braid together while they're still pliable, so any braiding has to happen while the trunks are young and bendy.
Repotting
Repot every 1 to 2 years, or sooner if roots start circling the pot or pushing out the drainage holes. Water draining straight through and growth that stalls are the other signs it's ready for a bigger home.
Size & spacing
Grown indoors, a money tree reaches about 6 to 8 feet (183 to 244 cm) tall, though it stays far smaller in a modest pot. Give it room overhead and a quarter turn now and then so it grows evenly toward the light.
Troubleshooting
Money trees are hardy, and almost every problem traces back to water or light. Dropped leaves, soft roots, and scorched patches each tell you something specific. Match what you see below and adjust before a small slip turns serious.
Wilting plant with soft, brown roots
Root rot sets in when the soil stays wet and the roots can't breathe. You'll find them brown and mushy with a sour smell, and the top of the plant wilts even though the soil is soaked. Slide the plant out, cut away every rotted root, and repot into fresh, well drained mix in a pot that actually drains.
Fix:
- Remove from wet soil and cut away rotted roots
- Repot into fresh well-drained mix in a pot with drainage
- Water only after the top of the soil dries
Leaves turning yellow and dropping
A money tree sheds leaves when its watering swings too far in either direction. Soil that goes bone dry is the usual culprit, but soggy, waterlogged roots cause the same result, and a sudden move to a darker or draftier spot can trigger it too. Settle the plant in one place, water once the top of the soil dries, and feed lightly through the growing season.
Fix:
- Adjust watering so the top of the soil dries between waterings but the rootball is never bone-dry or waterlogged
- Stabilize the plant's location and light exposure
- Raise ambient humidity and feed during the growing season if nutrient-deficient
Sticky leaves, cottony tufts, or gnats around the soil
Indoor money trees draw the usual sap suckers. Watch for the cottony masses of mealybugs, the small bumps of scale, clustered aphids, or fungus gnats hovering over damp soil. Wipe or wash the pests off, treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil if they persist, and let the soil surface dry out to break the gnats' cycle.
Fix:
- Wipe off or wash off pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil as needed
- Let soil surface dry to discourage fungus gnats
Bleached or browned patches on the leaves
Direct sun burns a money tree, leaving bleached or browned patches on the foliage that faces the window. The plant wants bright but filtered light, not the harsh midday rays. Move it back from the glass or behind a sheer curtain, and trim off the worst of the scorched leaves.
Fix:
- Move to a spot with bright indirect light or filtered sun
- Remove badly scorched leaves
Toxicity
Good news for pet owners and parents: the money tree is safe across the board. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, and no toxic principle has been identified in the plant. You can set it on the floor next to a curious dog or a toddler without a second thought.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
The ASPCA lists the money tree as non-toxic to cats, with no toxic principle identified. A curious cat that nibbles a leaf has nothing to fear.
Dogs None
Dogs are safe around this plant too. The ASPCA names it non-toxic to dogs, so a stolen leaf or a chewed stem won't poison them, though a big mouthful of any greenery can still upset a sensitive stomach.
Horses None
The ASPCA clears the money tree for horses as well. There's no toxic compound to worry about if one takes a bite.
Rabbits Safe
Nothing in a money tree threatens a rabbit. It carries no toxic principle, so the worst a stray nibble brings is a bit of digestive grumbling from the unfamiliar leaf.
Livestock Safe
Grazing animals such as goats and sheep face no poisoning from this plant, which holds no identified toxin.
Birds Safe
Pet birds can share a room with a money tree without risk, since none of its parts are toxic to them.
People Safe
The money tree is safe to keep around children, with no toxic compound identified. Its large seeds are even eaten in parts of its native range, so a leaf in a small hand is no cause for alarm.
How to propagate
You can make more money trees from cuttings, fresh seed, or air layering, though cuttings are the route most people take since the plant rarely sets seed indoors.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks to root
Take softwood or stem cuttings in spring or summer, while the plant is in active growth. Stand them somewhere warm and humid, and the roots come in over several weeks. Warmth and steady moisture make the difference between a cutting that takes and one that sulks.
SeedModerate
When fresh seed is available · Germinates readily from fresh seed
The large saba nuts sprout easily when the seed is fresh, so sow them as soon as you have them. The catch is that houseplants rarely flower, and a plant that doesn't flower won't set seed, which is why most people propagate from cuttings instead.
Air layeringModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks
Air layering is the third route, best done in spring or summer. You wound a section of stem, wrap it to keep it moist, and roots form on the living plant over several weeks before you cut the new plant free.
Myths
The braided trunk of a money tree grows that way naturally.
The plant never twists itself into a braid on its own. Growers weave the young stems together by hand while they're still soft and pliable, then the trunks fuse as they thicken. The braid is a nursery trick, not a natural growth form.
A money tree will flower and reward you indoors.
Pachira aquatica almost never blooms as a houseplant, and a braided specimen even less so. It saves its showy flowers for plants grown outdoors over several years. Indoors, you keep it for the glossy leaves, not the blossoms.