Looking for a little luck and prosperity in your home? Try growing a Braided Money Tree Plant. This fabulous indoor plant has a braided trunk, glossy leaves and is easy care. This technique of braiding the trunk is thought to symbolize looking for money and luck!
The braided money tree plant has been around for years but I am just starting to see it at lots of local outlets that sell plants. It appears to have caught on with consumers in a big way! I got my plant at BJs wholesale club of all places and then started seeing it at both Lowe’s and Home Depot.
The botanical name for the braided money tree plant is Pachira aquatica. It is also known as the Malabar chestnut. The tree is native to Central and South America and usually has trunks that are braided together.
Tips for growing a Braided Money Tree Plant.
Sunlight – Keep the tree in a room that gets moderate sunlight. A money tree plant is somewhat forgiving and survive in varying degrees of sunlight but it really likes bright moderate light. Keep it out of direct sunlight, or the leaves will begin to dry out and brown.
I have my plant in a south facing window with an eave outside it during the winter and move it to a shady area of my garden in the summer time. Indoors, turn the plant regularly so that it does not lean to the sunlight. Even though they prefer moderate light, they can actually take lower light situations.
Trunk. The plant is grown with a series of trunks braided together. This braiding is done when the stalks are young and supple. If your plant outgrows its space, you can actually cut the trunk off close to the soil and it will send new shoots out from this area. 
Leaves. The leaves of a braided money tree plant are glossy and deep green. Most money tree plants have 5-6 leaves on each stem, and you can sometimes find one with seven leaves. Just like finding a 4 leaf clover, seven leaves on a stem is thought to bring really good fortune to its owner.
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Size. When grown outdoors, money tree plants can reach 60 feet tall. The indoor height is usually confined to about 6-7 feet. The size of the tree when grown as an indoor plant is largely determined by the age of the plant and the container size.
Watering, Potting and Fertilizing Tips
Watering. A money tree plant likes well draining soil. The instructions that I got with my plant said to use three ice cubes a week (Just like Moth Orchids!) I don’t do this but instead reach into the soil. When it is dry to about the first inch of my finger, I give it a drink. They don’t like to sit in soggy soil and will suffer if over watered.
Potting. Don’t over pot a braided money tree plant. Use a container container that appears on the smallish side. A container that is too large will will hold too much water, causing stem and root rot. Since they grow to such a large size outdoors, growing the money tree in a smaller container will also prevent it from getting too big indoors.
Many people grow the plant as a bonsai tree. My plant has a 6 inch pot and the height is about 24 inches. Normally when there is this discrepancy, I would re-pot to a bigger pot, but it is so healthy, I am leaving it until I am sure it is pot bound. 
Fertilizing. Pachira aquatica does not need a lot of fertilizing. Doing it once in the Spring and then again once in the Fall with a Time Released Bonsai Fertilizer is sufficient.
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Photo credit Wikimedia
Cold Hardiness. Here in the USA, this plant is normally grown as an indoor plant, even though it grows to a tree size outside. But since it is only hardy over the winter in zones 9b to 11, it can’t be grown in most back yards. The chestnut pod of the money plant in nature is very large.
Caring for and propagating the Money Tree Plant
Shaping. Regular pruning helps to control the size of the plant, so if you want to keep it smaller, pinch or prune off some of the growing growing tips.
Propagation. Propagation is generally done by taking cuttings or potting up side shoots. It can also be grown from seeds. If you see new shoots coming out of the trunks, you can place these shoots in moist seed starting soil and they will grow well. (or let them root in water and then pot them.) Once they grow, repot in normal well draining potting soil.
Photo credit Steve’s Garden
Re-potting. Transfer to the next size up pot every 2-3 years if the plant becomes pot bound. Once the plant gets to its desired size, don’t re-pot, just remove, and replace the soil with fresh potting soil in a container the same size.
The braided Money Tree Plant is often given as a gift. Since the plant is thought to bring good luck and prosperity, they make a perfect housewarming gift. Since it is so easy to care for, it should give you years of beauty in the home.
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I just found a 7 leaf shoot on my money tree!
That’s like finding a four leaf clover, Jerre. Lots of good luck coming your way! Carol
I have money plant in my house i put in my front facing south, many seven leaves i saw and the 2 steams they have 8 leaves and this morning i found 2 steams again they have 8 leaves, and now they have 4 steams have 8 leaves, what this its means. ?
7 leaves means more good luck. 8 is even better. The plant loves the way you are giving it.
I found a braided money tree in Facebook market for sale and it’s over 5 feet. So I asked my husband to pick it up since he was playing golf in the area. He paid for it and gave it to me. Last week I noticed that there’s 7 leaves and last night I found another 7 leaves on the other side. What does it mean? Am just happy when I looked at it. Am just crazy of plants and I have 49 plants inside our house and I called it my pocket garden. Every night when we get home I always spend time with my plants watering them, getting the dead leaves, talking to them and always rearranging. My money tree is the latest member of my pocket garden. I love my plants for they make me happy. My son loves it too and my husband told me that I need a green house.
The legend is that finding 7 leaves is just like finding a 4 leaf clover, seven leaves on a stem is thought to bring really good fortune to its owner. If you have seven leaves x 2, that is extra good luck! Carol
I just found a seven leader on my plant too !! I hope it brings me some good luck !!!
My husband got one from his fathers funeral but the trunk has stayed green for 3 years now how do I gwt the trunk to turn to hard wood like ?
Hi Gena. I’m not sure there is anything you can do to make the trunk turn to a more hard wood look. Mine was like that when I purchased it. The new growth is green and the older growth has always been brownish. Carol
I have one with leaves like this but the trunk is one singular stump. I don’t know if it’s the same one or not.
It may well be. The plant I bought had several trunks trained to braid. Carol
I bought a large braided money tree plant about 6 months ago. This week we found termites had made a nest inside the wall, nearest where the plant sits. Since the termites burrowed from inside the house, rather than from the ground, is it possible the termites came with the plant?
It is possible but hard to say for sure. I once had a friend who purchased a Christmas tree that was full of bugs and she didn’t discover this fact until a few weeks into the season.
My money tree had alot 7 leaves and 4 leaves.
Sounds like you are in for some good luck!
I purchased a money tree 4 months ago. I planted it outside, mostly it had 5 to 6 leaves and,1 that had 7 leaves.
now, I noticed, it has grown quite a bit, and has many more, with 7 leaves, and even 1 with 8 leaves.
What does this mean?
It just means that the plant is happy in the location you have it growing.
I saw many 8 and 7 leaves in one steam of my money plant is this sign lucky for me and to make my dreams come true???
My money tree is 7 feet with branches almost they cater 7leaves and has fruit.
What can you do with the fruit?
I have not tried the fruit since mine hasn’t flowered or set fruit. Google says that “The seeds’ flavor when raw is similar to peanuts. They can be eaten raw or cooked, or ground into flour. The cooked young leaves and flowers are also edible.”