Plant care guide
Money Tree Root Rot: How to Check, Trim and Fix It
Updated
Why does my Money tree have root rot?
Money tree root rot follows a pot that holds standing water or stays wet for long spells. Leaves yellow, brown or wilt while the mix is damp, a trunk may soften at the base, and the roots turn brown to black and mushy. NC State notes that despite its swamp origins, Pachira does not tolerate standing water.
What to do first
Stop watering and unpot the tree. Check each braided trunk and the roots. Cut away soft, dark roots, remove any trunk that is mushy at the base, and repot the firm parts in fresh, free-draining mix in a clean pot with drainage. If nothing firm is left below, root healthy shoot cuttings.
A money tree with a soft trunk or yellowing leaves in damp mix is worrying, especially if it is a gift. Many owners assume a “swamp tree” cannot get too much water. NC State Extension says Pachira aquatica grows wild in freshwater swamps and along riverbanks. Yet it also says the money tree does not tolerate standing water, which can cause root rot. In a pot, the roots need air as well as water.
Is it root rot?
University of Maryland Extension lists the signs of root rots of indoor plants: yellowing, browning and dieback of leaves, poor growth, and wilting even when the mix is moist. Clemson HGIC’s disorders factsheet adds that stems may be girdled near soil level by a ring of brown or black tissue.
| What you see | Mix | More likely cause | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowing or wilting, soft trunk base, mushy dark roots | Wet | Root rot | NC State, UMD |
| Leaves dropping, mix bone dry | Dry | Underwatering | NC State |
| Leaves dropping soon after a move or near a draft | Normal | Environment change | NYBG |
| Yellow leaves, roots firm | Normal | Low humidity or low nutrients | NC State |
| Scorched patches on the sunny side | Normal | Direct sun | NC State |
| Brown, crisp leaf tips | Normal | Dry air or salts | See our brown tips guide |
The New York Botanical Garden’s money tree care page notes that money trees dislike being moved and respond by dropping leaves. So a recent move explains leaf drop better than rot does, if the roots are firm.
Check each trunk
The RHS describes Pachira aquatica as often sold with several plants plaited together. Each stem in a braid is its own plant with its own roots. Squeeze every trunk at soil level. One can be soft while the others are firm.
How to fix it
- Stop watering and empty the saucer or decorative pot.
- Unpot the tree and loosen the old mix away from the roots.
- Sort the roots. Maryland describes rotted roots as brown to black and soft. The outer layer pulls away and leaves a thin thread. Firm, pale roots can stay.
- Trim the rot. Clemson advises cutting out infected roots when only a few are affected, then repotting in sterile mix. Maryland’s repotting guide says to use clean, sharp scissors and remove dead, brown roots.
- Remove a rotted trunk. If one braided stem is mushy at the base, untwist or cut it out with its roots. Leave the firm stems in place.
- Clean the pot. Clemson recommends scrubbing used pots and rinsing them in one part bleach to nine parts water. Maryland advises clean or new pots and sterile mix.
- Repot in fresh, free-draining mix. The RHS recommends an open, free-draining compost. NC State suggests a moist, well-drained mix of peat moss, perlite, loam or sand. Use a pot with a drainage hole, sized to the roots that remain.
- Water once, then wait. Maryland advises watering thoroughly after repotting, then holding off until the top of the mix dries.
Clemson notes that fungicides for root rot exist, but most indoor gardeners will find they cost more than a new plant.
If most roots are gone
Maryland advises throwing away severely infected plants and taking cuttings only from healthy tissue. NC State lists softwood cuttings and layering for money trees. The RHS lists semi-ripe cuttings and air-layering.
University of Illinois Extension’s propagation guide recommends clean, disease-free rooting media such as perlite, vermiculite, peat or coarse sand. Keep it evenly moist but not soggy, and warm at 24–27 °C (75–80 °F).
Aftercare
- Water by the mix. NYBG says to water until it runs from the drainage holes, discard the excess and let the soil dry before watering again.
- Never leave it standing in water. Tip out the saucer after every watering.
- Bright, indirect light. NC State says direct sun can scorch the leaves. Light helps the plant use water.
- Keep it warm. NC State gives 18–24 °C (65–75 °F).
- Hold off on feeding until new leaves appear. NYBG recommends feeding only in the growing season, not in winter.
Leaves that yellowed during the rot will not recover. Judge progress by firm trunks and new leaves at the top.
Our money tree care guide covers the full routine. For the general picture, read our root rot guide and our watering guide.
Related guides
Other money tree problems we cover: yellow leaves.
References
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Pachira aquatica
- RHS: Pachira aquatica
- New York Botanical Garden: Money tree (Pachira aquatica) care
- University of Maryland Extension: Root Rots of Indoor Plants
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC 2251: Houseplant Diseases & Disorders
- University of Maryland Extension: Potting and Repotting Indoor Plants
- University of Illinois Extension: Houseplants: Propagation
How this guide was put together: NC State Extension, RHS, New York Botanical Garden, University of Maryland Extension, Clemson HGIC and University of Illinois Extension guidance.