8 Simple Steps to Grow and Care for a Money Tree

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to grow our own money — but there is an alternative. Money trees (Pachira aquatica) do exist, and they’re beginner-friendly houseplants that double as a symbol of prosperity and good luck.

The money tree is a very forgiving tropical plant. It tolerates a wide range of indoor conditions, grows quickly, and bounces back well from stress. In this guide, we’ll cover:

• Why money trees are easy to grow
• How to grow a tree from cuttings
• Caring for your money tree
• When and how to repot
• Propagating new plants from cuttings

Feeling lucky? Let’s get started…

Step #1: Choose Your Pot and Soil

Setting your money tree up with a well-draining pot is setting yourself up for success; the right pot will make care much easier. While money trees enjoy moisture and humidity, soggy conditions around the roots quickly lead to rotting.

Choose a pot only 1 to 2 inches larger than the tree’s root ball. Too-large pots hold water, increasing the risk of rotting.

Soil quality is as important as the pot you choose, especially for new plants. Because money trees are often grown with multiple stems packed together, root balls can become tightly compacted. Dense soil will restrict airflow, even when the pot is the correct size.

Signs a Money Tree Needs Repotting

• Roots are circling the inside of the pot.
• Compacted or dense soil is stopping water penetration.
• The root ball feels hard.
• The plant dries out fast between waterings.

If your tree’s roots look healthy and the pot size is appropriate, repotting may not be necessary. You might just need to replace the soil.

Additionally, if a newly purchased money tree is healthy, you can delay repotting.

How to Prepare Your Pot and Soil

1. Inspect the Root Ball: Look for healthy white or tan roots versus dark, mushy, crowded ones.
2. Check the Soil: If it’s compacted, loosen it and refresh with new potting mix.
3. Check the Pot Size: If your tree needs a larger pot, choose one with drainage holes that are 1 to 2 inches wider.
4. Add Fresh Media: The root ball should sit so the trunk base is just below the soil surface.
5. Add the Plant: Fill in soil around the root ball and firm it well.
6. Water Thoroughly: Give the tree plenty of water after repotting.

For more on root health in containers, we invite you to read how to grow bonsai trees here.

Step #2: Provide the Right Light

Light is a major factor in how well a money tree grows. Money trees need at least 6 hours of indirect light per day, but they can tolerate a wide range of indoor light levels.

Ideal Money Tree Light Conditions

Money trees thrive when placed in these settings and light conditions:

• Near a bright window with filtered light.
• A few feet away from a sunny south- or east-facing window.
• A bright room without direct sun.

Direct light can scorch leaves. If your money tree has leaves with pale or whitish patches in the center of the leaf, that’s a sign it’s getting too much direct light.

In general, you should keep money trees away from hot midday sun, spots close to heating vents, and cold windowsills in winter.

Conversely, slow growth or leggy stems can be an indicator the tree is getting too little light. If your plant growth is slow despite good care, insufficient light is the likely explanation.

Steps to Perfect Your Money Tree’s Lighting

1. Identify your brightest indoor spots.
2. Position the plant near a bright window where it receives several hours of light.
3. Observe the leaves, watching for signs of too much or too little light.
4. Adjust position gradually, moving the plant incrementally closer to or further from light.
5. Rotate a quarter turn every one to two weeks to prevent uneven growth.

To see how light affects edible crops, I invite you to read how to grow onions here.

Step #3: Create the Ideal Growing Environment

Money trees are tropical plants, so they love warmth, humidity, and stable conditions. They’re more forgiving than most tropical houseplants, but they do dislike cold drafts, temperature swings, and dry indoor air.

They prefer temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The best spots in your home are consistently warm rooms and areas away from exterior doors, air conditioning vents, and radiators.

Bathrooms and laundry rooms work well if they receive adequate light, because humidity levels are usually higher. Avoid cold windowsills in winter, where the temperature near the glass can be very cold.

How Much Humidity Do Money Trees Need?

Money trees will thrive in spaces with at least 35 to 40 percent humidity. Even higher humidity can promote larger leaves, more vibrant color, and faster new growth.

Dry air from heating systems is a common stressor for money trees kept indoors. So, if you heat your home in winter, you’ll need to find a way to raise humidity. You can do this with:

• A pebble tray filled with water placed beneath the tree’s pot.
• A small humidifier kept nearby.

If your plant drops leaves after exposure to dry air or a cold draft, don’t panic. Money trees rebound well and replace lost foliage faster than many other indoor trees.

Tips for Maintaining Humidity

• Check your home’s humidity regularly using a hygrometer.
• If readings consistently fall below 35 percent, consider adding moisture to the air.
• Add a humidity tray or humidifier, if needed.
• Group humidity-loving plants together in cold seasons when heaters are running.
• Keep plants a few feet from vents and radiators to avoid dry, forced air.
• Keep plants away from drafty exterior doors and cold windowsills.

Step #4: Water Money Trees Correctly

Money trees use water quickly when they’re actively growing, but the goal isn’t constantly wet soil. Instead, you should wait until the top 2 inches of soil feel dry, then water thoroughly.

Watering requirements will fluctuate with the seasons. During the active growing season in spring and summer, your money tree may need weekly watering. However, it will depend on factors like pot size, light levels, and how warm your home runs.

In winter, growth slows and so does water uptake, so you may only need to water every other week. Let the soil guide you, not the calendar.

Expert Tip: A common assumption is a bigger pot speeds up growth, but a too-big container will hold water longer than roots can absorb it. These soggy conditions invite rot.

How to Water Your Money Tree

1. Check the Soil First: Insert a finger 2 inches into the potting mix; if it feels moist, wait to water.
2. Water Thoroughly: Pour slowly and evenly until water flows from the pot’s drainage holes.
3. Allow the Pot to Drain: Ensure it’s drained completely before returning it to its saucer.
4. Adjust Frequency Seasonally: Water more during spring and summer; scale back in winter.
5. Watch the Leaves: Yellowing or soft leaves are signs of too much water; drooping or crispy leaves are signs of too little.

If you want another example of plant-based watering, check out our guide on how to grow an avocado tree here.

Step #5: Inspect the Tie on Braided Trunks

Many braided money trees are held together near the top with a twist tie or similar fastener. This little tie is an overlooked aspect of money tree care.

As the tree’s stems thicken over time, this tie can girdle the plant, cutting into the stem and slowing water and nutrient movement.

Is Your Money Tree’s Tie a Problem?

If your money tree is exhibiting these symptoms, the tie is too tight:

• It looks tight, not loose.
• The stem is swelling around the tie.
• The tie is visibly cutting into plant tissue.

If you find a tight tie, you don’t want to leave it, but you also don’t want to remove all of that support and let the stems fall apart. Instead, remove the tie and replace it with a soft Velcro one. 

Velcro has a key advantage: It will release rather than cut into the plant as your tree grows. Remember to check any and all ties regularly, as girdling can cause permanent damage.

How to Replace a Money Tree Tie

1. Carefully remove too-tight ties without disrupting the tree stems.
2. Put the stems back into position and wrap them with a strip of Velcro.
3. Fasten it loosely enough to support the stems without squeezing.

Step #6: Fertilize Your Money Tree

Money trees benefit from regular light applications of fertilizer during the spring and summer growing season. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer applied once a month gives the plant the nutrients it needs to produce new leaves and healthy stems.

But you won’t need to fertilize year-round; in fall and winter, you can reduce feeding significantly or stop altogether.

When you fertilize, always dilute the product. Money tree roots are sensitive, and a full-strength dose can burn roots. Applying half-strength fertilizer consistently is more effective than occasional full-strength doses.

How to Fertilize Correctly

1. Choose a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer.
2. Dilute that fertilizer to half strength.
3. Apply once a month during active growth to moist soil.
4. Watch for yellowing or scorched leaf tips, which are signs of over-fertilization.
5. Reduce or stop feeding in fall as growth slows.
6. Resume feeding in spring once new growth starts again.

Step #7: Monitor for and Control Pests

Money trees can attract common houseplant pests. Issues like poor air circulation or over-watering can make the plant more vulnerable.

Most infestations start small, which is why consistent weekly inspections are important. The earlier you spot a problem, the less aggressive your response needs to be, and the lower the risk of plant stress or damage.

Common Money Tree Pests

When you find pests, take a moment to identify what you’re dealing with before treating them. Look for the following signs of common money tree pests:

• Spider Mites: Webbing on stems and leaf undersides, often in hot, dry conditions.
• Mealybugs: White, cottony clusters at nodes and leaf joints.
• Scale: Brown or tan bumps on stems that don’t wipe off easily.
• Fungus Gnats: Tiny flies around the soil.

If you’re dealing with multiple pests, you’ll need a slightly different approach. Different pests require different treatments.

For example, scale responds best to smothering with oil. Fungus gnats, on the other hand, need a soil drench with Mosquito Bits to tackle the larvae or yellow sticky cards to eliminate adults.

How to Inspect and Treat Pest Problems

1. Inspect money trees weekly, checking leaf undersides and new growth.
2. Identify the type of pest.
3. Start treatment with the least aggressive option: a powerful stream of water.
4. If pests persist, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil, coating all surfaces thoroughly and repeating every few days.
5. Escalate to insecticide if the infestation doesn’t respond.
6. Isolate the affected plant from other houseplants during treatment.

Step #8: Prune and Prepare for Propagation

Whether you’re cleaning up an existing money tree or preparing to grow a brand-new braided tree from scratch, you need to understand basic pruning. The two go hand in hand: The same technique you used to shape a mature money tree is what you’ll use to take cuttings and propagate a new one.

Basic Money Tree Pruning Principles

Before you start pruning, it’s important to know that money trees have palmate leaves, meaning they have multiple leaflets radiating from a single shared point. So when you pick up your shears, always confirm you are cutting the central stem and not a leaf.

Follow these steps to prune your money tree:

• Use sharp pruning shears wiped with rubbing alcohol.
• Make angled cuts about ½ inch above a leaf node (where a leaf or branch meets the stem).
• Target leggy, stretched stems and overly dense areas first.
• After pruning, water thoroughly.
• Place the tree in indirect light.
• Apply a balanced fertilizer.

How to Take Cuttings to Braid a New Tree

If your goal is to braid a new money tree from the ground up, pruning is even more important. A classic braided money tree is typically woven from three, five, or seven stems from an existing tree.

To reliably end up with five healthy rooted starts, plan on taking at least 10 cuttings. Not every cutting will root successfully.

Follow these steps to prune for cuttings:

• Select 4- to 6-inch stem cuttings
• Use a clean, sharp tool to make cuts.
• Cut at a slight angle, just above a node.
• Each cutting should have at least two leaf nodes and a small amount of foliage.
• Set them in water immediately after cutting.

Potting and Braiding Multiple Stems

Once your cuttings are complete, you will need to pot and braid them:

1. Pot rooted cuttings together in a single container, snugly but with sufficient room for each root system.
2. Braid only young, flexible green stems; do not bend older, woody growth.
3. Use an odd number of stems.
4. Start the braid as close to soil level as possible and work upward.
5. As you braid, keep the weave firm but not tight.
6. Secure the top loosely with a Velcro plant tie.

How to Propagate Your Money Tree

Taking cuttings from your money tree serves two purposes. It benefits the parent plant by encouraging fuller, bushier growth, making pruning and propagation a natural pairing.

Plus, once you propagate those cuttings, you’ll create additional money trees. Just keep in mind that the money tree is not a fast-rooting plant. Patience is essential; the eventual outcome is worth the wait.

Select a Cutting

The quality of your cutting has more influence on success than almost anything else. If you’ve just taken cuttings as part of pruning, check each one against the criteria below to find the best of the bunch:

• Stem is firm and green, with no visible damage.
• It has at least two to three nodes (points where leaves emerge).
• Healthy foliage is still attached.
• It’s long enough to sit securely in water or rooting medium.

The Best Time to Take Money Tree Cuttings

Spring and summer are the best seasons to take cuttings from a money tree. This is when the plant is actively growing and temperature and light are optimal. Cuttings taken in cooler months or in dry winter air are more likely to struggle.

If your money tree has become tall and leggy, propagation and pruning can solve two problems at once. Removing overgrown or top-heavy stems gives you usable cutting material while also prompting the parent plant to produce new growth.

Rooting Your Cutting

Money tree cuttings can be rooted in water or soil, and both methods follow the same core principles. Keep the cutting warm, humid, and in bright indirect light with consistent moisture.

The key difference is the medium. Water rooting lets you see root development, making it easier to tell when the cutting is ready to pot. While soil rooting skips the water-to-soil transition, it’s considered the more reliable method for money trees.

Method #1: Water Rooting

Place the lower portion of the cutting in a glass of water, ensuring the base is fully submerged and no leaves are touching the water.

If the cutting won’t stay upright, stretch plastic wrap over the top of the container, secure it with a rubber band, and push the cutting through a small hole in the wrap. Change the water every few days.

Don’t expect to see changes in the first few weeks. You might see white callusing appear on the lower stem early on, but noticeable root development doesn’t typically begin until the one- to two-month mark.

Growing a root system substantial enough to pot up usually takes several months.

Method #2: Soil Rooting

Fill a small pot with drainage holes with a loose, moisture-retentive mix. Pure coco peat works well as an initial rooting medium.

Rooting hormone is optional, but it noticeably improves success rates. If you’d like to use it, lightly coat the cut end and lower stem, then make an opening in the medium first rather than pushing the cutting straight through (which can scrape off the hormone).

Bury your cutting so at least one to two nodes sit below the soil surface, as these are the most likely sites for root formation.

Once potted, keep the soil consistently moist and mist regularly.

A clear plastic bag with a few small holes placed loosely over the cutting makes an effective humidity tent. For soil-rooted cuttings, new leaf growth and a firm, stable stem are indicators that rooting is underway.

Transplanting and Establishing Cuttings

If you’ve reached this step, your cutting has done the hard work; it has grown its own roots and is ready for a home. Transplanting is the final step of propagation.

Transplanting After Water Rooting

Wait until roots are 1 to 2 inches long and well-branched before transplanting. Prepare the pot and soil before removing the cutting from the water to minimize root exposure to air.

Set the cutting into a pre-made opening, firm the soil gently around it, and water thoroughly.

Water-grown roots are accustomed to constant moisture, so you’ll need to keep the soil consistently moist during the first few weeks.

Transplanting After Soil Rooting

If you rooted in coco peat or another low-nutrient medium, your cutting will need to move into a standard potting mix.

Wait until the cutting is stable and actively showing new growth before moving. Transplanting too early can stall or kill a cutting that has just established itself.

After transplanting, continue to provide indirect light and consistent moisture while the money tree adjusts.

Signs of Successful Propagation

Once you see the following signs, your new money tree is thriving:

• New leaves or shoots emerging from the stem.
• A firm, green stem.
• Stem matures from bright green to brown.
• Cutting maintains an upright, healthy appearance.

Growth can be slow in the early weeks, and a rooted cutting may sit for some time before showing visible progress. That is entirely normal for money trees.

Don’t give up and remove a cutting simply because it is slow to grow. As long as the stem stays firm and green, it’s putting its energy into new roots first before it eventually takes off.

Final Advice

Don’t be intimidated: The money tree is one of the most forgiving plants you can grow. As long as you keep its environment consistent and pay attention to what it’s telling you, it’ll thrive with minimal fuss.

Once you feel confident, propagating your own cuttings is genuinely satisfying. Give it a go, be patient, and enjoy the process.

Happy growing!