White edges to a small money plant - Ask Extension
was gifted a money plant 3 1/2 weeks ago. It has showed signs
Of white edges and brake down of green healthy leaves.
I repotted it from a small pot...
Knowledgebase
White edges to a small money plant #625754
Asked April 20, 2020, 2:47 PM EDT
was gifted a money plant 3 1/2 weeks ago. It has showed signs
Of white edges and brake down of green healthy leaves.
I repotted it from a small pot to a medium size pot. Underneath the leaves are
Clear. I adjusted the water to 4 or 5 ice cubes a week. I’ve moved the the plant
Fro a kitchen counter to the floor now the table which receives indirect sunlight.
Most of the leaves look healthy. My concern is what is it and to prevent spreading.
Harford County Maryland
Expert Response
If this plant is Money Tree (Pachira aquatica), it is a wetland-habitat plant in the wild. As a houseplant, they do best when not allowed to go too dry, as this can cause root stress and dried and brittle leaf tips, which appears to be your symptom. Ice cubes may be a convenient method of watering, but they can be faulty in several ways. They give uneven water and do not address the water needs of the plant; either they under-water by not reaching all parts of the soil or over-water by seeping into soil which is sufficiently moist. If the plant is kept on a saucer or in a cache pot (a decorative outer pot with no drain holes) that collects water, this lack of sufficient drainage can suffocate roots on even moisture-loving plants. Root loss results in leaf dieback, because there aren't enough healthy roots left to supply the leaves with adequate moisture. Similarly, tropical plants are not well-adapted to dealing with water that cold, and some plants (African Violets, as an example) are renowned for developing tissue damage from cold water.
It would be best to water this pot well over a sink, to the point of excess water thoroughly dripping out of the drain holes, and drip-drying it before putting it back onto a saucer or into a cache pot. The soil can be allowed to dry a bit (around 1-2" down from the surface) before soaking again. If the pot is too cramped to feel the soil with a finger, you can typically gently pull the pot off to check the soil moisture, or become accustomed to how heavy and light the pot feels when the plant is freshly watered or needs a soaking. In this way, you will be able to water it before it wilts, and also avoid watering when the plant already has enough moisture.
Moving plants into larger containers can slow down their drying time, as the new rootless soil on the edges stays wetter. Spring, however, triggers growth in many houseplants that were previously "resting," and thus this may affect its watering needs going forwards as well. Once it settles in and is responding to stable light levels and the humidity levels in your home, its watering needs will fluctuate less and become more predictable.
Miri
It would be best to water this pot well over a sink, to the point of excess water thoroughly dripping out of the drain holes, and drip-drying it before putting it back onto a saucer or into a cache pot. The soil can be allowed to dry a bit (around 1-2" down from the surface) before soaking again. If the pot is too cramped to feel the soil with a finger, you can typically gently pull the pot off to check the soil moisture, or become accustomed to how heavy and light the pot feels when the plant is freshly watered or needs a soaking. In this way, you will be able to water it before it wilts, and also avoid watering when the plant already has enough moisture.
Moving plants into larger containers can slow down their drying time, as the new rootless soil on the edges stays wetter. Spring, however, triggers growth in many houseplants that were previously "resting," and thus this may affect its watering needs going forwards as well. Once it settles in and is responding to stable light levels and the humidity levels in your home, its watering needs will fluctuate less and become more predictable.
Miri
