Description
Slim green stems topped with palmate leaves and a slender braided trunk make the pachira plant instantly recognisable. Radiating happiness and lending a tropical feel to your space, it’s the plant of choice for those looking for a low maintenance option.
Product Details
Dimensions: our pachira is available in medium size approximately 130cm
Dimensions are approximate and include the pot.
Pachira: Plant Guide
Difficulty level: this is an easy to maintain, resilient plant as long as you meet its basic caring needs.
Light: the pachira prefers indirect sunlight, while you should consider turning it from time to time since it tends to grow towards its light source. Doing so will encourage it to grow evenly.
Air purifier: with its air purifying qualities, the plant can eliminate toxic agents like benzene and formaldehyde.
Pet and child-friendly: the pachira is non-toxic, so it is perfect for households with young children and pets.
Ideal for: promotions, housewarming, new beginnings
Pachira: Plant Background
Origin: native to the tropical regions of Central and South America, the pachira is a tropical wetland tree that forms part of the Malvaceae family. In its natural habitat, the tree usually grows in swamps, riverbanks and in damp mountain forests, often reaching 60 feet. Its flowers are typically large, long and yellow.
Also known as: money tree, water chestnut, pachira aquatica, Guiana, Malabar chestnut, Saba nut.
Symbolism: symbolically associated with good financial fortune, according to Feng Shui tradition, the pachira’s leaves look like a green hand trying to capture happiness and good fortune, while the trunk is braided to hold these. The name money tree derives from a story whereby a poor Taiwanese truck driver who prayed for money found this somewhat odd-looking plant, took it home and started cultivating more like it. He then started selling them. The plant’s popularity instantly took off, introducing it to other corners of the world and making the poor man rich.
Fun facts: although it is unlikely that your indoor pachira will produce any nuts, in the wild, the tree’s nuts grow in a large, woody pod. The pod is not edible, however, the nuts are sometimes eaten and have a flavour similar to that of chestnuts.
Pachira: Plant Care
Watering: the pachira needs plenty of water. During the hot summer months keep the soil damp but avoid letting it stand in water and remember to water the plant until the liquid runs from the drainage holes. In contrast, during winter let the soil dry a little between waterings. Any dropped leaves is usually an indication that you are not watering the plant enough.
Food: apply a good quality, diluted liquid fertiliser every two weeks during the plant’s growing season, but stop fertilising altogether in winter.
Pruning: the Malabar chestnut rarely needs any pruning, yet if you spot any yellowed leaves or dead parts of the plant, remove these.
Ideal temperature: between 16 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Avoid: direct sunlight as this will burn the leaves and overwatering it which may kill the plant.
Pests: spider mites, aphids and scales can all infest your money tree. Try using neem oil to treat aphids, whereas rapeseed oil can be quite effective against spider mites.
Important Information
Whilst doing our utmost in supplying an identical product to the image provided, sometimes items may be substituted if not in season or unavailable. Our dedicated staff will make sure that the substitution is equivalent to value and quality. Where our designs include a sundry item such as a vase, basket or pot it may not always be possible to deliver the exact item as displayed.
Photography location: The Cumberland Boutique Hotel, Valletta, Malta.
