MONEY TREES - PACHIRA AQUATICA
Money trees prefer bright, indirect light and moderate-to-high humidity. Direct sunlight can lead to leaf-scorching, but the plants can do relatively well in low light. Exposure to too many drafts, though, may cause leaf loss. Heater vents and hot, dry air also need to be avoided.
If you can’t keep your money tree in a bright, steamy bathroom, make it a humidity-enhancing pebble tray by filling a shallow tray with small rocks, adding water to partially cover the rocks, and setting the plant on top.
How to Care for a Money Tree
To avoid root rot, a money tree needs a sandy, peat-moss-based soil and a pot with good drainage. Although it likes humidity in general, you should let its soil dry out between watering. A good schedule for most environments is to water when the top 2-4 inches of soil are dry. Water thoroughly, until water flows out the drainage holes of the pot, and pour out the excess from the tray so that the roots don’t sit in water.
During the growing season, fertilize once a month with a liquid plant food at half strength, but skip fertilizer in the winter.
SUNLIGHT
Money tree plants like a mix of direct and indirect sunlight. As with most houseplants, too much direct sun can scorch the leaves. To achieve the right balance with your money tree, turn or rotate it regularly for more even light distribution. Just make sure to not move it all over the place so as to not disturb it too much. Another thing of note? Money trees can handle fluorescent lighting, so you're safe to keep one in your office as long as you take adequate care of it.
WATER:
The best way to keep a money tree plant happy? Give it a good watering every one to two weeks, allowing the soil to dry in between. Of course, if your plant is getting more light, you'll also need to up its water intake so that it doesn't get too dried out. This is a plant that requires a lot of water but not all of the time.
