The exciting story of the lucky chestnut
Inhabitants of Asia believe that the lucky chestnut brings prosperity and good luck. It is said to catch and hold money with its hand-like leaves. The Asians also use the fruit (Guiana chestnuts) as well as the flowers and younger leaves in cooking. Since the lucky chestnut is beautiful and very easy to care for, you can probably call this luck.
The lucky chestnut (Pachira Aquatica) is also called money tree or wild cocoa tree in Germany. The plant is originally from Central America (Mexico, Peru and Brazil) and can reach a height of 20 meters.
The money chestnut is related to the baobab tree and belongs to the cotton tree family (Bombacoideae). In Germany it is mainly kept as an ornamental plant and is very popular because of its unusual trunk.
The lucky chestnut has a thickened trunk, which is usually braided for decoration. The chestnut stores a lot of water in this trunk. In Germany it usually reaches a height of up to 2 meters.
The money chestnut has large, green/yellow flowers that look very much like a brush or feather. However, the lucky chestnut only very rarely flowers in our country. In its native habitat, the plant produces woody edible fruits that are approximately 15 centimeters in size.
The right place for your lucky chestnut
The lucky chestnut prefers a bright location without direct sun. However, it is also satisfied with partially shaded locations, but grows very slowly there.
The optimal room temperature is between 12 and 25°C.
Care for the lucky chestnut: it's that easy!
Caring for the lucky chestnut is not as difficult as you might think. With our tips you can do it without any problems.
What soil do you need for the lucky chestnut?
Make sure the soil is well drained. Cactus soil from specialist shops is very suitable. If you use ordinary potting soil, you should mix it with sand or expanded clay.
Alternatively, the Pachira aquatica can also be kept in hydroponics. You can read how this works in our article on the subject of repotting hydroponic plants .
You should keep this in mind when watering
When caring for your lucky chestnut, the right amount of water is particularly important. The plant stores water inside the trunk and therefore hardly needs any water. It's enough if you water them once a week.
How often do you have to fertilize the lucky chestnut?
In the first year, your money tree does not need any fertilizer. In the following year you fertilize them, starting in summer, ideally every 14 days.
Repot the lucky chestnut properly
Planters that are too narrow are not very pleasant for your lucky chestnut. Most of the time, however, they are offered on the market in containers that are far too small.
Therefore, it makes sense to repot them into a larger container immediately after purchase. Repot your lucky chestnut every one to two years. Spring is the best time to do this.
Tip: After buying your plant, check whether the stems have rubber bands. These cut heavily into the trunk and should be removed quickly.
Does the lucky chestnut have to be cut?
No, pruning is usually not necessary. Withered or dry leaves can be removed by hand as long as they don't fall off by themselves.
Overwinter your lucky chestnut properly
In winter you should make sure that the heating air is not too dry. Spray them daily with low-lime, lukewarm water to keep them from losing leaves.
The money chestnut is not hardy, so it does not tolerate temperatures below 12°C, but do not keep your plant too warm in winter. Temperatures between 12 and 15°C would be optimal here.
Would you like to learn more about overwintering other plants? Then take a look at our article on Overwintering plants.
Propagating lucky chestnuts, is that possible?
You can easily propagate the lucky chestnut in summer by sowing seeds or with cuttings. Cut off the desired shoot with leaves and stick it in a moist peat-sand mixture. To keep it moist and warm, put a foil over it. The soil should be around 25-30°C for the cuttings to root well.
You can also prefer your cuttings in a glass of water before planting. To do this, cut off a cutting that is as lignified as possible with a few green leaves and place it in a glass of water.
The shoot should be at least 2 cm under water. Avoid direct sunlight here. Once enough roots have formed, you can pot your plant in the ground.
Is the lucky chestnut poisonous to cats?
No, absolutely not. The lucky chestnut is one of the non-toxic indoor plants. The leaves and fruits are even edible. So this houseplant is also harmless for your furry friends.
The right room for your lucky chestnut
Since the lucky chestnut is harmless to humans and animals, you can put it in any bright room. Make sure that the room temperature does not fall below 12°C.
Tips for problems with the money tree
If your lucky palm gets yellow leaves, this may be due to low humidity. This can be a problem, especially in winter, due to the dry air from the heating. Spray your plant daily with low-lime water to create high humidity and the air stays moist enough.
Waterlogging can also lead to yellow leaves or even leaf loss. In this case, nothing else helps except repotting. Examine the roots and remove rotten spots.
You often get the lucky chestnut with a braided trunk, but this makes the plant more susceptible to pests.
As you can see, caring for the lucky chestnut is not difficult at all. Make sure she doesn't get too much water and the air isn't too dry, especially in winter. With our tips, absolutely nothing can go wrong.
Of course you can also buy the lucky chestnut from us. Please feel free to visit our shop.
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