Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - March 17, 2016
From: Bradenton, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Pachira aquatica loosing leaves.
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
We have an indoor money tree that is 20 feet tall, the leaves have started to turn brown and fall. We water twice a month and mist about the same. Can you opine what what we are doing wrong the plant has been with us for 6 years and is dear to us?ANSWER:
According to Wikipedia, the Money tree or Guiana chestnut (Pachira aquatica) is a tropical wetland tree in the Malvaceae family and native to Central and South America where it grows in swamps. It is not a native tree and therefore isn't in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center database. I have seen a Pachira aquatica growing to that size inside the Butterfly Conservatory at the Niagara Parks Botanical Garden in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. It is planted in a generous amount of soil and gets the same amount of water as the other tropical plants. The leaves do turn brown on the edges occassionally and the older ones do drop.
If your plant is dropping a lot of leaves perhaps it needs water more frequently than just 2 x a month. Misting twice a month is not very effective and you can discontinue it.
A quick search online resulted in these tips from the www.apartmenttherapy.com website ...
This plant loves moisture but you should never let it stand in water. Good drainage is essential.
• Position this plant in bright indirect light indoors.
• Water this plant consistently. 1 - 2 times per week depending on humidity. Make sure you water all the topsoil, just until the water starts leaking out the drain holes.
• For optimal longevity, lightly fertilize the Pachira 3 - 4 times a year with a water-soluble fertilizer.
More Non-Natives Questions
Pruning blue potato tree (Lycianthus rantonnei)
July 14, 2008 - I wrote earlier about a blue potato tree(Lycianthus rantonnei) the top appears dead but if you break a branch it is still green, what would happen to it if I cut all the branches forming at the bottom...
view the full question and answer
Growth rate for eucalyptus in Florida
September 21, 2006 - How fast does eucalyptus grow in Florida?
view the full question and answer
Landscaping a new yard in El Paso, TX
July 01, 2010 - I am starting my back yard, we want to plant some sod grass and shade trees. We were doing some research and came across the Paulownia and the Royal Empress tree. I like them since they grow very fast...
view the full question and answer
Nativity of Lantana camara and Strelitzia reginae
November 08, 2011 - I was wondering why Lantana Camara is not in the Wildflower's database. Multiple sources say it is native to the U.S. and North America.
I was also wondering if Strelitzia reginae (Bird-of-Paradise...
view the full question and answer
Dividing non-native daffodils from Austin
April 15, 2012 - The foliage on my daffodils is lush and healthy, but I have no blooms. Should I divide them?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |