Basically, you don't have to prune a money tree at all. However, it may make sense to trim the houseplant occasionally. This is especially true when it comes to care if the plant grows poorly and does not branch well. What you need to consider when cutting.
When and why should you prune a money tree?
Money trees should be pruned to correct irregular growth, thin trunks and drooping shoots, and to encourage branching. The best time to prune is early spring or immediately after flowering.
Why you should prune a money tree
There are a few reasons why you should prune a money tree occasionally:
- irregular growth
- Trunk remains very thin
- Stimulate branching of branches
- remove shoots growing downwards
- remove sickly branches
- Cut cuttings
Use a sharp and, above all, clean knife when cutting. With scissors you squeeze the soft branches too hard.
If you want to propagate the money tree, cut cuttings in spring, which root very quickly.
The best time to trim money trees
You can prune a money tree all year round. The houseplant tolerates pruning well and sprouts reliably again.
Early spring, before the money tree sprouts, is particularly favorable. Directly after flowering is also a good time for pruning. Then don't accidentally remove inflorescences.
How to cut the penny tree correctly
When pruning the money tree to thicken the trunk, remove all lower branches and leaves. But remember that the plant will not sprout again at the cut points.
A strong pruning promotes the formation of new shoots. If you shorten old branches, they will branch out particularly well. The penny tree then appears more compact and dense.
Drooping branches don't just look unsightly. Their weight can cause the entire plant to bend or break off. You either cut such branches or tie them up to supports. After a while the branches will stay in the desired position on their own.
Care after cutting
After pruning, the money tree recovers within a very short time. It then becomes particularly strong and sometimes needs more nutrients. Give it some fresh substrate or provide it with slightly more fertilizer.
After pruning, do not place the money tree in the blazing sun straight away, but give it some time to get used to a sunny location.
Caring for the money tree as a bonsai
You can also keep a money tree as a bonsai. The upright tree shape or the baobab shape are particularly decorative as growth forms.
Money trees are not wired because the branches are very soft and break too quickly. They are raised or shaped into the desired shape using supports.
Tip
A money tree that is kept purely as a houseplant usually does not bloom. If you want flowers to develop, you have to put the penny tree outside over the summer. Flower buds only form when the temperature changes.
