Ariel

Pachira aquatica

• 
  Easy care
• 
  Bright light

• Ariel likes...
  • 
    Medium light

    She loves to live somewhere bright but without much direct sun, which can burn her leaves.

  • 
    Light watering

    She stores water in her trunk, so only needs gentle watering. Give her a drink when the soil is completely dry.

  • 
    Humidity

    She loves moist air, so give her a mist every few days. It will stop her leaves drying out.

• Quick facts

  BOTANICAL NAME

  Pachira aquatica

  COMMON NAME

  Money tree; French peanut; Guiana nut

  PLANT TYPE

  Evergreen, indoor

  PLANT HEIGHT (INCLUDING POT)

  30-40cm; 60-70cm; 110-120cm;

  PET/BABY SAFE?

  Yes

  NURSERY POT SIZE

  12cm; 19cm; 24-29cm;

• About money trees

  There’s real charm to this houseplant, with its umbrella-like growth and beautiful plaited trunk. It’s pretty easy to care for, too. All it asks is a fairly bright spot in your home and an occasional drink.

  The money tree is known by many lovely names: French peanut, Guiana nut, Malabar chestnut, provision tree, monguba, pumpo. Or to botanists, pachira aquatica. It’s usually found growing in swamps in Central and South America. It’s plaited trunk doesn’t occur naturally, but it’s become traditional to plait it when grown as a houseplant.

  For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, this plant is believed to bring good fortune and prosperity. In Asia, it’s become very popular as an office plant, as it’s thought it will help a business thrive. Got to be worth a try, right?

  This plant does well in both home or office. It just likes to live somewhere light, though out of direct sun, and to be watered when the top two inches of soil feel dry. It also likes to be misted occasionally. Look after it and in return it might make you rich, hopefully.

  Did you know?

  It’s believed that the tradition for plaiting this plant’s trunk started in the 1980s, when a Taiwanese truck driver decided they looked better that way.