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Money Tree Plant Care: Bringing Health & Vitality To Your Home

Money Tree Plant Care: Bringing Health & Vitality To Your Home

The money tree, also known by its many names such as wild kapok tree, saba nut, pumpo, monguba, provision tree, Guiana chestnut, French peanut, and Malabar chestnut has long been a staple houseplant for practitioners of Feng Shui since the 1980s. It’s also a popular gift for East Asians whether it’s for business purposes or personal affairs.  Favored for its symbolism of prosperity, it is believed that its famous braided trunk ensnares fortune and positive energy inside its folds. Even the number of its leaves come with special symbols—with five leaves embodying the perfect balance of all elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and metal while the rare seven leaves are thought to bring about an immense stroke of luck to the owner.  Whether you believe or practice the art of Feng Shui, the money tree has a lot up on its sleeves or rather folds when it comes to benefits and advantages that it brings to your home. As a highly rated NASA-certified air purifier and ASPCA-certified pet-friendly plant [it’s still best to keep it away from pets], it’s already ushering harmonizing energy forces between individuals and their surrounding indoor environment. 

Where To Place Your Money Tree

According to Feng Shui practices, to best promote abundance and positive energy within the home, it is best placed in the southeast corner. Another ideal placement is the south or west-facing window as it prefers bright, indirect light [adaptable to moderate light]. It’s also recommended to rotate the pot at least once a week to maintain its upright growing position.  Another important reminder is to keep it away from heater vents, hot and dry air, and cold drafts from windows during the winter season or in colder regions to keep its leaves in good condition. 

 How To Keep Money Tree Thriving 

The money plant requires moderate to high humidity with the best temperatures ranging from 65 to 80 degrees. You can enhance the humidity it needs by setting the plant on top of a saucer with pebbles and water. As for providing the right light conditions, using a LED grow light can be used instead.  A sandy, peat-moss-based soil with a good drainage pot is best used to prevent its roots from rotting. To complement, watering should be done when the top 2-4 inches of the soil are dry. While it needs infrequent watering, thorough watering is vital. Make sure to let the water run through the drainage holes, remove excess water from its tray and dry out between watering.  Every two weeks fertilization using a liquid plant food diluted in half-strength is also ideal. In its growing season during spring and summer, it’s recommended to only fertilize once a month while you need to leave out this part of the routine during winter.  Be cautious of overwatering and too much sun and spray it with horticultural oil if it suffers from aphids, mealybugs or scale insects. 

How To Cultivate Your Money Tree

The money tree rarely needs pruning, but it’s still a suggested practice to keep in your routine to remove any damaged part or leaves.  To propagate, use pruning shears and cut a stem tip with at least two leaf nodes then steep the cut end part in hormone rooting powder before placing it in a potting mix. Regularly mist the cut roots to maintain moisture in the soil for about four (4) weeks.  Repotting in a clean peat mixture is advised every two years as the money tree doesn’t like to be moved around a lot.  During summer, you can place it outside in an area with dappled light, so its leaves won’t burn. Make sure to bring it back indoors before nighttime but spray neem oil first to avert any possible pests.  If you’re feeling adventurous, you can have some fun by starting your own money tree from seeds or cuttings. It’s also useful to tie a string around the top of the trunks to keep it twisted together as it grows.   
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