I wish I knew how to grow a real money tree that produces cash--but who doesn't! So for now I'm limited to this lovely and very tolerant house plant. The Chinese like this plant because it was believed that the shape and structure of the leaves symbolized the harmony between the environment and humans. The money tree has a rich and deep history dating back centuries. I like to think the money tree is good luck and will bring prosperity.

The Pachira plant, or its more commonly known name the "Money Tree" is a great choice for the home or office that has less than ideal light conditions. It prefers the dimmer conditions of a corner that is away from direct sun beams. It will grow in lower light environments than other plants will.

These plants are easily available from the stores and nurseries in many sizes and styles. It's important to pick a high quality store that sells healthy plants. If you happen to buy a plant that already has issues then your chances of success are greatly reduced. Some of them are very beautiful and expensive with braided trunks. Buy the one that has the most stalks, bushiest structure and thickest trunk(s). The trunk must be hard and not squishy in any way.

Once you choose the location for the plant try not to move it around after that. Most house plants, including this one prefer to be left alone after they have been given a spot. This plant likes to be on the dry side, but not like a cactus. Water it half as often and you think you should.

The biggest thing that causes people to have difficulty growing house plants is our need to have them on a schedule. Plants don't operate that way. They need to be watered when they need it-not every week or a certain amount every few days.

I know that sounds impossible to figure out but water when the plant it is dry but not too dry. Buy a moisture meter and take all the guess work out of it. Other considerations include time of year, plants need less water in the winter, also the outside humidity and size of pot matter too.

If your money tree is in distress the first thing you will notice is no new growth. This is true for most house plants, if you don't see new baby leaves and branches growing then you need to investigate and likely take some action to help your plant. Assessing the symptoms is often the hardest part. Look for bugs, white fluffly stuff, scales, teeny tiny webs or anything that looks like it shouldn't be there and then buy the appropriate product from the store to kill the pest. Consult your garden center, take a picture of the problem and take that with you. That will help them select the right product or pesticide for you.

If your plant has been over watered or if the trunk is mushy in any way, you will likely not be able to save it. Rot is irreversible. Buy a new plant.

The next thing that this plant loves is clean leaves. This is true for most tropical indoor plants. Take a clean, soft damp cloth and wipe down the leaves every two weeks or when they get dusty. The plant "breathes" through its leaves and the dust clogs that function.

Then mist the leaves with a fine water spray after dusting. This will help many aspects of the plants' health and you will really notice the difference.

If you follow these these tips you'll have a beautiful money tree. Basic tropical plant care helps and maybe even talk to them a little bit, I'm sure you will have tremendous success with your Pachira and other house plants even if you never have before. Remember Pachira likes dim conditions and doesn't like direct sun. These plants like dimmer conditions as well.

Good luck and I hope you learned a little about plants and money trees.