A money tree stores water in its trunk and pays for it when the soil stays wet. Yellow leaves come from overwatering before anything else, with a soft trunk base as the warning sign; from too little light, with the whole plant paling and stretching; from hunger in old soil; from thirst; from cold drafts; and from the plant retiring its oldest lower leaves one at a time. Squeeze the trunk at the soil line and feel the soil, and the cause is usually clear.
What the pattern tells you
| What you see | Most likely cause | Check this first |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves across the plant, trunk soft or dark at the soil line, soil wet, sour smell | Overwatering and trunk or root rot | Squeeze the trunk base; root check |
| Yellow and drooping leaves with dry soil shrunk from the pot, pot light | Underwatering | Soil to the bottom; pot weight |
| Whole plant pale, leggy growth with long gaps, in a dim spot | Too little light | Distance from a window |
| Old lower leaves yellow one at a time, plant otherwise growing | Old leaves dropping naturally | Nothing else changed |
| Yellow after a cold night by a window or door, or near a heater | Cold and drafts | Position; temperature |
| Older leaves yellowing evenly in soil not fed or changed for years | Nutrient shortage | Last feed; last repot |
Overwatering and trunk or root rot
In a pot that stays wet, the roots suffocate and rot, and the rot moves up into the base of the braided trunk. Leaves yellow across the plant, the trunk feels soft, spongy or dark at the soil line, and the pot smells sour. A soft trunk base is the serious sign; a rotted trunk rarely recovers.
What to do: squeeze the trunk just above the soil. Firm means the rot has not reached it; soft means it has. Slide the plant out, trim brown soft roots, remove the old soil, and repot in a gritty mix in a pot with drainage no larger than the roots need. Water once lightly and then not until the top few centimetres are dry. If one braid is soft and the others firm, cut the soft one away; if the whole base is soft, root a healthy stem cutting from the top as a new plant.
Underwatering
A money tree left dry droops and yellows its leaves and drops the older ones, over soil that is dry to the bottom and shrunk from the pot. What to do: water thoroughly, rewet from below if the soil has shrunk, and then check the soil by finger weekly.
Too little light
In a dim spot the whole plant pales, makes small leaves, and stretches with long gaps between leaves. What to do: move to bright indirect light near a window, gradually, out of hot direct afternoon sun.
Nutrient shortage
A money tree in the same soil for years without feeding yellows its older leaves evenly while the newest stay green. What to do: feed at half strength monthly in spring and summer, or repot into fresh mix.
Cold and drafts
Money trees dislike anything below about 15 degrees Celsius and dislike hot dry air. A cold window, an outside door, or a radiator makes them yellow and drop leaves. What to do: move to steady warmth away from drafts and heaters.
Old leaves dropping naturally
The oldest lower leaves yellow and drop one at a time as the plant grows new ones at the tips. If the rest is green and growing, nothing is wrong. What to do: remove the leaf and change nothing.
The trunk squeeze and root check
Squeeze the trunk at the soil line: firm means sound, soft means rot. If the trunk is firm but the soil is wet, slide the plant out and look at the roots; roots rot before the trunk does, and catching it there saves the plant.
What to do today, by cause
- Rot: squeeze the trunk, unpot, trim rotted roots and any soft trunk, repot in gritty mix, water sparingly.
- Underwatering: soak thoroughly, rewet from below if needed, check weekly.
- Too little light: move to bright indirect light gradually.
- Nutrient shortage: feed at half strength in the growing season, or repot.
- Cold or drafts: move to steady warmth.
- Old leaf: remove it and change nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Should I cut yellow leaves off a money tree?
Yes, once a leaf is mostly yellow; pinch or cut its stalk near the stem. Leaves only slightly yellow can stay until the cause is fixed.
Can a money tree recover from overwatering?
If the trunk is still firm, yes: trim the rotted roots, repot in gritty mix, and water sparingly. If the trunk base is soft, the plant rarely recovers, but a healthy stem cutting from the top roots into a new plant.
How often should I water a money tree?
When the top few centimetres of soil are dry, thoroughly, and not again until it dries to that depth, roughly every one to three weeks and longer in winter. The trunk stores water; a wet pot is the one thing it cannot tolerate.
Why is my money tree turning yellow and dropping leaves?
Most often because the roots are sitting in wet soil. Squeeze the trunk base and feel the soil: soft trunk and wet soil mean rot; firm trunk and dry soil mean thirst; firm trunk, moist soil and a dim spot mean light.