If your Money Tree has started drooping down then this definitely means something isn’t quite right with either its environment or your care routine. However, you’ll be pleased to know that drooping stems are one of the earlier signs of trouble so if there are no other visible issues with your plant, then chances are you’ve caught the problem early which is great.
In this article, we will go through the most common reasons why Money Trees can start drooping and go through how to treat and prevent each issue.
Overwatering commonly causes a Money Tree to droop
Overwatering is one of the biggest and most concerning problems in the houseplant world as it can cause a whole range of issues that some plants can not recover from. The reason for this is that consistently soggy soil can very quickly lead to root rot which means the plant is unable to take up nutrients and water from the soil. This leaves your Money Tree quite droopy and unstable.
However, drooping leaves and stems are one of the earlier signs of trouble so if the leaves are still quite green and healthy then the problem should not be so advanced.
To confirm whether overwatering is the cause of your droopy Money Tree, check the moisture in the soil. You can do this using the finger or chopstick method, by using a moisture meter or by removing your plant from its pot. The latter allows you also to inspect the root system to see if it has started to rot.
To fix the issue, replace any waterlogged potting mix right away and trim away any rotten roots. This prevents there being any further damage and encourages the root system to recover and grow new healthy toots.
In future, adjust your watering schedule to avoid repeating the problem and over the next few weeks, you should start to see your Money Tree improve. It takes a little longer for the plant to recover from overwatering than some other issues due to the damage to the root system so be patient and keep a close eye on your plant.
A drooping Money Tree can also suggest underwatering
The strange (and often frustrating) thing about drooping leaves on a Money Tree is that as well as too much water, the issue can also be caused by a lack of moisture too. This is because both extremes will cause damage to the root system, leading to droopy stems and leaves.
If you have caught the issue early, there may be no other signs of unhappiness. However, if the issue has gone on for a while then you might spot dry crispy brown leaves, leaf tips or stagnant growth.
If the leaves of your Money Tree are quite dry as well as drooping down, then we suspect that a lack of water is the culprit. However, before you start pouring buckets of water over your plant, you need to make sure that this is really the cause of the drooping leaves on your Money Tree.
As with overwatering, we recommend checking the moisture in the soil, either using the finger method to test how moist the potting mix is or by removing the plant from the pot. If the soil is dry and feels sandy, and the roots look a little crispy and shrivelled, then underwatering is likely the cause.
How to fix an underwatered Money Tree:
Give your plant a short soak
Fill up a container with fresh temperate water and place your plant in there for about 10 minutes. This will allow the water to soak into the potting mix and allow your plant to take in what it needs but no more.
Slowly reintroduce watering.
Then for the next week or so, slowly reintroduce watering by giving your plant a little every other day. This ensures that the potting mix and root system become moist but not waterlogged.
Adjust your watering schedule moving forward
You want to either be watering your Money Tree more deeply each time you do or increase the frequency of watering. It’s also important to adjust your watering schedule depending on the seasons. Using a moisture meter can help with this.
Too little sunlight could also be to blame
If watering issues don’t seem to be the cause of your plant’s issues then it may possibly be light levels that need monitoring. Another cause of drooping Money Tree leaves is a lack of sunlight.
Whilst Money Trees can adapt to some lower light areas, there is a limit and especially during the winter months, your Money Tree will struggle with a severe lack of light.
The best thing to do is move your Money Tree to a spot in your home that gets bright but indirect light. Avoid anywhere too close to windows during summer as your plant will struggle with intense direct sunlight. After a few weeks, you should start to see the leaves bounce back.
You may need to think about moving your plant around depending on the seasons so that you are maximising on the light in winter but moving it further away from intense light in summer. If you aren’t able to move your Money Tree to a sunnier spot, then we recommend buying a LED grow light to supplement light levels. They are a really good investment all around as not only can they aid with growth in summer but can also be used for propagating and cultivating seeds and cuttings.
Drooping leaves can also indicate pests
One more worrying cause of a droopy Money Tree which we felt important to mention is a pest infestation. This will be more common if your plant has spent any time outside but can still happen to houseplants too.
The first thing to do if pests are a possibility is to isolate your plant away from your other houseplants to stop any spread of the pests. Then inspect your plant very closely looking for pests on the leaves and in the potting mix. It’s also important to look for signs of pests (brown or yellow spots, holes in the leaves or white webbing across the stems).
If you do find pests or signs of them then check over each of your other houseplants. Then remove the worst affected leaves and replace the entire potting mix to curb the infestation. Then wash down the leaves and soil in the shower using warm water and wipe over them with a clean cloth. We also recommend treating your Money Tree with neem oil and a natural insecticide.
Those are the most common reasons why Money Trees can start drooping down. Once you have diagnosed what is wrong and started treating the issue, it’s crucial that you keep a very close eye on your plant over the coming weeks.
You want to make sure not only that you’ve made the right diagnosis but also that the treatment is having a positive impact on your plant. Depending on how long the issue has been going on, you should expect to see your Money Tree slowly undrooping over the next couple of weeks.
Take a look through our Money Tree care guide for more information on how to properly care for your plant.
