Pachira Aquatica Slowing Dying

brian__foley

Hi all,

I moved house a while ago and have the space for some internal plants for pretty much the first time in my life and I'm coming fresh to a lot of this.

My present issue is with a Pachira Aquatica. After purchase it exploded with new growth which was lovely. However, thereafter leaves have started to wilt and turn brown. I've been through as much literature as I can and its hard to get a handle on whether the soil is always supposed to be moist or not or whether I'm under watering or over watering. Generally, I would have watered this plant about every two week when the soil was dry to about a knuckle deep when pushing a finger in. I also figure maybe the increased growth meant it needed a new pot for space, so I repotted it. When I did I was taken aback by how little root growth there was. I have repotted external bay trees before and the roots positively were pushing against the pot but nothing of the sort here…the root ball was really, really small.

I've linked some photographs as I'm a new user they won't let me link, but the URLS are below:-






The immediate answer is buy another one, but I really want to learn about this, learn what I may be doing wrong and get to grips with how to do things right. Plus there is nothing worse than watching it die thinking it may be solvable with more knowledge that I just can't source! For the most part I've found the literature I can source ambiguous as to what could be going on.

I can say that there is no super direct sunlight on it for leaf burn (if possible in Ireland in winter?).

Any help or direction would be appreciated. I can't have more death on my hands.

raemie10

brian__foley wrote: »

Hi all,

I moved house a while ago and have the space for some internal plants for pretty much the first time in my life and I'm coming fresh to a lot of this.

My present issue is with a Pachira Aquatica. After purchase it exploded with new growth which was lovely. However, thereafter leaves have started to wilt and turn brown. I've been through as much literature as I can and its hard to get a handle on whether the soil is always supposed to be moist or not or whether I'm under watering or over watering. Generally, I would have watered this plant about every two week when the soil was dry to about a knuckle deep when pushing a finger in. I also figure maybe the increased growth meant it needed a new pot for space, so I repotted it. When I did I was taken aback by how little root growth there was. I have repotted external bay trees before and the roots positively were pushing against the pot but nothing of the sort here…the root ball was really, really small.

I've linked some photographs as I'm a new user they won't let me link, but the URLS are below:-






The immediate answer is buy another one, but I really want to learn about this, learn what I may be doing wrong and get to grips with how to do things right. Plus there is nothing worse than watching it die thinking it may be solvable with more knowledge that I just can't source! For the most part I've found the literature I can source ambiguous as to what could be going on.

I can say that there is no super direct sunlight on it for leaf burn (if possible in Ireland in winter?).

Any help or direction would be appreciated. I can't have more death on my hands.

Perchance did you buy that plant in IKEA?!
I did last December (prob not the best time of year to buy in fairness)
It looked fab for a few weeks, then leaves (like yours) turned spotty, yellow, brown etc.

I kind of ignored it for a few weeks (maybe a month!) as wasn't really using the room that it was in.
One of the braids died (though I think was on its way out when I purchased it)

Anyhow, like you, I didn't want to dispose of it and tried to research how to fix it. Every second search showed a different answer.
So, I've taken the most reliable info the last month or so and my tree has come on in leaps and bounds!)

I made sure the plant had indirect light, I used an aqua globe to make sure it had enough water but I wasn't overwatering and I also have been feeding it weekly with baby bio.

The room it's in now is warm with it being 'summer' and was very cold during the winter so this might have helped also.

I trimmed the dead leaves off and it really has lots of new growth now

Not sure how to remove the braid that's dead so hoping it won't rot and I won't have to!

Day Lewin

I don't know this plant from experience: but on looking it up online, one thing emerges - its home range is in warm and humid forests.

Such plants generally don't like dry air at all: so making sure there is plenty of humidity round them often helps. A "pebble tray" is useful because it keeps the plant moist both soil and air.

Did you re-pot it? The plants that we can buy at large outlets and hardware stores etc. have usually been grown fast in the bare minimum of compost required to get them to market and look good for three weeks. (Think of all those Mother's day and Easter baskets.) Very soon, the sparse compost is exhausted and the plant should be gently repotted into something more substantial.

Also, it is a big plant - and will use up the minerals in the soil at an appreciable rate. Feed it, therefore, during the summer months - sparingly but regularly.
And I think the advice of raemie10, above, is very sound.
Best of luck with your plant!