Pachira (money tree ) question

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by Late, Sep 18, 2005.

  1. Late

    Late Active Member

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    I purchased a 5' braided pachira in a 10" diameter by 9" deep ceramic bowl. It has no drainage hole which I think is vital to all plants and also should the pot be bigger or is the pachira shallow rooted?

    Thanks

    Norma
     
  2. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    The pot size should be fine unless the roots are very crowded. The most important thing is to remove the plant from that holeless pot! Growing plants in pots with no drainage is a dangerous thing, causing root rot and death almost immediately. I would suggest you repot into a better pot with holes. Good luck! These plants are definitely fun to grow!
     
  3. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Thanks for the advice Greenleaf. I was certain that growing anything in a pot without holes was definetly out of the question but when it was potted at a nursery I started to second guess myself. Would you answer one more question for me? What type of soil would you recommend I get to repot my Pachira, a well draining soil or the regular tropical houseplant soil?

    Thanks again for your advice.

    Norma
     
  4. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    I just used regular potting soil for houseplants. Make sure it drains well though, I've seen some kinds of potting soil that are too "clayish" and those won't work.
     
  5. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Thanks Greenleaf. I used regular tropical potting soil and it has new growth coming on it now so hopefully I've created the right environment for it. I only water when it is dry to the touch.

    Thanks for the information.

    Norma
     
  6. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    You're welcome. Sounds like your plant will be happy! Good luck!
     
  7. Late

    Late Active Member

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    I hope my Pachira does well for the winter Greenleaf. I've got it in a Southern window but the air gets pretty dry during the winter since we have hot water heat. It's quite a change from the humid summer that we just experienced. I plan on misting it every other day and hopefully that'll cut down on the stress of adjusting. If you have any more little hints they'd be much appreciated.

    Thanks again.

    Norma
     
  8. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Yeah, I agree. Pachiras don't like dryness. Last winter mine hardly grew and got brown leaf tips because the air was so dry, but during the summer it grew like crazy. Spraying will work. After you spray the leaves closely, hold your misting can a little further and spray the air around the plant. I find that to give more moisture. Also, you can put a tray filled with water, fill it with pebbles or something. Then suspend the plant on top of the tray without the tree's pot coming in contact with the water (you don't want to soak the roots). This "humidity tray" can give extra moisture throughout the day because the plant will have a source of water nearby. I find this to work with smaller plants, never tried it with biggies like money trees. Perhaps I should do it this year...good luck!
     
  9. Late

    Late Active Member

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    With all your good advice Greenleaf my Pachira can't help but survive. I never thought of a pebble tray for a plant this big but it won't be a problem and should really help. It would be nice to live in a place where the temperatures didn't go below freezing but then we wouldn't get to try all these neat little tricks and it makes plant growing much more challenging. I will mist the leaves and the air and hopefully will have one of the nicest looking money trees around.

    Thanks again for all your help and I'll keep you posted. I have at the moment four new shoots that have opened.

    Norma
     
  10. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Your tree sounds nice already, with new leaves and 5 feet tall! Lol, mine isn't that tall!

    Keep us posted! Hope it grows well (don't worry if growing slows in winter, that's resting time).
     
  11. Late

    Late Active Member

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    It is a nice looking tree Greenleaf. It cost about $35 which is more then I usually pay for a house plant but looked so good in the ceramic container I just couldn't pass it by. I'll keep you posted and hopefully it'll be all good news. I hope yours does well over the winter too.

    Norma
     
  12. CRISPYCAMP

    CRISPYCAMP Member

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    i HAD a thriving pachira, until a trip cross country proved to be too much of a stressor, my poor plant lost all of it's leaves, is there anything that i can do to revive it??, the stems sre still green?? thanks chris
     
  13. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Hi Chris: Sorry to hear about your pachira. Mine is doing well and I found that it doesn't like a lot of water. If yours was doing ok before you went on your trip I would say if you start the same routine that you had when it was doing well, if the stems are still green it should start sprouting leaves again. Maybe it was just the shock. They are very tempermental. I found that the ficus bejamina was tempermental but these guys seem to be worse.

    That's all I can suggest Chris. So good luck and let me know if it starts to sprout. Perhaps somebody else may have a better suggestion.

    Norma
     
  14. CRISPYCAMP

    CRISPYCAMP Member

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    Norma, thanks for the advice, do you think there is anything else i can do to encourage sprouting?? i am at a loss for possible next steps, other than watering and sunlight, which i have been trying, thanks christie
     
  15. Late

    Late Active Member

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    I wish I could have been of more help to you Chris but I always go with the basics which in the case of a plant is sunlight and water. Go easy on the water though because as I said before these plants like to dry out in between waterings and I was always told never feed a sick plant so no fertilizer. I'm hoping maybe someone else out there has experienced this and adds some advice but for now I think that's the best you can do!

    Good Luck and keep us posted!
    Norma
     
  16. CRISPYCAMP

    CRISPYCAMP Member

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    norma,thanks i'll keep you posted, and say some chants to the plant godess. chris
     
  17. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Chris: I emailed Greenleaf who helped me with my problems with the pachira when I first got it. It was in a ceramic pot with no holes in the bottom and very shallow. I also didn't have a clue what type of light or soil or how often to water. I told him about your problem and am hoping that he posts an answer for you or emails me in which case I'll post any information he may have so you can read it.

    Norma
     
  18. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi!
    A leafless pachira can be saved. Provided, as said above, the stem is green (and hard), and the root system is healthy. It's normal for leaf drop to happen--when I moved my plants suffered too, one of them lost all the leaves, but soon it revived. Yes, green stems and good roots (you should be sure of good roots if you water correctly in a well-drained potting mix...if you're not sure, then carefully check the rootball to see if the roots are whitish/firm/alive). And plus comfy conditions, the plant can bounce back.

    You know where the leaf falls off there's a little section on the stem, or the node? I actually observed my plant and noticed it growing little shoots off the side of the stem in addition to the main growing point. So my point is, if you lose all the leaves, the tip of the stem can put out future leaves as well as the nodes where the leaves used to be attached to. If the stem tip is not harmed in anyway, it should be putting out new leaves just as its regular cycle. Signs of new leaves are little pointy green buds, which open to let out the new leaves.

    To help your plant, Norma did a great job explaining the sunlight, water, fert (no fert, yes). Some indirect sunlight is good, but no harsh midday sun. Weak plants can't stand being under these conditions yet. Of course, give it a comfortable temperature. No extreme heat, no coldness. If the air is dry, give it some humidity (as explained in an earlier post in this thread). Basically, continue its regular care, but be more careful. Observe your plant. Is it showing signs of growth? Any visible problems? When your plant shows new leaves and is actively growing, fertilize very lightly (1/4 or less the recommended strength). Good luck with your plant! Money trees are quite tough.
     
  19. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Thanks Greenleaf. I knew you would have the proper information for Chris and give him hope regarding his leafless pachira. I'm glad I didn't steer him too far astray. Mine continues to do well thanks to your expert advice and I'm hoping to keep it healthy and happy all winter.

    Thanks for your help Greenleaf and I may call on you again.

    Norma
     
  20. Late

    Late Active Member

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    Crispycamp: Greenleaf posted a message for you Chris and gives you all the information that you need to help your pachira get looking good again. He helped me with mine and it'll make you happy to know that your tree will be fine.

    Norma
     
  21. I really like my Pachira plant, it's about 5 feet tall and recently started to really grow alot. My only concern is that about 2 weeks ago, it started raining and these ants got into our house and into the the Pachira's pot. We've since put the plant outside with hopes that the ants will just find a new home. We got rid of our ant problem, so I brought the plant back inside and noticed that the ants are still there (they came out after the pot warmed up). What should I do? Is all hope lost because my plant is ant-infested? I don't want to keep the plant outside all the time since the temperature dips down to about 45F at night (it ranges between 45-55 at night here in northern Cal in winter). Should I get rid of the ants in the pot (and if so, how) or should I leave the pot outside indefinitely?
     
  22. LadyBichon

    LadyBichon Member

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    I need a bit of help. I have a tiny Pachira that was given to me by my sis in law this past Sunday. I have wanted one of these for a long time. When I got it, is in a tiny pot about the size of a 10 or 12 oz. Drinking glass. I feel as tho it needs to be repotted but at the moment am short of cash. I do however have some soil that I bought for a half dead african violet that I got a long time ago that ended up not making it. Would it be possible to use that? I was looking at this lil Pachira, and it looks like it is kinda dry on top. My sis in law got it for me at Wal mart. I wanted this and/or an oriental orchid but I didn't get the orchid. They had a lot of the plants outside in the freezing cold air and I found this one when my sis in law and I were looking for something she needed.

    I don't know much about this plant only that they shouldn't be in temperatures below 40 degrees. Any help I can get would be appreciated.
     
  23. 1bigyellowdog

    1bigyellowdog Member

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    I have a Pachira that has started losing its leaves after they turn a dark brownish green and get spotty. I don't think this is a water issue....could it not be getting enough light? The plant gets indirect light, but due to our property being heavily shaded, there is nowhere to put the tree where it will get direct sun. Could this be the problem?
     
  24. 2peas10

    2peas10 Member

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    I'm so happy to have found this thread!

    I gave my husband a pachira money tree last february for his office at work. It thrived; it received only flourescent light, he watered it (maybe 6 ounces of water) about every other week. He didn't mist it.

    He is changing jobs and brought the tree home in December. We put it in his home office where it did get sunlight (eastern window, so it was morning sun, but bright and direct). It did ok for a while. It started losing some leaves and some color so we thought perhaps the move to direct sunlight had been too much for it.

    Moved it to the kitchen, where it gets some indirect outdoor light but also is under a flourescent. Probably watered it a little too much. It perked up and sprouted new leaves, so all seemed well. After about three weeks or so, though, it started going downhill again. I thought it needed repotting, perhaps, since it had been a year and it had grown a lot. I repotted it and added some fertilizer. And probably overwatered.

    Of course, the downhill slide got worse. Many more leaves seemed to go yellow systemically (not curling up brown from the bottom, but clearly through the veins). Others dropped off. It's so sad to see this on a formerly thriving plant!

    I've done a lot of research on the web and when I found this site and one other good one, I can see where the problems started and how we added to them. I'm sure the original move home was a shock, the change in sunlight, the added dry heat from the winter, the repotting, the fertilizer, all in a row were just too much for the plant.

    So here's the current status. I have carefully taken off all the dead/dying leaves. There are still several pretty healthy looking stalks and probably a couple of dozen leaves. The plant is probably 18'' tall. We've slowed the watering down. I'm hoping that what remains of the fertilizer in the potting soil is now losing strength. It's in the kitchen under the flourescent, but i do believe a little more sunlight might help it.

    My question, after writing all the above, is, if we just leave the little thing alone, mist it, perhaps do the pebble tray for humidity, water it sparingly and wait, does it seem like it will be ok? And should I be able to see that trending better within what period of time? A couple weeks? A couple months?

    Thank you so much in advance!
     
  25. jesi

    jesi Member

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    I've had my money tree for about two years now and I've noticed that trunks that are braided around the tree are rotten and very brittle. Should I leave them alone or try and replace them. If replacement is called for, how would I go about doing that?
    Thanks,
    Jesi
     

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