Money Tree

The Money Tree (Pachira glabra) gives an indoor corner real presence without a maintenance routine. Grown with a braided trunk and topped by fans of glossy green leaflets, it settles at about 2m tall and 1m wide in a pot indoors. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, and it forgives a forgotten fortnight as readily as a heavy hand on the watering can.

Why you'll love it

• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can sit at floor level without worry.
• The braided trunk does the work. Young stems are plaited as they thicken, giving a sculptural base most indoor plants cannot match.
• It forgives wet feet. From seasonally flooded ground, it shrugs off a soggy week that would finish a fiddle leaf fig.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Bright indirect light, water when the top few centimetres dry out, and two feeds in the warm months is the whole job.

Where it works best

Indoors. A bright living room, office foyer or landing beside a window suits it. Keep it a metre back from hot west facing glass, which scorches the leaflets.

Pots and containers. It tops out near 2m under a roof, so one plant in a 400mm to 500mm container reads as a small tree indefinitely.

Balconies and courtyards. In frost free gardens it can stay outside all year with morning sun and afternoon shade.

Growing the Money Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors, filtered light to part shade outside. It is frost tender, so in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and cold inland districts keep it indoors or under cover for winter. Tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens grow it outdoors permanently.

Soil and potting. A premium potting mix in a pot with open drainage holes. Standing water in a sealed cover pot will still rot the roots, so tip the saucer out after watering.

Water and feed. Water thoroughly once the top 3cm to 4cm of mix feels dry: roughly weekly in summer, every two to three weeks in winter. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and midsummer keeps the leaves deep green.

Pruning. Cut back any stem that outgrows the shape in spring and it reshoots below the cut within weeks. Wipe dust off the leaflets a few times a year.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes. The 300mm holds a well furnished braid around waist height, right for a desk or a smaller room. The 400mm is taller and heavier, with a thicker plait and broader crown, for immediate presence in a large room or foyer. Both arrive in their growing pot, ready to drop into a decorative container.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect one or two older leaflets to yellow and drop in the first fortnight as the plant adjusts to your light, with new growth in four to six weeks. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full indoor plant range
• Find a decorative pot to match
• Ideas for small courtyards and balconies
• Compare palms and tropical foliage plants

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, one of the few tall indoor plants we recommend for homes with curious pets. A mouthful of any plant can still upset a small stomach, so discourage chewing.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Almost always too much water rather than too little. Let the top few centimetres dry before watering again, and check the pot drains freely.

Can I grow it outside?

Yes, in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, in a sheltered spot out of hot afternoon sun. In cooler districts keep it in a pot you can bring indoors over winter.

Will it outgrow the room?

Rarely. In a container it settles at about 2m tall and 1m wide, and a light prune in spring holds it at whatever height suits your ceiling.