The money tree is a popular New Year's flower because it symbolizes good fortune, career success, family prosperity, and wealth.

Its leaves consist of 5 to 9 leaves, thus symbolizing wealth from all directions and harmony and happiness. The leaves are also large and fleshy, symbolizing "a large and prosperous family and business".

In addition, its beautiful shape makes it a festive and auspicious addition to the living room, and it can also purify the indoor air.

However, not all money trees can be successfully cared for. A man sought help online, saying that the new leaves of his money tree were drooping! A florist saw this and said: There are 4 ways to solve this!

The man said, "The leaves that grew back after pruning the money tree are all drooping, thin, and not sturdy. I asked the seller, and they just said it was lacking water. I've watered it and even sprayed it with water, but I don't know why it's still so weak and listless."

Seeing this situation, many netizens shared their experiences!

“I’ve encountered this before. It wasn’t due to pests or diseases. Mine had root rot. I changed it to a breathable terracotta pot, then used loose soil, cut off all the leaves, and it started to grow again.”

"Mine is also dehydrated; try watering it a few more times to save it."

Gardener: "Is the root rot and suffocation caused by overwatering and fertilization, or is it due to low temperature, insufficient sunlight, or poor ventilation? I've encountered problems with my money tree, and these four points can solve them."

"How long does it take for this to happen? I also have one, and I'm really scared."

Root problems caused by watering and fertilization

Watering: The roots of the money tree are fleshy and contain a lot of water and nutrients. Combined with its thick stem, which also contains a lot of water, it is relatively drought-tolerant. Overwatering can easily lead to root rot.

Because people know that money trees are drought-tolerant, they reduce the frequency of watering them. However, this long-term lack of water can weaken the root system of the money tree due to insufficient water.

It can be said that too much water is bad, and too little water is bad; it is a rather delicate plant.

To solve the problem of too much or too little water: The key is to water sparingly and precisely, meaning water thoroughly without waterlogging. Also, water only when the soil is dry to the touch (about 3 cm deep), then water thoroughly once.

Similarly, over-fertilizing, using too concentrated fertilizer, or using organic fertilizer that has not been properly fermented can all lead to root rot in money trees.

The correct way to fertilize a money tree is during its vigorous growth period from May to September, using Flower More No. 1 every 20 days at a ratio of 1:800.

Winter comes early, and spring is too cold for growth, so fertilization is stopped.

If root rot or root suffocation occurs, the plant should be repotted and the soil replaced promptly.

Repotting a money tree involves removing all the soil and then inspecting the roots.

White roots are newly grown, while yellow roots are older and should be kept. Black roots are rotten and should be cut off promptly. Allow the wounds to dry before repotting.

Use garden soil, humus, and peat moss in a 3:4:3 ratio. Repot every one to two years, changing the soil to prevent it from becoming hard and brittle, which would hinder the growth of fleshy roots.

2. The temperature is too low

Money trees are tropical plants native to the Malay Peninsula and the South Pacific islands. They prefer warm and humid environments and are afraid of cold. When the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius in winter, they stop growing, their leaves droop, and in severe cases, they may even lose their leaves.

Therefore, it's essential to keep the plant warm in winter, maintaining a temperature above 15 degrees Celsius to ensure normal growth. This can be achieved by using heating, air conditioning, or sunlight to raise the temperature and promote growth.

If the temperature is low, it can be allowed to go dormant, but you need to reduce the frequency of watering, keep the soil slightly moist, and place it in an indoor environment above 5 degrees Celsius. When the temperature reaches above 15 degrees Celsius in the spring, it will start to grow again.

3. Insufficient sunlight

Money trees prefer light but can tolerate shade, which is why many people place them indoors in places where there is no direct sunlight.

However, if there is too little sunlight for a long time, the money tree's leaves will also droop. This is because if there is too little sunlight, photosynthesis cannot take place, resulting in less energy synthesis. The new leaves lack energy and therefore droop and become soft.

To improve its condition, simply place it indoors in a location with diffused light or plenty of sunlight. Winter sunlight is particularly warm and can raise the temperature, promoting growth and making its branches and leaves strong and healthy.

IV. Poor ventilation

Money trees also need good ventilation in winter. If ventilation is poor, high indoor temperature and excessive watering can easily lead to high temperature and humidity, causing pests and diseases.

This makes the money tree susceptible to many germs, which causes new leaves to droop.

In addition, due to the low temperatures in winter, good ventilation is still necessary; otherwise, small black flies, small white flies, or scale insects may easily appear.

If these pests and diseases appear on your money tree, you should spray it with pesticides promptly. You can use abamectin, following the instructions on the pesticide label.

Because frequent ventilation by opening windows during the midday heat can reduce pests and diseases and promote growth, making the money tree grow vigorously and bringing even better fortune to the home!