Hello everyone,

It's my first post here. First of all thanks to everyone who takes the time to respond on these forums. I've benefited a lot from your advice over the past few years.

My money tree, which until recently was probably my most successful plant, has been developing a lot of yellow spots on the leaves over the past 1-2 months. These spots occur both in the interior of the leaves and on the edges. I have a large south-facing window as you can see below. In the early spring I moved the plant to where it is now (across from the curtain) so it gets less direct light. It still gets some direct light however. I rotate the pot every 2-3 weeks.



I used to think that more soil means more growth so I bought too large a pot for the plant back in the day. This led to very fast growth but it also meant the soil was too moist thus it developed root rot (had to remove one braid) and a bad case of fungus gnats. Using hydrogen peroxide, neem oil and a conservative watering schedule I've treated these. Just leaving this info here as 'medical history'.




Here are some examples of the yellowing. In the winter there were many other leaves that discolored and fell in a short period of time. That seems different than this yellowing since in the winter it happened a lot faster. These current yellow spots have been developing slowly but steadily. And increasingly on more leaves.




These days I water it once per 2-3 weeks. This means that the soil is thoroughly dry: crusty on the top and 'compressed/shrunk' such that a gap develops between the pot interior and soil. I first spray the top layer of the soil to moisten it so it can absorb the water better. Otherwise the water just flows through the gap onto the plate underneath. I probably give it 1-1.5 liters, divided into a few steps while I wait to see if any water gathers in the plate underneath. I haven't used any fertiliser recently but the last time I added slow-release fertiliser pellets it was a few months ago.

Despite the yellowing, the plant is still growing pretty well. Its growth has slowed down since I water it a lot less, but it does still grow.



What is the problem with the leaves? Is it malnourished, underwatered, or is it getting too much sun?

Hi & welcome! If you are letting the soil get completely dry, this plant will not be happy. The botanical name is Pachira aquatica. The species is called aquatica because it is an aquatic plant. In an unglazed clay pot, it would be difficult to overwater most plants because the clay breathes and the roots can get plenty of oxygen. Roots function properly when there is oxygen and moisture at the same time.

I agree with Tiffany that you are letting the soil get too dry. Letting the soil get very dry is an effective treatment for the gnats, but not so good for your Pachira.

If you scrape off the top layer of soil so the uppermost roots are barely covered, that may remove some of the larvae. When not dealing with a gnat problem, it is best to water a Pachiara when the top half-inch of soil feels dry. Try to find a balance between that and letting the soil get dry deeper in order to discourage gnat larvae development.

Money Trees are very hardy and tolerate a lot of watering mishaps without dying. However, they also shed older lower leaves as they age even under the best of care. Over time they tend to become quite leggy and need pruning.

Thank you @purpleinopp and @WillC. I'm happy to hear about the watering -- it's an easy thing to fix. I am also a bit surprised since I was under the belief that underwatered plants would exhibit symptoms differently: e.g. wrinkling leaves, droopy branches, yellowing from the outside of the leaf towards the inside. But the point about root function is very informative, thank you! It disrupts low-level functions of the plant which lead to a host of problems afterwards.

I've read a lot about a 'deep but infrequent' watering schedule for Pachiaras. So I would like to ask: Once I feel that the top half-inch of the soil is dry, how much should I water?
I'm asking out of caution: My original gnat problem was due to frequent watering in small amounts and having many large-potted plants close together. The gnats quickly spread from one pot to another and getting rid of them was a whole saga. The ventilation in this room is okay but nevertheless it's an attic and during fall-winter I don't keep the windows open too often.

Thanks again!

Happy to suggest! I water all of my plants the same way, unless they're in a pot without a hole or something unusual like a hanging ball orchid, which is to gently and thoroughly moisten the soil so that excess come out of the drain holes and repeat before the soil has literally dried completely.

Since I stopped having any peat moss in pots, I haven't had any gnats.

Could you add more details about the fertilizer pellets? When water comes out of the drain hole, is it clear or brown?

In general, it is best to always water thoroughly so that some water trickles through the drain holes. However, if the pot is so large that the soil stays wet for more than 10-14 days, then you may need to provide less water when you do water.

I also agree. The yellow leaf spots on your Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) are a definite sign of inconsistent watering ... I know because I have a totally neglected Pachira that stays outside on my deck year round and I never pay attention to it. I think the only reason it's alive is due to the humidity here where I live.

Your tree is really beautiful and you should try to keep the soil just slightly damp throughout. Water the soil thoroughly and empty any excess water from the tray. Check for moisture every five or six days by sticking a finger down into the soil a couple of inches to see if it still feels damp. Since your tree is in a terra cotta pot, depending on how quickly it dries out, you may have to water once a week to keep the soil damp.

@purpleinopp Thanks for the tip about peat moss. This is a good pointer as I haven't taken the the time to learn about soil mixtures yet.

Regarding the fertilizer pellets, this is what I found on their website "Pokon Indoor Plants Nutrient Cones are fast-acting fertilizers with an NPK of 15-10-12 + 2MgO + Micronutrients". The water that comes out of the pot is typically brown-ish but still semi-transparent. I'm curious to know what the color of the exiting water means.

@WillC Thanks for your advice. Would you recommend removing some soil from the top? I think the root is located halfway down the height of the pot which will make drying slower.

@plantladylin Thanks I'm happy you like my tree! It has made a huge improvement to the atmosphere of the room. I suppose there is not much that can be done about the already-yellowed leaves? That's too bad because if I were to prune them then the tree would look a lot emptier.

The fertilizer ratio sounds decent. Does it indicate how much to use, and how to use it?

Brown water coming out of the drain hole would indicate something is going on in the soil, either earthworms are present, or some type of decomposition is occurring. Decomposition outside = good, but not so much inside. A pot is too small of an environment to support normal microbiological processes that occur in the soil outside.

Does the soil have any odor?

If there is brown liquid inside the fertilizer bits, there could be an excess of that which could be flushed out.

If it was my plant, when the soil is ready to be watered next, I would flush the soil with a gentle shower in the bathtub, or outside in the shade, until the effluvience becomes clear.

Thanks @purpleinopp. Yes their guidance specifies the number of pellet cones (they come in groups) to insert into the soil depending on the diameter of the pot. Normally I put a bit less than they recommend since in the past I've noticed white residue form on the clay pots and sometimes on the soil itself,
which I assume is excess salts. The soil mix I buy is made by the same producer which means there are some pellets already inside the bag.

Good point about the brown water. I would say that the soil has 'regular soil odor' though I wouldn't go as far as saying it smells like soil outdoors. It can be a bit musky sometimes. I will keep your flushing suggestion in mind. Some dust has gathered on the leaves so it's about time to have a little shower.

Happy to suggest.

Aha. I was thinking your fertilizer was those little balls full of liquid that burst open if squeezed.

So many people report a decline in their plants' health after putting the Jobe's spikes in pots. Your fertilizer sounds like a different product, but the same issue could result - too much fertilizer in 1 spot that does not spread evenly through the soil. The result of that would be anomalies in the foliage.

I don't fertilize much but when I do, I use liquid in my watering can, which allows for even application throughout the soil, not just in 1 spot.

The uppermost roots should be barely covered. Anything more than that can be removed.

Fertilizer is not the answer to any of your Pachira problems. Cones, pellets, and spikes are not a good idea for most indoor plants.

The water discoloration reflects something in the soil. What kind of potting soil did you use when you repotted? Where did it come from?

Good point about the uneven spread @purpleinopp!

Thanks @WillC, then I think I will remove some soil from the top. I don't remember exactly which potting soil I bought for this plant, but I normally buy a pre-packaged indoor plant potting soil for most of my houseplants. According to the (google translated) website, it has "garden peat, coarse peat chunks, peat litter and TerraCottem [... and] sufficient nutrition for approximately 180 days". I don't think all my plants discolor the water but I've seen it happen a lot.

A soilless, peat-based potting mix should not discolor the excess water. Perhaps it is something in your water. Or maybe those pellets. I assume you are not adding anything else to the soil.

Thanks, I will look into getting some of that type of mix next time!

@WillC After removing some soil mix from the top, I noticed that the lower layers had become very hard and compressed, to the point that it would take a while for water to penetrate. I took the tree to the shower and let some water run through the soil for a while to loosen it. It's a bit better now. Why does this happen and should I replace the hardened soil?

In most cases, potting soil gets hard when it gets too dry, much like a sponge gets hard and a bit water-resistant when it is very dry. If you keep the spill appropriately moist, it shouldn't happen.

Unfortunately this plant isn't doing well. Following the advice in this thread I watered it more often. About 2 months ago I noticed more leaves yellowing. I pruned them assuming it was some seasonal shedding.

I was away on holiday for 2 weeks and came back to this (2nd April 2022). Compared to the pictures earlier in the thread (July 2021), the plant looks very bare.




A close-up of what's happening to the leaves:




There is still some new growth at the top.




The pot (the soil got dry very fast so I put some pellets to keep it moist)



Can anyone help me? I've had this plant for a long time and really don't want to lose it

If this was my plant, I would repot. If there is a pancake/root-pie at the bottom of the pot, I would chop that off by laying the plant sideways on the ground and using a shovel to do the chop. Then decide if a bigger pot is needed. Probably not, seeing how much empty space there is currently above the current soil level and the rim of the pot. Placing it back in the same pot, but higher, so the soil level where the trunk emerges is the same, would allow space for a lot of new soil under the roots. Then it would have room to grow new roots. When plants run out of room for the roots to keep growing, the rest of the plant will be proportionately affected.

As an aquatic plant, whenever the soil gets too dry, the effects will manifest as damaged foliage.

do you allow water to sit in the saucer underneath the pot?