Step-by-Step Guide On How To Braid Money Tree Plant (Pachira Aquatica)
Pachira Aquatica is a tropical wetland tree. It is native to Central and South America, where it grows in swamps. This tropical tree is also known by its non-scientific names such as Malabar chestnut, French peanut, Guiana chestnut, and Provision tree, etc. But, it is commercially sold under the name Money tree and Money plant.
Money plants are gorgeous indoor plants that are considered symbols of good luck and prosperity. These plants have a unique look about them because of their frequently braided stems. The braids give the tree a unique, artistic appearance and add elegance and exotic charm to the plant while maximizing its beauty canopy.
In this article, we will learn how to braid Pachira Aquatica plants.
In This Article:
- What Do Money Trees Symbolise?
- Is It Necessary To Braid My Money Tree?
- Why Should You Braid Money Trees?
- When To Braid Money Trees?
- How Do You Braid A Money Tree?
- Do Braided Money Tree Grow Better?
- How To Prune Money Trees?
- How To Take Care Of Money Trees?
- How To Braid Money Tree: FAQs
- Conclusion
Braided money plants add a splendid look to your home and compliment almost every home decor. Introduce a touch of unique novelty by placing braided money plants in your garden and inside your home.
They are a beautiful and inexpensive accent to any home or office. If you seek to add a little extra life and greenery to your space, money tree plants are a unique and beautiful option. Before answering how do you braid a money tree, let us first understand what it symbolizes.
What Do Money Trees Symbolize?
The braided trunk of the money tree is believed to be able to trap fortune within its folds. The braided stems also add an aesthetic charm to the plant, making them look exotic, a pretty good reason to learn how to braid money trees.
Today considered symbols of luck and prosperity; money trees were first cultivated in the 1980s in Taiwan. It quickly became popular in Japan and East Asia and became associated with the Chinese practice of Feng Shui.
The five leaves seen on each stalk are believed to represent the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and metal. And if you happen to find a money tree plant featuring a stalk with seven leaves – a significant rarity – it is considered to be even luckier.
Is It Necessary To Braid My Money Tree?
If you prefer the more natural look of money trees, you can rest assured that braiding the plant is not necessary and only a personal choice for beautification.
But for those who would like to know how to braid money tree plants, here is an excellent opportunity to learn.
Why Should You Braid Money Trees?
While the money tree branches do not naturally entwine themselves, the plant can sustain and tolerate braiding quite well. Braiding stems of plants and sapling trees can be an enjoyable way to elevate your skills as an amateur gardener. While braided plants can look incredibly elegant, learning how to braid money tree plants is much easier to accomplish than you might think. Read on further to know about when and how to braid Pachira Aquatica plants easily.
When To Braid Money Trees?
In braiding your money tree, your first step requires you to ensure that the money plant is young and supple. The shoots should reach about 14 inches in height before braiding. Otherwise, you would damage them.
Braiding the shoots before time can result in permanent retardation to the plant’s growth. It can cause the shoots to scar as well, which will remain even after the plant attains maturity. The money plant may be braided once the shoots are adequately long and there are at least 3-5 shoots growing.
All this information has made us ready to learn how to braid money tree plants. So, without further ado, let’s dig into:
How To Braid A 5 Stem Money Tree: Step-By-Step Process
Finally, we shall learn how to braid a 5 stem money tree plant.
- You will need to begin from the shoot base, where the plant stems start to emerge. If you are wondering how to braid a 5 stem money tree, take two shoots in each hand and keep the central shoot as it is. Now gently start making a normal French plait by twisting the money plant shoots over one another.
- You will have to lean over the plant as you attempt to braid the stems. This will help you to disentangle the plant’s leaves while you twist the shoots at the lower part of the plant with your hands. On reaching the leafy part, you will have to stop braiding by just a few inches. After that, you can secure the braid with some duct tape or a coir string.
- Ensure not to wind the string or the tape too tightly around the plant, thereby providing some breathing space.
- Once you have braided the plant, place two stakes on either side of the plant. This will give support to the plant and prevent it from leaning sideways. You can tie the shoots with the stake by using a string.
- Re-braiding the money plant should be done only after a few months have passed and the plant shoot has grown taller. Several months may pass before you can resume the braid. When the new money tree grows at least 6-8 inches, remove the string and extend the braid a little more.
- Undo the string or duct tape and braid the new plant parts that have grown. Repeat the whole procedure of tying the braid with a little more coir string. You might have to replace the older stakes with new and longer ones. Ensure that the braid is somewhat loose. This allows enough distance between each successive crossing of branches to prevent the plant from snapping.
We hope that we have answered your question ‘how to braid money tree plants’ with the step by step process. We are certain that our guide on ‘how to braid a 5 stem money tree’ will help you braid your money plant.
Do Braided Money Trees Grow Better?
Now that you have learned how to braid money tree plants, let’s look at the growth process of money trees.
Remember to re-pot when the plant grows appreciably. The only way money trees can keep growing taller is if the root systems have room to expand. The money trees’ growth shall level off at a certain point when it’s between 3 feet and 6 feet tall. You may cap the plants’ growth by keeping them in the same pot. When the money plant reaches the size you desire, you may do away with the stakes and undo the string.
How To Prune Money Trees?
Money trees also need pruning on a regular basis. Firstly, you will need to be careful for any dead, damaged, or dying leaves and snip off those. The best means to do so is to use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shear. Ensure that you wipe them off between cuts and clip the plant just past a node.
You may also prune them to be a specific shape if you like – money tree plants are traditionally round on top, but you may also let your plant do its own thing and only prune problematic parts to keep your plant thriving.
You may also choose to prune your plant to keep it small if you’d like, as money tree plants can grow quite tall, as tall as 60 feet in their natural habitats.
How To Take Care Of Money Trees?
An important point to remember is that Pachira Aquatica plants don’t easily tolerate changes to their environments, for example, being re-potted into new planters or moving to new locations. These kinds of changes can lead to “shock.” Although plants cannot respond to changes in their environments the way we can, they can sense those changes, such as different lighting conditions.
A plant may start to have a wilted look with shedding its leaves, or maybe stop growing altogether at a standard rate as a response to its changing environment.
The roots might also appear to be unhealthy because of all the nudging in the transplanting process. This will also mean that the plant may take care of the roots more than the entire plant body.
You must know that this is perfectly normal. Do not make the mistake of overwatering or using excessive fertilizer – that will only make the plant’s health worsen.
However, if the plant’s appearance does not change after some time, you must ensure that you’re doing everything right. If you have been consistent in the plant’s proper care, the condition will surely turn around in a few weeks. Do make sure to monitor it daily.
Watering:
Since money tree plants need a lot of water all at once, they can also be prone to root rot. Root rot occurs when there’s too much water in your plant, causing the roots to decay and die. Ensure that when you’re watering your plant, you don’t see any extra water sitting in the saucer under the drainage holes—if you do, clear it out to avoid root rot.
Your best option is to use a pot that isn’t too big and must be one with excellent drainage. Put it on a saucer that you can easily remove and dump out if it fills up with water.
Pests:
Money tree plants also attract pests like aphids and mealybugs, but do not worry— you can apply neem oil to the soil to repel any pests and remove aphids with water. These pests can cause really critical damage to your plant, so make sure you deal with them as soon as you see them avoid losing, drooping, and dying leaves.
How To Braid Money Trees: FAQs
1. Is It Too Late To Braid My Money Tree?
It is not advisable to braid an older plant as its stems would simply be unable to bear the force being exerted on them. They are likely to snap under pressure, being no longer as flexible as they used to be when they were young shoots. It is best to learn how to braid Pachira Aquatica when the plant is still young with appropriate shoot growth.
2. How Do You Take Care Of A Money Tree Braid?
Keep in mind the following points to take proper care of your plant:
- Note that you keep the pace of braiding as well as re-braiding slow so that you don’t stress out the plant.
- If you unwittingly break a branch during the braiding process, put the two ends back together right away, and wrap the seam using some duct tape. In about a month’s duration, the plant should have healed, and you may remove the tape.
- Once the plant reaches a satisfactory height, you can remove the stakes and the strings and allow the plant to grow freely. By then, the shoots should have hardened up, and the braid would also become fairly permanent.
3. Why Are Money Trees Braided?
Money trees are braided because the braided trunk is believed to trap fortune within its folds. The braided stems also add an aesthetic charm to the plant, making them look exotic, another pretty good reason to braid money tree plants.
4. Where Should You Place A Money Tree?
A money tree kept indoors must be located at a place where it may receive bright, indirect light all through the day. Remember that money trees are tropical plants, and while they can acclimatize to receive less light to a degree, they will still need an appreciable amount of light. Keep your money plant in a room where it’ll get plenty of sunlight.
For example, living rooms are one of the most suitable places to keep your money tree.
If you plant a money tree outdoors, make sure you plant it in a location where it gets plenty of sun during part of the day and partial shade during the rest. It will have a greater survival chance if it is not somewhere it’s exposed to a lot of hot wind. As the money tree is more of a tropical plant, it likes humidity, not dry air.
Regardless of whether you plant it inside or outside, plant it in soil that drains well. This, you may accomplish by mixing the soil with perlite, sand, or peat moss. If you decide to have the plant indoors, ensure that you water it only when the top two to four inches of soil become dry to minimize root rot chances.
5. Can I Put A Money Tree In My Bedroom?
It would be best if you did not keep it near the head or foot of your bed, but apart from that, money trees are a great plant to place in bedrooms. Not only do they help attract wealth and prosperous energy, but they also help to lower anxiety and encourage healthier sleep.
Conclusion
We hope that we were able to answer your question – how do you braid a money tree? Aside from their benefits as decor and symbolism of luck and prosperity, money trees have shown to have superb air cleaning properties, especially when it comes to synthetic cleaners and toxins. This makes the money tree a prime example of flora that can keep the air clean and toxin-free.
We hope this article helped teach you all about how to braid money tree plants and a few more exciting things about them.
