The best soil for money tree plants is a fast-draining, peat- or coir-based potting mix loosened with perlite and pine bark, because it holds light moisture for the roots and then drains so air can get back in. My go-to is a simple DIY blend of indoor potting mix, perlite, coconut coir, and pine bark, all measured by volume.
The money tree plant (Pachira aquatica) grows wild in the wetlands of Central and South America. In a pot, though, root rot from soggy soil is the number one thing that kills it.
Once you know which ingredients drain and which ones hold water, you can mix a well-draining soil in about 10 minutes or pick a bagged blend with confidence.
What Do Money Tree Roots Need from Soil?
Money tree roots need two things at once: steady light moisture and plenty of air. Good money tree soil drains extra water within a minute or so, keeps the root zone damp for several days, and never stays wet for a week or more.
If you are stocking up, a good potting mix is the first thing I would pick up.
Why Do Moisture and Airflow Both Matter?
Roots drink water, and they also breathe oxygen. Tiny air pockets between bits of soil carry that oxygen to the root tips.
When you water, those pockets fill with water. A fast-draining soil lets the extra water flow out the bottom, so the pockets refill with air within an hour or two.
Moisture retention is the other half. Money trees are thirstier than cactus, so the mix needs some spongy material, like peat or coir, to hold water between drinks. Without it, the roots dry out and the leaf edges crisp.
The goal is a mix that feels like a wrung-out sponge a day after watering. It should never feel like mud, and it shouldn’t feel like dry sand.
How Does Soggy Soil Lead to Root Rot?
Soggy soil leads to root rot by cutting off air. When every pore stays full of water for days, the roots start to suffocate and die back.
Dead roots give water molds and fungi an easy way in. These organisms thrive in wet, airless soil and spread from root to root, then up into the base of the trunk.
The tricky part is timing. The swollen trunk stores water, so a money tree can look plump for weeks while its roots rot below.
By the time leaves yellow and the trunk softens, the damage is well along, which is why soil choice is your first line of defense.
Which Ingredients Make a Good Money Tree Mix?
A good money tree mix uses one moisture holder, one or two air makers, and a small dose of nutrition. Peat moss or coconut coir handles moisture, perlite, pumice, and pine bark add airflow, and compost or worm castings feed gently.
Peat Moss or Coconut Coir for Light Moisture Retention
Peat moss and coco coir (also sold as coconut coir) both soak up water and release it slowly. Most bagged potting mix already uses one of them as its base.
Peat leans slightly acidic, which suits money trees just fine. Coir is close to neutral, comes from coconut husks, and rewets more easily after drying out.
I prefer coir for money trees. Dry peat turns water-repellent, and water runs straight down the sides of the pot. If you use peat, moisten it before mixing.
Vermiculite is another moisture holder. I’d only add a small scoop if your home is very dry, since it holds more water than a money tree wants in most rooms.
Perlite, Pumice, and Pine Bark for Airflow
Perlite is the white, puffy stuff in potting mix. It’s expanded volcanic glass, weighs almost nothing, and never breaks down, so the air spaces it makes last for years.
Pumice works the same way but is heavier. That extra weight helps steady a tall, top-heavy money tree in a light plastic pot.
Pine bark adds chunky pieces that keep the mix from packing down. Use small fines, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, since big orchid chunks leave gaps around fine roots.
A few other add-ins come up often:
- Coarse sand helps drainage, but it’s heavy and can pack down. I’d skip it if you have perlite.
- Horticultural charcoal adds chunky texture. A handful is fine, though it isn’t needed.
- Play sand or beach sand is too fine and clogs air spaces, so leave it out.
Compost and Worm Castings for Gentle Nutrition
Compost and worm castings add a slow trickle of nutrients and help good soil microbes. Organic compost should be well rotted and crumbly, with no sour smell.
Keep the dose small. About 5 to 10 percent of the mix is plenty, since too much compost makes the blend heavy and wet.
Worm castings are my pick here. They’re gentle on roots, hard to overdo at that rate, and they don’t compact like rich garden compost.
What Should You Look for in a Bagged Mix?
Look for a bagged mix that lists peat or coir first, shows visible white perlite or bark chunks, and doesn’t advertise “moisture control.” If you squeeze a damp handful and it crumbles apart when you open your hand, it has the texture money trees like.
Money Tree and Tropical Plant Mixes
Mixes labeled as money tree potting soil or tropical plant mix are made for this kind of plant. Most use coir or peat with perlite and bark, which is close to what I’d mix myself.
Read the ingredient list anyway. Some small bags are mostly fine peat with a few perlite bits, and that blend stays wet too long.
Organic potting mix or organic money tree soil is a fine choice if you prefer it. “Organic” refers to the ingredients and fertilizer, so drainage still depends on the perlite and bark content.
General-Purpose Indoor Mixes You Can Amend
A general indoor potting mix works well once you lighten it. This is the cheapest route, and it’s what I’d use for a large money tree that needs several quarts.
Mix 2 parts indoor mix with 1 part perlite as a starting point. If the bag already has lots of perlite, add a little less.
Skip any mix with water-absorbing crystals or gel beads. They hold water against the roots for days. For other houseplants in your collection, my guide to the best soil for indoor plants covers more bag types.
When a Bonsai-Style Mix Makes Sense
Bonsai soil is very gritty and drains in seconds. It makes sense for money trees kept small in shallow pots, or for anyone who waters heavily by habit.
The trade-off is frequent watering. In a gritty bonsai blend, expect to check the plant every 3 to 5 days in summer.
I’d only reach for bonsai soil in a humid bathroom or a very warm Southeast home with lots of light. For most indoor plants, a coir and perlite mix is easier to live with.
How Do You Make a DIY Money Tree Soil Mix?
You make a DIY money tree soil mix by combining indoor potting mix, perlite, coconut coir, and pine bark by volume, then moistening it before you plant. It takes about 10 minutes and one bucket.
A Simple Recipe Measured by Volume
Measure everything by volume, using a cup, scoop, or old yogurt tub. Weight throws ratios off, because a scoop of perlite weighs a fraction of a scoop of wet mix.
This recipe makes about 6 quarts of soil for money tree repotting, enough for an 8- to 10-inch pot.
| Ingredient | Parts | About how much for 6 quarts | Job in the mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor potting mix | 4 parts | 2 1/2 quarts | Base, starter nutrients |
| Perlite | 3 parts | 1 3/4 quarts | Drainage and air |
| Coconut coir (pre-soaked) | 2 parts | 1 1/4 quarts | Light moisture retention |
| Pine bark fines | 1 part | 1/2 quart | Keeps mix loose |
| Worm castings (optional) | 1/2 part | 1 to 2 cups | Gentle feeding |
Here’s how to mix it:
- Soak compressed coir in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, then squeeze it until damp.
- Pour the potting mix, perlite, and bark into a bucket or tub.
- Add the coir and worm castings, and stir with your hands or a trowel.
- Sprinkle in a cup of water and mix again until the blend feels evenly damp.
- Squeeze a handful. It should hold shape loosely and crumble when poked.
When you repot a money tree, keep the trunk at the same soil line it had before. Burying the braid traps moisture against the bark.
How to Adjust the Mix for a Dry or Humid Home
Tweak the recipe based on how fast your soil dries. Room humidity, light, and pot material all change the timing.
- Humid homes, bathrooms, plastic pots: Raise perlite to 4 parts and drop potting mix to 3 parts. This fits muggy summers in the Southeast and Gulf Coast.
- Dry homes and winter heating: Add 1 extra part coir. Forced-air heat in the Northeast and Midwest can drop indoor humidity below 30 percent.
- Terracotta pots: Clay pulls water out through its walls, so the base recipe works well as is, or with a touch more coir in dry climates like the Southwest.
- Dim rooms: Add 1 extra part bark, since the plant uses water slowly.
Which Soils Should You Avoid?
Avoid any soil that stays wet for more than about a week, and any soil that dries out in a day or two. Garden soil, heavy moisture-control blends, and straight cactus mix sit at those two extremes.
Garden Soil and Dense Moisture-Control Mixes
Garden soil from your yard packs down hard in a pot. It loses its air spaces within weeks and can carry weed seeds, insects, and fungus into the house.
Bagged “garden soil” or topsoil is meant for in-ground beds. It’s too heavy for any container houseplant.
Moisture control potting blends add water-holding crystals or extra fine peat. They’re handy for hanging baskets in the sun, but on a money tree they hold water far too long.
Moisture control and fast-draining soil pull in opposite directions, and money trees need the drainage side.