I have three of them in my house! Although you don’t want to go overboard when you first start pruning your Money Tree, you can rest assured that many people have done significant pruning on this plant in the past with excellent results. This keeps the plant looking tidy and focuses its energy and resources on healthy new growth. A money tree, also known as a "Good Luck Tree," is a plant that is said to bring positive energy to a space and thought to be good luck for money. To maintain a healthy appearance by removing old, damaged, or dead growth: Regularly removing any yellowing or dry pieces of this plant is part of maintenance pruning, which I’ll cover in more detail below. Will it regrow? Most pruning is meant to improve or maintain the Money Tree’s appearance, although (as you will see below) some types of pruning are intended to benefit the plant’s health. Money trees should be pruned if they start to grow too tall or wide for their pots. The money tree plant, technically called Pachira aquatica or Malabar chestnut, gets its nickname from its use in feng shui as a money attractor. For pruning thicker stems and trunks: Fiskars Steel Pruning Shears, For detailed maintenance pruning and shaping: Fiskars Pruning Scissors, For disinfecting cutting tools before pruning: 70% Rubbing Alcohol, For replacing soil after root pruning: Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix. Make sure these shears or scissors are clean from any other plant residues. Place in potting soil - Place the cutting in fresh soil and water and drain thoroughly. As you can probably tell from the name, maintenance pruning is intended to maintain the health of your Money Tree and to encourage healthy growth. Give it a winter rest. A money tree, also known as a “Good Luck Tree,” is a plant that is said to bring positive energy to a space and thought to be good luck for money. By using our site, you agree to our. In order to keep money tree growing in an upright manner, place … Pruning the tree at the V-shape will ensure the tree maintains its shape and growth. Regular pruning will also help control its size. To keep your Money Tree at a desired size and shape, you can prune it. The node as a joint in the plant’s stem— this is where new growth typically stems off from. Make clean cuts with your sterilized shears at a spot about ½” above a node. Fertilizing and Repotting Your Money Tree Fertilize your money tree 3-4 times a year. You should not feel bad about pruning a Pachira Aquatica to get the look you want, as being pruned is not damaging to this plant. Plan out which parts of your Money Tree you want to prune. If that is well done you won't even notice that the plant has been pruned. And that’s it! Pruning actually encourages a Money Tree to grow. 2 Answers. This will give it the whole growing season to heal its wounds and start to leaf out more which is what you want. Some timely hard pruning while the tree is in its dormant phase will bring it back under control and promote strong, lush growth in spring. Since these parts can never fully recover, removing them will make your plant healthier overall. Money trees prefer bright light, but will adapt to moderate light, such as in your cubicle at work. Money trees grow very quickly. When pruning your Money Tree, take a step back and look at the entire shape of the canopy, and determine which branches to remove to give it to … From time to time, they require some strategic pruning to keep them looking the way I want. Money tree stems and leaves will continue to grow taller if allowed to grow without pruning. Not only will it help ‘young’ branches to grow strong, but it will also keep your property safe. However, this is easier said than done, and it has to be done correctly, relying on knowledge and experience, in order to protect the tree. Money tree plant goes by a host of names, including Malabar chestnut, saba nut, Bombax glabrum, monguba and French peanut. This means it’s time to prune the tree to reshape it and encourage healthy growth. 20 February 2020. For this, use gardening shears or any pair of sharp scissors. Pruning Money Trees is a simple process and doesn’t need a lot of specialized tools. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Where two branches cross, eliminate … Plant Specialist. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Start by pruning the largest pieces first. The best time to do this is in the summer. More growth will occur in this area as the leaves stretch toward the light. As a tropical plant, the money tree is grown primarily indoors or outdoors in the frost-free portions of USDA zone 8 and in zones 9, 10 and 11. The Money Tree is a perfect indoor foliage plant to give you a tropical feel. You may notice branches or leaves extending out from the top or sides of the tree. The steps below describe the process of a big, structural pruning, but maintenance pruning is similar. The Money tree belongs to the Bombacoideae, a subfamily of the Malvacae family. Pruning is a simple way to help large trees stay healthy and strong for years to come. Often a Money Tree will start to sprout stems and leaves near the bottom of the trunk, which takes away from the tree-like shape that many people prefer. If you have a lot of pruning to do, you can mark the spots to cut by loosely tying a small piece of string around the stem. You can just pinch out any unhealthy leaves as you see them and leave it to develop its unique growth pattern.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'thehealthyhouseplant_com-banner-1','ezslot_2',110,'0','0'])); If you think it might be time to prune your Money Tree plant, you’re probably right. 0 0? They are a member of the chestnut family and can produce edible chestnuts when grown in the wild. Plant Specialist. Mtbiker, You can prune your money tree in the spring. Why Your Monstera Deliciosa Is Crying, Sweating and Dripping Water, How to Save a ZZ Plant From Root Rot: A Step By Step Guide, Can You Propagate Pilea Plants from Leaves? This article was co-authored by Chai Saechao. However, when grown indoors it produces neither nuts nor flowers. Palms? Potted tree without foliage measures approximately 30" - 36" tall. However, keep in mind that pruning is a relatively easy job. You are taking an immature tree and growing it indoors while at the same time modifying its size and shape to fit your preferences. Pruning should be done in late winter. New growth will emerge from the next node below where you cut, so if you want to encourage outward growth, cut above a node that is facing out. In addition to Pachira Aquatica’s most common name, Money Trees can also be labeled as Guiana Chestnuts, Malabar Chestnuts, Saba Nuts, and several other names. It lets in light and reduces the tree's vulnerability to wind damage … Doing this will let you keep your Money Tree in the same container indefinitely. Braided money trees … You can also encourage balanced growth by orienting your Money Tree so sparse areas face the light source. You can easily propagate the cuttings from your Money Tree, as long as the section you cut off includes a node. Follow these 3 steps to prune a large tree: The newly pruned plants need to be placed in the shade for a period of time, and pay attention to the light not to be too strong. If you have ever wondered how to prune a Money Tree, this article will give you the basics of when and why, along with step-by-step instructions on the best way to do it. Approximately 70 species have been discovered. But if you try to grow it in light that’s too dim, the plant will stretch toward the light and become unsightly. After pruning, do not water too much, but apply some nitrogen fertilizer. Feb 1, 2020 - How to Prune a Money Tree. The money tree plant, technically called Pachira aquatica or Malabar chestnut, gets its nickname from its use in feng shui as a money attractor. Unlike structural pruning, you do not need to wait for any particular season to do maintenance pruning, as it is less stressful on the plant. This can be done once a year in the spring. One way to limit the height of a tree is to shape it like a tulip, controlling the vertical growth of the trunk. The Healthy Houseplant is reader-supported. In this case, you can prune your tree in a way that encourages new growth in a specific direction. The places where you trim back stems, leaving behind a node, will divert energy and resources to creating new growth at that node. Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix, Growing & Propagating Money Trees in Water, Money Trees and Pests: What To Do About Gnats, Bugs and Other Insects, Money Tree Propagation: Growing New Plants from Cuttings. Cut back the branches evenly around the whole plant to reduce its size. New growth tends to form along prune cuts, so the direction the 45-degree angled cut is facing is important. Preserve a classic and manicured tree shape by pruning any water sprouts or branches that emanate from the bottom third or half of the trunk, keeping it bare. Follow these instructions to propagate your Money Tree: Select a stem to propagate - Using sharp, clean scissors or shears, cut a stem with at least two nodes. Depending on the size or state of your tree, you may be hoping to reach one of three goals: To limit the size or change the shape: Pruning the top of this plant encourages it to grow more from the lower part of the stem, resulting in a less tree-like plant in appearance. Usually, a new stem will generate from the node where you have pruned it, so you may need to cut these parts back occasionally. Do not remove too many branches or leaves, as this can stunt the growth of the tree. Last Updated: January 12, 2021 I have linked to my favorite version of the tools needed to prune Pachira Aquatica. Kind of…. For these smaller trees a long-handled hedge trimmer is a labour-saving option. This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook and certified arborist Matt Foti show how to trim back a wildly overgrown willow. If you have a lot of pruning to do, you can mark the spots to cut by loosely tying a small piece of string around the stem. So don’t be shy to break out your pruning shears and tidy up your Money Tree! I have two of them and they are way to big for the office, and I do not want to kill them. Whenever you see dry or wilted leaves or when the shape of the tree becomes uneven. Topping has serious implications re branch structure/strength and overall tree health. Pruning when dormant: Usually involves shortening side-branches all over the tree to make it smaller and more attractive. 8 months ago. However, this plant can tolerate low light and infrequent watering, making it great for beginners. To make a new stem grow up, place the angled cut on top of the stem. With its braided stem and bright green palm looking leaves, it looks both like a tree and palm. Remove a little at a time, rather than a lot of the tree at once. In this case, simply use your garden shears to trim the top stems. Some maintenance pruning is required year-round to remove imperfect, dying, or dead growth. Pinch or prune off growing tips. Thank you, very helpful.". how to prune money tree plant? wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. It is a very easy to grow plant that need not be pruned unless excessive growth is desired. A Pachira aquatica, or money tree plant. Lv 7. A Pachira aquatica, or money tree plant. Arrives in decorative pot with Spanish moss. Simply pinching back leaves will not stress your plant. It has a thick, often braided, stem, large green leaves, and can grow up to 10 feet (3.0 m) tall. Topping a tree is pruning it for height - shade trees are meant to grow tall. Depending on how large they want their plants to grow, owners should carefully prune the plants. When you're ready to prune, grab a sharp pair of clean gardening shears. During shipment, leaves may be pruned back to ensure safe transit. Braided money trees … Then, working your way around the tree, cut overgrown branches off the top and sides, always cutting 1⁄2 inch above V-shaped branches on the tree trunk. If you like the way this plant grows naturally, there is no need to force a serious pruning on it. You might be worried about cutting too much or accidentally damaging the tree, but never fear: Pachira Aquatica is very tolerant of pruning. This notch will keep the bark from splitting when you make the next cut. We have another article about propagating Money Trees (which you can read here) for step-by-step information on what to do with your cuttings. Money trees are popular because they require very little effort to maintain. Stem Cuttings The most common technique to breed the Money tree plant is through stem cuttings. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fa\/Prune-a-Money-Tree-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-a-Money-Tree-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fa\/Prune-a-Money-Tree-Step-1.jpg\/aid9577729-v4-728px-Prune-a-Money-Tree-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"