Grow money tree in bright filtered light, and water when the mix is nearly dry. Money tree is Pachira aquatica, also sold as Guiana chestnut — a palmate indoor tree, often with several young trunks braided together.
Give it bright filtered light, and water when the mix is nearly dry
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Bright filtered light; gentle morning sun is fine | Do not sit it in hot afternoon glass |
| Water | Water when the top inch or two of mix is dry, then empty the saucer | Do not leave the pot standing in water |
| Mix | Houseplant mix that holds moisture and still drains | Do not use garden soil, or a pot with no hole |
| Room | A warm room, away from vents and cold drafts | Do not move it from room to room every week |
| Humidity | Average home air; a pebble tray if leaf edges crisp | Do not soak the trunk at every watering |
Money tree is a tropical wetland tree sold as a houseplant. Indoors it usually stays about six to eight feet. Give it bright filtered light and a mix that drains, and do not leave water in the saucer. [1] Water thoroughly when the top inch or two feels dry, wait a few minutes, then empty the dish. Let the mix nearly dry before the next watering, but do not let the roots go bone-dry for days. [2]
- Set it in a bright room, not against hot afternoon glass. Gentle morning sun is fine. Rotate the pot when you water so the canopy does not lean.
- Feel the mix an inch or two down. If it is dry, water until the extra runs out, then empty the saucer.
- Keep it in a warm room, off a heating vent, an air-conditioner, and a cold door. A sudden move often drops leaves; pick one good spot and leave it there.
How much light does money tree need?
Bright filtered light. Gentle morning sun is fine. Hot afternoon glass scorches the leaflets.
How often should I water it?
When the top inch or two of mix is dry. Empty the saucer. A weekly clock is a guess, not a rule.
Why are the leaves yellow?
Wet mix that never dries, or a pot sitting in a saucer of water, is the usual cause. Let the mix dry, then water thoroughly and empty the dish. [3]
Cut above a leaf node in spring, and do not cut into the braid
Cut long stems in spring, when the plant is growing hard again. Use clean shears and cut about half an inch above a leaf, so new shoots start there. Do not cut into the braided section of trunks. [4]
- Wait for spring unless you are only taking off a dead or yellow leaf. You can snip dead leaves any day.
- Choose a long, thin stem above the braid. Cut about half an inch above a healthy leaf or a node.
- Take no more than about a third of the foliage in one session. A hard cut on a struggling plant drops more leaves.
- Do not cut into the braid. Nip sprouts that push from the base or from between the trunks if you want to keep that form.
If the canopy has stretched, move the pot into brighter filtered light first, then shorten the long stems. A cut in a dim corner just makes weak new shoots. For a new plant from a cutting, see How to Propagate Money Tree.
Can I cut the braid shorter?
No. Shorten the free stems above the braid. Cutting into the braided trunks can kill one of the plants in the pot.
Not a Chinese money plant — and not a jade plant
Chinese money plant is Pilea, with round coin leaves on thin stems and no woody braid. See How to Grow Chinese Money Plant if that is the tag you bought.
Jade plant is Crassula, a succulent with thick, oval leaves. It wants a dry mix and a long wait between waterings. See How to Grow Jade Plant if the leaves feel fleshy.
Shops also say money plant for pothos, a trailing vine with heart-shaped leaves. See How to Grow Pothos if the stems climb or trail. ZZ plant is sometimes sold as a money tree too; it stores water in rhizomes and wants a much drier pot. See How to Grow ZZ Plant if the stems are thick and waxy.
Is this the same as a Chinese money plant?
No. Chinese money plant is Pilea, with round coin leaves. Money tree has palmate leaflets and a woody trunk, often braided.
Is jade plant a money tree?
No. Jade is a succulent. Money tree is a tropical tree that wants a mix that dries on top, not a cactus mix left dry for weeks.
Is Chinese money tree a different plant?
No. Chinese money tree is another shop name for this plant. It is not the coin-leaf Chinese money plant.
Set the next pot in bright filtered light, water when the mix is nearly dry, and empty the saucer. Cut above a leaf node in spring if the top has stretched.
FAQ
Are there other kinds of money tree?
The shop card here is Pachira aquatica. Braided or single-trunk plants are the same species. Some trade plants are tagged as a close cousin; indoor care is the same.
Can I put it outdoors?
A summer patio in bright shade is fine while nights stay mild. Bring it in before nights fall into the mid-40s. In the ground it is a large wetland tree only where frost never hits.
Will it flower indoors?
Almost never. Outdoor trees may flower after several years. Braided houseplants usually stay in leaf.
Is it safe around cats and dogs?
It is listed as non-toxic, but chewing can still upset a stomach. Keep pets from eating the leaves.
Should I unbraid the trunks?
No. The braid is several young plants already trained. Do not force woody trunks into a new braid.
Does it bring luck?
That is a shop story, not a care step. Give it bright filtered light and empty the saucer.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pachira-aquatica/ - [2] New York Botanical Garden -
https://libguides.nybg.org/pachira - [3] HGTV -
https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/how-to-grow-and-care-for-a-money-tree-plant - [4] Costa Farms -
https://costafarms.com/blogs/plant-finder/money-tree
This note is part of Pachira Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors