This variety of money plant is the fastest growing and grown as climbing plant. It can clear formaldehyde and other harmful gases from the air, hence many people keep this plant in their living room (with proper ventilation). A NASA research has also found this plant capable to purify air. It can attain length of 10-12 metres also. Anybody can easily grow this plant. This plant remains safe from most of the pest attacks also.
This plant prefers to grow in warm temperatures (Approx 300 C) with humidity and indirect sunlight. We must keep this plant in properly ventilated space. If we keep inside closed rooms without ventilation and less sunlight for many days, its growth will reduce. Moreover, lower leaves may start shedding. To avoid this, we must keep it at a space where sufficient diffused / indirect sunlight is available with proper exchange of air. Variegation of plants also enhances under sufficient diffused sunlight.
Watering & Sunlight: Overwatering should be avoided for this plant also. Generally, plant lovers think that this money plant can be grown in water also. Hence, more watering will be good for this plant. But this is not the reality. Overwatering has shown reduction or dormancy in growth of this plant. We should wait for watering, till the soil becomes slightly dry. Even if you grow it in water (as hydroponic), please keep on changing the water within 5 days. For faster growth of this plant, regular misting by water mixed with Epsom Salt on weekly basis will be highly helpful. Epsom salt (5 Gms/Ltr) enhances photosynthesis process and leaves show dense growth with vibrant greenery. This process enhances leaf size also. On other days, we can do misting with plain water. Misting helps plants in cleaning of stomata which are available in lower sides of leaves. Consequently better respiration in plants takes place. Misting also ensures cleaning of leaves. This plant likes misting, during summer regular misting of leaves will help the plant growth by making humid atmosphere. Moreover, such foliar spray will improve look of plants by cleaning of leaves. Under favourable conditions, distance between two nodes (originating place of leaf) reduces. These factors lead to dense growth of plants.
This plant can grow at fastest speed in temperature range between 25 and 350 C. It can also tolerate sunlight for few hours. But continuous exposure to direct sunlight may cause sunburn of its leaves. If we keep this under direct sunlight, its leaves tips may turn black. This indicates us that we should immediately shift the plant to shady areas. During summer season, we must keep this plant in shady area.
Soil: This plant does not need frequent fertilizers. Drainage in pot is necessary by making sufficient holes in bottom. To make the ideal potting mix, 20 % drainage media (river sand/ Leca/ Perlite/ Pumice or rice husk- use any one of them) in potting mix should be available. In rest of the potting mix, we should mix Cocopeat (40 %), vermi – compost (20 %) and garden soil (20 %) in equal ratio. You can also plant it in water. Cut the fresh stem near the node and dip into the water. We have to change the water every week or before.
Coir pole with sphagnum moss is suitable for climbing the plant up and better growth. While watering the plant, we should water the coir pole so that it can absorb moisture. By doing so, rhizomes of money plants enter inside the coir pole and receive needful moisture and nutrition from sphagnum moss. It improves plant growth. You can tie the branch with supporting pole.
Use : This plant is widely used in landscaping and as indoor plant.
We should not do re-potting of plants immediately after receiving. Please wait for a week. Let the plants adjust in new atmosphere of your home. Repotting and disturbance to their roots will adversely affect life of plants.
Nilesh –
Very well packed