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Braided Money Trees

14 years ago

I wasn't sure where to post this as this is sold as a house plant but do MUCH better outdoors . I've always been interested in those huge 6 ft tall money trees at Home Depot . My concern is long term conditions , will the braided trunks choak each other or do they mend or grow together like the braided ficus ?

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Comments (9)

greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
14 years ago
They can eventually fuse together....
However, I find that braided Pachira aquatica usually develop rot in the trunks, leading to a lingering demise. This needn't be the case, of course; but Pachira are so often grown in miserable conditions (poor soil and insufficient light) that you can't really blame them for taking the easy way out. ;-)

With a fast-draining mix, Pachira can be a very carefree and rewarding plant to grow.

I summer my Pachira outdoors, as well.

*I'm attaching a link to a Thread that's floated around the Forum for a few years.

Josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Sick looking braided Money Tree
houseplantlover
14 years ago
Damn, My Jades are ASS BACKWARDS. I had to re-pot my one, it will not stop growing! From day one I have used fish tank water..and it loves it and has the biggest, plumpest, greenest leaves EVER. All my succulents seem to grow in the winter. WHY do they do this?! I hope you got some answers for me
Related Discussions
Pachira aquatica (Braided Money Tree) soil type?
Q
Comments (6)
Howdy! Pachira aquatica will do well in a soil that drains quickly, indeed. Yes, you'll need to water more often during the growth season - but the trade-off is that the roots will be healthy and won't rot during the winter months. I'd make a 1:1:1 mix of bark, pumice, and perlite. Instead of pumice, you could also use Turface, or Napa diatomaceous earth, part #8822. These ingredients are similar in that they have a solid structure and great internal porosity (to hold moisture and nutrients). I use quartz gravel and perlite together - the gravel gives some weight to the mix, while providing excellent stability and air-circulation and while holding very little moisture. I've also read that rough, sharp grit in your mix will promote fine root-growth. The bark that I use is called Micro Bark: it is pine/fir bark. I screen my particles so that they are between 1/8 and 3/8 of an inch. Ideally, however, all of my ingredients would be just about 1/8 of an inch. This is the critical particle-size at which a container mix will retain moisture (under 1/8 holds water - over 1/8 gives up water). This is a general rule, assuming equally-sized particles. There are many ways to modify this basic blend to get the mix right for your growing conditions. Since Pachira aquatica (Malabar Chestnut) comes from wetland areas in South America, I have always assumed that it likes to be flooded...and then allowed to dry. Outside in partial shade, my Pachira is drying out every 2 - 3 days. During the winter in the house, I cut watering back to once a week (sometimes longer). Oh! Almost forgot a final piece of advice! Avoid the braided Pachira...in my opinion, they're nothing but trouble (often, one of the trunks is totally rotten from the start). A single trunk, with healthy foliage, will serve you better. Josh
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Braided Money Tree - Dying - Want to save some of it to repot
Q
Comments (4)
Try Houseplant and Container Forum for many, many Threads on Pachira aquatica. Pachira like well-draining soil, thorough watering, and lots of light. Mine is still outdoors, although it will be coming in soon....now that nights temps are dropping. Pachira is fairly easy to propagate from healthy cuttings. I just cut, and then stick the cutting in a container of bark-based potting mix. I have also propagated Pachira from the leaves. In fact, my Pachira was started from a leaf. Here she is today. Josh
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Braided Money Tree Problem
Q
Comments (12)
I've had a Pachira (Money tree) for many years now. Mine has a single trunk, that is about 3" in diameter now. It grows 6 to 7 feet per year, and obviously I have to cut it back every year. It is in a 10" pot, which is plenty big. You would be amazed at how small a rootball can support a big money tree. Mine sits in front of a southwest window, getting a lot of sun. Last year I moved it into a corner with little direct sun to try & curb the growth, but it still took off, but had slightly smaller leaves. As for watering, I treat mine as a tropical, NOT a semi-succulent. These trees grow in marshes and wetlands, so they like moisture. Just like any other plant though, they do NOT like to be wet, so a well drained mix is essential. If you let it dry up too much, you'll end up with browning leaves, which eventually drop. Basically I'll let mine dry up an inch or two on the top, then water. If you're using bagged peat based soil, you are prone to rotting issues, because odds are, the bottom and middle of the rootball will still be wet, while the top is dry. I have gotten a great response by using the 5-1-1 mix with my pachira, and a maintenance dose of foliage pro 9-3-6 every time I water. Sarina, can you describe your plant a bit more? Is it one of those cute little bonsai ones, in a pot with no drain holes?? Also, are you sure about the potting mix? Usually they fill the pot with peat mix, then top it off with gravel for looks. It can't be growing in all gravel, because it would either get NO water, or it is sitting in water filled gravel, which will rot it for sure. Garden Girl, I would advise against any misting. It actually does more harm than good by promoting fungus on the leaves, and if you are using tap water, the water evaporates, leaving behind all the minerals that are in the water. If you use softened water, there is salt that will stay on the leaves. If you have rot issues, and want to save the plant, now is the perfect time to act. Take the thing out of it's pot, and wash all the soil off of the roots. Cut any roots out that are brown and rotted. Look at the size of the rootball. Like Toni said, put it in a pot that is 2" bigger in diameter. The goal is to have an inch of free soil around the rootball. I would advise you to search up "5-1-1 mix", as this is ideal for money trees. Gritty mix would work too, but the watering is tricky, so I'd go with 5-1-1 to start. You'll also need to have a fertilizer program, if you don't already, because they'll fade away due to lack of nutrients. Good luck! Joe
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Sick looking braided Money Tree
Q
Comments (164)
You could be living in the sunniest desert ever, and that wouldn't matter if the plant was plopped down in a room with no windows-light can't penetrate walls the last time I checked :p I would slowly introduce it to the balcony-don't immediately shove it out. The leaves will sunburn and drop, and the plant will have to expend even more energy to grow more leaves. I would leave it out in the morning when the sunlight isn't at its strongest, and leave it there for an hour before bringing it back in. The next day, leave it there for two hours, then the next day for three hours, etc. until it gets used to the sun.
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houseplantlover
14 years ago
sorry that message was supposed to be seperate topic
birdsnblooms
14 years ago
Turtle, I'm unclear if you're asking whether or not a braided Pachira/Money Tree will continue braiding after it's brought home. If that's what you mean, the answer is no.
Braiding is done with soft wood, at a young age..Once it's hard, that's it.
Unless someone has discovered a way to continue braiding, I haven't heard how it'd it's done.

Josh. Pachiras are strange plants. I have two, one 10-yr old straight trunk, and a 5/6 yr-old braided. Although Pachiras are tropical, wetland plants, I now treat my two as succulents. Their potted in tiny containers, and water is given when soil is completely dry. Especially in winter. Even though they get little water in winter, they're evergreen, foliage is present year round.

In the past, I grew Pachira as a tropical..the results were devestating. Death.
To keep Pachira alive, 1. infrequent waterings especially in winter, 2. no fertilizer during winter, 3. once new growth appears, a low dose of chemical but preferably organic fertilizer. 4. Summer outdoors. 5. misting/showering foliage. 6. don't overpot.

BTW, this is what works best for my Pachiras. I tried growing as a tropical and succulent..the latter works for my two.
Experimenting is the only way you'll know which way works for you. Toni

Ironically, I bought the straight Pachira in a batch collection coined, Caudex plants. Because it was dormant upon arrival, I didn't know it was a Pachira..so treating as a succulent was done unintentionally. The thing is, it thrived.
The following spring when leaves sprouted, I figured it was Pachira.
bamboo_turtles
Original Author
14 years ago
Hopeful
this is my question , it was asked the very last part of the post .

will the braided trunks choak each other or do they mend or grow together like the braided ficus ?
birdsnblooms
14 years ago
Bamboo Turtle..Sorry, I see..duh, lol

There shouldn't be any problems with braids choking each other out..At least I've never seen, read or talked to anyone who dwelt with this problem.
With age, braids blend together, so much so, they're close fitting, looking quite natural.

I saw the 5-6' Braided Money, Schefflera and Ficus Trees at Home Depot a couple months ago. They were in good health and nicely braided.. You gonna get one? or two? lol..Toni
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
14 years ago
Hey, Bamboo, here's another helpful link on Pachira.
I'll see if I can dig up anything else on the subject.

Josh

Here is a link that might be useful: MALABAR CHESTNUT
bamboo_turtles
Original Author
14 years ago
Hopeful ,
Yes all the home depots have the braided money trees , ficus and Schefflera . The Schefflera looks kindof lame IMO , kindof boring . Money trees always look nice and then the ficus of course , I love all kinds of ficus and all shapes .
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
14 years ago
Bamboo, did I answer your question sufficiently?
Did the links provide any good information?

Josh

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