The money tree (Pachira aquatica) is a popular houseplant known for its signature braided trunk and glossy, palmate leaves. Native to Central and South American wetlands, regular pruning is necessary to maintain its attractive shape and ensure robust growth. Pruning redirects the plant’s energy, encouraging a fuller canopy and preventing leggy growth, which improves both the plant’s health and aesthetic appeal.
Preparing for Pruning: Timing and Tools
The best time to prune a money tree is during its active growing period, typically spring and early summer. Pruning then allows the plant to recover quickly and channel energy into producing new foliage. Performing a significant cutback during the slower winter months can stress the plant, potentially resulting in weak growth.
Before making any cuts, gather sharp, clean pruning shears or scissors. Sharp blades ensure a clean cut, minimizing damage to plant tissue and reducing the risk of disease. Sterilize tools with rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution both before and after use. This prevents the transfer of bacteria or fungal spores to the newly opened wounds.
Specific Techniques for Shaping and Maintenance
Pruning serves two main purposes: health maintenance and aesthetic shaping. Maintenance cuts involve removing dead, yellowing, or damaged leaves and branches, which can be done at any time. Trimming these parts back to healthy green tissue prevents the plant from wasting energy on non-viable growth and helps deter pests and diseases.
Shaping cuts control the plant’s height and promote a denser, bushier appearance. To encourage new growth at a specific point, the cut must be made just above a leaf node. A leaf node is the slightly raised bump on the stem where a leaf or bud sprouts.
Make the cut approximately one-quarter to one-half inch above the selected node, straight across or at a slight angle. Cutting just above this point signals the plant to activate dormant buds, leading to new growth that fills out the canopy. Avoid removing more than one-third of the plant’s total growth in a single session to prevent excessive stress.
Propagating New Plants From Cuttings
Healthy material removed during shaping can be used to propagate new money trees. Viable cuttings should be taken from the upper, greener portion of the stem, ensuring the piece is four to six inches long and includes a few leaf nodes. Make the cut just below a node, as this is where new roots will emerge.
Remove all leaves from the bottom third of the cutting to prevent them from rotting once submerged or buried. Two primary methods are used: water rooting and soil rooting. Water propagation involves placing the cutting in a glass of clean water with the bottom node submerged, changing the water every few days.
Alternatively, the cutting can be dipped in rooting hormone powder and planted directly into a small pot of well-draining soil. In both methods, the cutting needs a warm location with bright, indirect light to develop roots, which occurs within four to eight weeks. Creating a humid environment, such as covering the planted cutting with a clear plastic bag, increases the success rate.
Immediate Care After Pruning
Following significant pruning, the money tree requires specific care adjustments to facilitate recovery and encourage new growth. Since the plant has lost foliage, it will temporarily require less water than before. Overwatering immediately after pruning can lead to root rot, so check that the top inch of soil is dry before watering thoroughly.
Keep the pruned plant in a location that receives consistent bright, indirect light, as this energy is necessary for generating new shoots. Avoid direct, intense sunlight because newly exposed stems and leaves are more susceptible to scorching. Once new growth is visible, apply a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength to provide necessary nutrients.