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elsceetaria

Sick Money Tree

Elsceetaria
18 years ago

I read through the other threads about money trees, but I didn't see anything like my problem. In August, I purchased a bonsai money tree from a local vendor. The only instructions I was given were to keep the tree dry, and in fact thay didn't even tell me what kind of tree it was. A few weeks latter I realized that one of the five stalks was more of a redish color and wrinkled. When touching it, it proved to be more squishy than the other stalks. This only occurs along the bottom few inches near the roots. Over time, the rest of the stlks have slowly become like this. I've tried washing the tree and removing the first stalk as well as a multiuse fungicide/ insectide. Also, as the tree conditon worsened the leaves became spotted and fell off. At first, it was just the one that origionally appeared sick, while the reast showed pretty new growth, but over time it became all of the stalks. Has anyone heard of anything like this? Is there anything I should be wary of ot watch out for when I buy a new one. This one I'm griefed to say is probably going to die.

Comments (6)

  • lucy
    18 years ago

    Where do you keep it as far as light and temperature goes? I'm really not familiar with the particular plant, but it doesn't sound good in general. Is it getting enough/too much sun for what it is? Are you in fact giving it enough water when you do it to reach all the roots - bottom of the pot so it drains out the holes? Keeping a tree dry doesn't mean never getting it all wet, just doing it less often.

  • Elsceetaria
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    It wasn't getting alot of light, but I have some bamboo that was near it, and the bamboo is fine. I'd thoroughly water the plant, and then let it dry our until the soil was dry two inches down.

  • tonyb416
    18 years ago

    I have a money tree plant (pachira is the scientific name) and it's nearly 4 feet tall. I keep it in an east facing window. I decided to repot it because all the new leaf growth was coming out curly and thin-leaved (not broad-leaved).

    That repotting seems to have worked and the leaves look fine. I have stuck a chopstick in the soil. When the chopstick is dry, that's when I water it -- drenching it -- then letting the chopstick dry up again.

    Sorry, I can't be of much help with your problem. You may want to try posting in the Houseplant forum.

    --Tony

  • indiebookman
    14 years ago

    "one of the five stalks was more of a redish color and wrinkled. When touching it, it proved to be more squishy than the other stalks. This only occurs along the bottom few inches near the roots."

    That sounds like it could be root rot to me... from watering too much. Hard to say from just this description tho...

    But if you were letting the soil dry between waterings, you should have been fine with root rot. Are you using a well-draining soil, I wonder?

    If it is root rot, Im sorry. That's one thing that is really hard to recover from.

    "I have some bamboo that was near it, and the bamboo is fine."

    Your bamboo is probably "lucky bamboo" with isn't bamboo at all but water rooted dracaena. Dracaena will survive in a box in a closet in a basement. i.e. they do fine without light so... probably not a good yardstick for other varieties of plant.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    14 years ago

    Indie, this Thread was posted many years ago - Nov 18, 05

    The original poster probably isn't around anymore....and even if they are, they've
    probably replaced the plant or moved on. The only reason that this Thread popped
    back up to the first page is because some SPAMMER posted to it.

    We always advise folks to start a new Thread if they have a question, rather than dragging
    something long dead from the crypt.

    That said, I think you're right about the root-rot :-)

    Welcome aboard,

    Josh

  • indiebookman
    14 years ago

    Sorry - should have looked at the date more closely. :) Will watch for that in the future.

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