Money trees, or Pachira Aquatica, are popular for their distinctive “braided” trunk and graceful, oblong leaves. Money tree care is also easy! They stay at a manageable size indoors but can grow up to 60 feet tall in their native habitat in Central and South America.
Many consider these trees to be luck and bring financial success, and they’re very popular with feng shui practitioners because they sprout five leaves at the end of each stem. (Five is an important number in feng shui).
​
Frequency:
​
Every 7 to 10 days.
​
Soaking:
​
Depending on the size of your kokedama, fill a bowl, bucket or sink with room temperature water.
Place your kokedama in the water, plant side up. Push the moss ball down so that it is fully submerged and begins to absorb water. Allow to soak for 10-25 minutes, or until fully saturated with water.
Note: We use rainwater. If you use tap water, we recommend letting a bucket of water seat outside for at least 8 hours at daylight while the chlorine evaporates.
​
Humidity:
​
These plants grow in tropical wetlands, so they LOVE humidity. Keep them away from heating/cooling vents and space heaters. You may also want to keep a humidifier in the room where your money tree lives or place it on a pebble tray.
To make a pebble tray, simply fill a shallow tray with pebbles and water and sit the plant on top. Don’t let the kokedama touch the water.
​
​
Light:
​
Money trees prefer bright, indirect sunlight. Place them near a sunny window but not directly in the sun’s rays. They also do well in slightly lower light, so don’t stress if you don’t have the absolute perfect place for it.
It’s also a good idea to rotate your plant with every watering so the leaves all get a little light.
​
Temperature:
​
Money trees do NOT like to be cold, so keep them well away from drafts. Otherwise, they may drop their leaves. 65-80 degrees is their happy place.
​
Feeding:
​
During spring and summer, fertilize your kokedama monthly with a liquid indoor plant fertilizer at 1/2 the recommended concentration. Simply mix the fertilizer into the water and soak as usual.
​
Leaf Browning
​
Money trees are susceptible to over- and under-watering just like any other potted plant. Leave browning and crisping around edges tend to indicate under-watering. A brown "mushiness" of the leaves or stems, black stems at the base, and leaf-yellowing tend to indicate over-watering. Remember; all plants require less water during dormancy (in fall and winter,) and more during periods of active growth (in spring and summer.)
​