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Though the Taiwanese bonsai variety known as the money tree plant won't exactly sprout dollar bills, it is an attractive and easy-to-maintain addition to any home and is also reputed to bring its owners good luck.
The species used for cultivating most money tree plants is pachira aquatica, but there are several other species, such as pachira glabra, that bonsai growers also use to cultivate money trees.
The distinctive braided trunk appearance of the money tree originated in Taiwan in the 1980s; according to legend, a Taiwanese truck driver was the first to breed the trees with braided trunks.
Aside from braided trunks, money tree plants feature bunches of large, five-lobed palmate leaves.
The money tree plant is a traditional gift during Chinese New Year because of its reputation for bringing its owners fortune and good luck.
Money trees to not need much sunlight in order to stay healthy, and they require watering only every seven to 10 days. They can also benefit from occasional misting.
Money tree seeds are edible; they taste like peanuts.
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