Money Tree is recognized by the scientific name of Pachira Aquatica, it is a tree native to the swampy areas of Mexico and the north of Brazil and Peru. Learn all about Pachira Aquatica care in this article.
This sculptural plant has the peculiarity that its trunks can be braided as it grows and ends up complementing its beautiful and lush foliage of palmate leaves.
Table of Contents
How to Care for a Pachira Aquatica
Location – Light
Pachira Aquatica is an evergreen tree that can easily exceed 23 ft (7 m) in height if the climate is favorable and if it is planted in soil. In a pot, it will not grow so much, but for it to be healthy it is very important to place it in a room with a lot of natural light, better if it is an interior patio, and far from cold and warm air currents. Does not tolerate frost.
Pachira Aquatica Care: Watering
Watering is fundamental, but so is doing it well; that is, watering the soil (not the leaves) and only when necessary. How do you know when it is time to water? It is very simple. To do this we can do any of these things:
Introduce a thin wooden stick to the bottom. If when extracting it comes out with a lot of adhered earth, we will not water.
Weigh the pot once watered and again after a few days. As the humid earth weighs more than the dry one, we can be guided by this difference of weight to know when it is due to water.
For spraying, I do not recommend it except in summer and if the plant is healthy. If it is any other season of the year and/or if it is sick, spraying will only harm it. In any case, it is preferable to increase the ambient humidity around it by placing glasses with water around it or a humidifier, thus preventing fungus.
Fertilizing Pachira Aquatica
The Pachira needs “food” to do well. If we take this into account, we will fertilize it from early spring to late summer with liquid guano following the indications specified on the product package. This way it will be in good condition.
In our Pachira we use the fertilizer mentioned below.
- 🌿 VIBRANT GROWTH — Fertilizing Your Money Tree Leads to More Growth, AND a Deeper Colors
- 🍎 STURDY PLANTS — Filled With Essential Nutrients that Your Pachira Aquatica Tree Needs to Stay Robust And Strong
- 👨🍳 SPECIALLY FORMULATED — NPK and Instructions Are Specific To Containerized Money Trees
Repotting – Every Two to Three Years
When we acquire a plant we usually fall into the error of thinking that it can be in the same pot forever, but this is not so. The substrate has nutrients, but these are exhausted as the roots absorb them. If we intend to enjoy our tree for many years, we must change the pot every 2-3 years, in spring. We will choose a container with holes so that the roots do not rot.
Diseases and Parasites That Affect the Pachira Aquatica
Pachira is disease resistant and is usually a plant that is often attacked by mealybugs in the spring months, so what you need to do is spray it with soapy water.
If the leaves suddenly fall off, the air is likely too dry. In this case, you should move the plant away from the sun and water it well without leaving water in the secondary container.
