You’ve probably seen them at IKEA, Home Depot, or tucked into the corner of a trendy dental office. They usually have those distinctive braided trunks and five-fingered leaves that look a bit like a hand reaching out for a paycheck. We call them "Money Trees," but if you're looking for the money tree scientific name, things get a little more complicated than a simple label at the garden center.
Most people will tell you it's Pachira aquatica. Honestly, they’re usually half-right, but mostly wrong.
It turns out the "Money Tree" you actually own is almost certainly a different species altogether. This isn't just botanical hair-splitting; knowing the real name changes how you water it, how big it grows, and whether or not it’s going to drop all its leaves the second you look at it wrong.
The Real Money Tree Scientific Name (It’s a Duo)
In the world of botany, the term "Money Tree" is a bit of a marketing umbrella. While there are a few plants that go by this name—like the jade plant (Crassula ovata) or the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides)—the braided tropical version we’re talking about belongs to the genus Pachira.
Specifically, you’re looking at two main contenders:
- Pachira aquatica
- Pachira glabra
Here is the kicker: almost every "Pachira aquatica" sold in big-box stores is actually Pachira glabra.
Why does this happen? Well, back in the 1980s, a truck driver in Taiwan started braiding these trees to sell them as symbols of luck. Somewhere along the line, the name Pachira aquatica stuck because it sounded more "official." But if you look at the botanical records from institutions like the Missouri Botanical Garden or Kew, the physical traits of the common houseplant align much more closely with glabra.
How to tell them apart
If you want to be a real plant nerd about it, look at the flowers—though they rarely bloom indoors. Pachira aquatica has massive, showy flowers with red-tipped stamens that look like a burst of fireworks. The seeds are also huge, roughly the size of a tennis ball.
On the flip side, Pachira glabra (the one you likely have) has white stamens and slightly smaller fruit. The bark on a glabra also stays green and smooth for much longer, while the "true" aquatica develops a rougher, greyish bark as it ages.
Why is it called "Aquatica" anyway?
The money tree scientific name Pachira aquatica actually tells you exactly where it comes from. The word Pachira is derived from a language spoken in Guyana, and aquatica is Latin for—you guessed it—water.
In the wild, these things aren't tiny desk decorations. They are massive, 60-foot-tall behemoths that grow in the swamps and wetlands of Central and South America. They love having their "feet" wet. They grow along riverbanks where the ground is constantly soggy.
This leads to the biggest mistake most owners make. Because we call it a "tree," we think it needs to be treated like a Ficus or an Oak. But it's basically a swamp monster. It has evolved a "caudex"—that swollen part at the bottom of the trunk—specifically to store water so it can survive if the swamp levels drop.
The Feng Shui of the Five Leaves
There is a reason you almost always see five leaves on a single stem. In Feng Shui, these five leaves are said to represent the five elements:
- Wood
- Water
- Earth
- Fire
- Metal
If you happen to find a stalk with six or seven leaves, people in Taiwan and China consider that incredibly lucky. Like, "go buy a lottery ticket immediately" lucky.
The braiding itself isn't natural. You won't find a braided Pachira in the rainforests of Brazil. Humans do that when the plants are very young and pliable. The idea is that the braid "locks in" the fortune so it can't escape your house. It’s a beautiful sentiment, but for the plant, it’s a bit of a struggle. As the trunks grow thicker, they can sometimes choke each other out.
🔗 Read more: Very Small Toilet Room Ideas That Actually Work (And What To Avoid)
Myths vs. Reality: Does it actually bring money?
Let's be real. It won't pay your rent. However, there is some scientific backing to the idea that it improves your "fortune" in other ways.
NASA famously included the money tree scientific name (under its various synonyms) in studies about air purification. It is remarkably good at filtering out volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and formaldehyde. If you're breathing cleaner air, you're less stressed. If you're less stressed, you're more productive. More productivity? Maybe more money. So, in a roundabout, scientific way, the "Money Tree" title holds up.
Practical Care: Stop Killing Your Pachira
Since we know the money tree scientific name refers to a wetland plant, your care routine should reflect that. Most people kill these by being too "careful" with water, leading to a weird paradox.
The Watering Trap
Don't just give it a "sip" every day. That’s a death sentence. Instead, wait until the top inch of soil is dry, then drench it. Let the water run out of the bottom of the pot. Because it's an aquatica (or glabra), it likes humidity. If your house is dry—especially in winter—the leaves will turn crispy and fall off. A pebble tray with water or a humidifier is a lifesaver here.
Light Requirements
In the wild, they grow in full sun. In your living room, they prefer "bright indirect light." If you put it in a dark corner, the stems will get "leggy" (long and thin) as they stretch toward the nearest window. If you put it in direct afternoon sun behind a glass pane, the leaves will literally get a sunburn and turn white.
The Potting Secret
Use a well-draining soil, but one that holds some moisture. A mix of peat moss and perlite is usually the sweet spot. And for the love of all things green, make sure your pot has drainage holes. If the roots sit in stagnant, non-moving water for too long, they will rot, and the "money" will literally rot away.
Surprising Facts You Won't See on the Label
Did you know the seeds are edible? In parts of Central America, people roast the seeds of Pachira aquatica. They supposedly taste like peanuts or chestnuts. You can even grind them into a flour to bake bread.
Warning: Don't just start munching on your houseplant. Most indoor versions are treated with pesticides or fertilizers that aren't food-grade.
Another weird detail: the flowers only open at night. They are pollinated by bats and moths in the wild. They are incredibly fragrant—sort of a heavy, lily-like scent—but since they only last for a day or two and usually don't appear on indoor plants, most owners never get to experience it.
Your Next Steps for a Thriving Money Tree
If you just bought one or yours is looking a bit sad, here is what you should do right now:
- Check the base: Feel the trunk. If it's squishy, you're overwatering. If it's firm but the leaves are drooping, it might be thirsty or need more humidity.
- Rotate the pot: These plants are phototropic—they grow toward the light. Rotate it 90 degrees every week so it doesn't end up leaning like the Tower of Pisa.
- Prune the "suckers": If you see little green shoots growing from the very bottom of the trunk (below the braid), snip them off. They steal energy from the main canopy.
- Clean the leaves: Dust blocks sunlight. Grab a damp cloth and wipe those "fingers" down once a month.
Knowing the money tree scientific name is the first step to actually understanding what your plant needs. Whether it's a Pachira aquatica or a Pachira glabra, you're looking after a piece of the tropical wetlands. Treat it like a swamp dweller, give it some light, and it'll probably outlive your latest tech gadget.