Advice please! Pachira Aquatica looking a bit sad :(

90.hkaur

Hi!

Would really appreciate some advice. 

I was gifted a beautiful money tree last August. It looked fab for the first few month and was growing really well, but since Winter has just not looked quite right.

Some of the tips of the leaves on the older, larger leaves are at brown/shrivelled, and there are yellowish spots appearing.

There are still new shoots appearing, which is one positive, but some of the leaves look at little limp.

It was initially in a very bright, warm spot near the radiator, and moved it away from this 2 months ago. Still looking a bit sad though.

I re potted into a large container with drainage gravel at the bottom around October time- (now wondering if I should have put it into one with holes)

I water it around once a week, or more often if the top soil seems dry.

I have attached some pictures, would really appreciate some advice

Thanks so much

90.hkaur

Omori

You really need a pot with drainage holes. It's best to water it thoroughly so that the water can flush out the bottom of the pot, otherwise you get a build up of things from the water in the soil, which causes the leaf tips to go brown etc. 

Ffoxglove

Sorry for jumping on this thread but I have a similar problem except mine seems worse. My pot has drainage and sits on gravel for humidity but in the last few weeks the plant is yellowing and getting worse - please help! 

Bijdezee

I would say that you always need drainage holes in plant pots. Excess water has to drain away or it becomes stagnant. When you water give it a good soak and let the excess drain away. 

But, I'm wondering if some of the roots are beginning to rot. I would tip it out of the pot and inspect the root system. Too wet and stagnant smelling or too dry because the watering didn't reach the roots?

Reading up on this it seems it needs a well drained compost, indirect sunlight, temperature 65 - 75 F and a humid environment (being a wetland plant). I think misting it with a spray of water once a day would help and definately keep it away from radiators.