Found a money tree!

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

This is the first plant I've ever found thrown away, and I'm very excited. It seems to be a very large money tree (4 + foot) - one of those plants where they twine 5 or more seedlings around each other. I've only seen the very small ones (1 foot) in the stores, and I can't imagine why someone would want to get rid of this plant. Now, the dilemma is 1) I found it this morning before I left for our holiday, so I'm hoping it'll be still alive when I get back and 2) I don't actually know what type of plant they use for this, and I'm not having any luck googling "money tree".

Is anyone familiar with this plant, and how to care for it?

 

[zigs]

Is it this one?

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6725560_care-money-plants.html

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

No. It looks more like this: http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/money-tree-plant.html but the bark is very red, and the leaves are smaller and lighter coloured. When I get back I will take a picture and a leaf to the local nursery and see if they can tell me what it is

 

[ACSAPA]

No. It looks more like this: http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/money-tree-plant.html but the bark is very red, and the leaves are smaller and lighter coloured. When I get back I will take a picture and a leaf to the local nursery and see if they can tell me what it is

That's beautiful. I can't imagine why anyone would get rid of a plant like that. Maybe at 4 feet, it was too big for their space. I hope you find out what it is and how to take care of it.
That plant is lucky to have been rescued by the Crazy Plant Lady.

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

Well, I got back from my holiday, and the little tree was still alive. It appears to be a weeping fig tree, which often has several trunks braided together, or so I read. I'm not surprised it was doing poorly - the previous owner had planted a trailing succulent of some sort and an abundance of miniature ivy in the pot, I guess to dress it up?! The ivy was doing it's best to strangle out the tree, which was already pot bound. It had lost a lot of leaves, and some of the remaining ones are going yellow and brown, so I wouldn't be surprised if it lost some more.

I replanted it in to a pot a size up, after teasing and trimming the roots a bit, and it looks better already. Now I'm just going to leave it alone for a while, and hope it settles in. Sorry, not the greatest photo, but the foliage continues right up to the top of the frame.

 

[dconklin]

That is a really cool tree! I hope that it has better luck now that you planted it in a bigger planter, tho I am sure it will do well now. I never seen a tree like this and I am surprised anybody would want to get rid of it!

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

Me too. But I suppose some people just aren't plant people, and maybe didn't want to be bothered with the tree once it failed to thrive. I'm delighted to have it, anyway

 

[Jewell]

The ficus benjamina are beautiful trees in warmer climates. They do have a tendency to shed their leaves but never worry. Had one in the corner of my living room for years. Had to give it a drastic trim yearly to keep a part of the room for us humans too. I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner began to feel it was taking over the space. I have also had a smaller one I kept as a bonsai.

You can plant the creeping ficus (ficus pumila) as a ground cover in the pot. They get along very well, look good together, and have the same needs.

Great score

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

The ficus benjamina are beautiful trees in warmer climates. They do have a tendency to shed their leaves but never worry. Had one in the corner of my living room for years. Had to give it a drastic trim yearly to keep a part of the room for us humans too. I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner began to feel it was taking over the space. I have also had a smaller one I kept as a bonsai.

You can plant the creeping ficus (ficus pumila) as a ground cover in the pot. They get along very well, look good together, and have the same needs.

Great score

Thanks for the information! Yeah, I can certainly see that it would not be a desirable plant for someone who didn't want a lot of maintenance. I've got him inside in a bright window with some other plants to keep him company. I'll leave him alone for a couple of weeks to settle in, and hopefully he'll start growing some of his leaves back

Do they lose their leaves in the autumn? Or will it stay green all year round? Do you put yours outside in the summer? I would have left him outside for awhile, but I don't have anywhere that doesn't get full sun for at least half the day, and I believe they prefer filtered light. And we're heading into another heat wave, so I didn't want to stress him out.

I was thinking of trying some Irish Moss in the pot, to give it that forest-y look.

 

[Jewell]

From my experience they don't like change, and need a regular watering schedule that saturates the soil, and then goes semi dry. Your bright light location sounds perfect. If they don't like what's happening they can sulk and shed some or all their leaves. Drafts of cold air are a no no. Fortunately I never had that happen or I would have freaked. Lol mine did shed leaves a few all the time. The trees are green year round and quite lovely. I never put mine outside because we have cool nights and it was doing so well indoors. Also the difference in light from inside to outside is actually more than you would think, even in the shade...and insect introduction is increased. I am sure yours will love its new home. Mine provided years of pleasure. One I had for 30 years before I gave it to a friend.

You can also continue weaving the branches to help give it more interest or structure if you want. They are pretty forgiving.

 

[ACSAPA]

Well, I got back from my holiday, and the little tree was still alive. It appears to be a weeping fig tree, which often has several trunks braided together, or so I read. I'm not surprised it was doing poorly - the previous owner had planted a trailing succulent of some sort and an abundance of miniature ivy in the pot, I guess to dress it up?! The ivy was doing it's best to strangle out the tree, which was already pot bound. It had lost a lot of leaves, and some of the remaining ones are going yellow and brown, so I wouldn't be surprised if it lost some more.View attachment 828

I replanted it in to a pot a size up, after teasing and trimming the roots a bit, and it looks better already. Now I'm just going to leave it alone for a while, and hope it settles in. Sorry, not the greatest photo, but the foliage continues right up to the top of the frame.

The little tree looks great, and that's a really nice container garden. It's good news that the tree was alive when you got back from vacation and that it seems to be thriving. Thanks for sharing the photo.

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

The little tree looks great, and that's a really nice container garden. It's good news that the tree was alive when you got back from vacation and that it seems to be thriving. Thanks for sharing the photo.

Thanks, ACSAPA. I just love my back deck - there's not enough room to swing a cat on it without hitting a plant at the moment, and that's just the way I like it

 

[ACSAPA]

Thanks, ACSAPA. I just love my back deck - there's not enough room to swing a cat on it without hitting a plant at the moment, and that's just the way I like it

Speaking of cats, your avatar is adorable. Is that your actual cat?

 

[Gina145]

Ficus Benjamina is a very popular houseplant around here. I've got several of them, some of which I'm trying to train into bonsai.

Most of mine live in my little greenhouse, more out of convenience than need, but I have one that spends the entire summer outside. Our winters are fairly mild so I even put it outside during the day in winter.

As has been mentioned, they are evergreen trees, but they have a tendency to drop their leaves when stressed by being moved to unfamiliar conditions. I have one that was kept in my lounge for years and received no sun at all. It grew long and spindly but still remained fairly healthy. One day I decided to try moving it outside. The leaves all got burnt and eventually fell off, but the new growth was far stronger and it's now thriving. As it's now rather big for its pot, I keep it in my greenhouse because I'm afraid it will blow over when it gets windy.

 

[TheCrazyPlantLady]

Speaking of cats, your avatar is adorable. Is that your actual cat?

Yes, her name is George. She was a foundling, and I named her after the Bugs Bunny skit with the abominable snowman wanting a bunny "and I will call him George, and I will hug him and squeeze him..." Then we found out it's a girl. Her full name is Georgiana Banana