You braid a money tree by weaving three to five young, green trunks loosely together, then holding the top with a soft tie while the stems harden into shape.
To braid a money tree, start with stems under about 1/2 inch thick, cross them gently like a hair braid, leave a little space between them, and add more braid only as new flexible growth appears.
The catch is timing. Green stems bend easily, but brown, woody trunks can crack or snap, so the braid has to be built slowly over months.
Once it’s in place, a braided plant needs the same steady care as any money tree, plus a few checks on its ties and trunks.
How Are Braided Money Trees Made?
A braided money tree is several separate young plants grown in one pot, with their soft stems woven together by hand. The braid is a growing technique that shapes the trunk and makes the plant sturdier, and it leaves the plant’s basic needs unchanged.
If you are stocking up, a pair of bypass pruners is the first thing I would pick up.
Why Several Plants Share One Pot
The money tree is Pachira aquatica, a tropical tree from the wetlands of Central and South America. It also goes by Guiana chestnut, and in the wild it can reach 60 feet with one straight trunk.
Growers make the braid by planting three to five saplings close together in one container. Each “strand” is its own plant with its own roots.
That setup has a few practical effects:
- One trunk can die while the others stay healthy.
- The roots share the same soil, so soggy soil affects every trunk at once.
- The braided trunks lean on each other, so the plant stands up better than a single thin stem.
Growers also braid them because a single young money tree looks thin, with a small tuft of leaves on a tall stem. Several trunks together give you a fuller canopy.
What a Braid Does and Doesn’t Do
A braid gives the plant a sculpted look and a stronger base. Over time, trunks pressed together can grow into each other and partly fuse.
A braid won’t make the plant grow faster or bring it any health benefit. It also won’t stay neat on its own.
New growth above the braid comes up as straight separate stems, so you have to weave those in yourself if you want the pattern to continue.
When Are the Trunks Young Enough to Weave?
Trunks are ready when they’re still green, bend without resistance, and measure under about 1/2 inch thick. Age in months matters less than how the stem looks and feels.
Check Stem Flexibility Before You Start
Look at the color first. Green stems are soft enough to shape. Once a stem turns tan, gray, or brown with bark, it has hardened into wood and won’t take a new curve.
Next, test the bend. Hold a stem near the base and press it gently sideways about an inch. If it flexes smoothly and springs back, it’s ready. If it feels stiff or you hear a faint creak, stop.
A few more checks help:
- Height: I’d wait until the stems are at least 14 inches tall, so you have enough length to weave without pulling on the roots.
- Water: Water the plant a day before you braid. Well-watered stems are more forgiving than dry ones.
- Season: Late spring through summer is best, when the plant is warm and growing.
Choose Three to Five Healthy Trunks
Three trunks make the classic simple braid, and five is the common shop look. Two can be twisted into a spiral, but they don’t lock together as well.
Pick stems that match in height and thickness. A thin stem braided with thick ones gets squeezed and falls behind. If a pot has an extra weak stem, I’d remove it before you start.
If you’re starting from scratch, you can propagate a money tree from 6 to 8 inch cuttings. Root several, plant them together, and let them grow tall before braiding. One cutting alone won’t give you a braid.
Weave Young Money Tree Stems Step by Step
The method for how to braid a money tree is close to braiding hair, just slower and looser. You cross outside stems toward the middle, keep gaps between them, and stop below the leaves.
Gather Soft Ties and Prepare the Stems
Gather these before you start:
- Soft plant ties, garden tape, or strips of cotton cloth
- Clean, sharp pruning shears
- One or two bamboo stakes
- Gloves, if you like
Skip wire, thin string, and twist ties. They cut into the trunk as it thickens.
Clean your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol. Trim off any small side leaves low on the stems so they don’t get trapped in the weave.
If the trunks stand straight up, you can loosen the soil a little and tip each root ball slightly toward the center, which makes the first crossings easier.
Cross the Stems Without Forcing Them
Start at the base, just above the soil. For three stems:
- Cross the left stem over the middle stem.
- Cross the right stem over the new middle stem.
- Repeat, moving up an inch or two at a time.
For five stems, take an outside stem, pass it over its neighbor toward the center, then do the same from the other side.
Keep each crossing gentle and wide. Leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space between stems, because each trunk can double in thickness as it ages. If a stem fights you, ease off and try a looser angle.
If a stem cracks, press the pieces together and wrap them with garden tape. Some heal, but a fully snapped stem is usually lost.
Stop and Secure the Braid Below the Leaves
Stop braiding a few inches below the first leaves. Weaving into the leafy top tangles the foliage and stresses the youngest, softest growth.
Wrap a soft tie around the top of the braid. It should hold firm while still letting you slide a pinky finger underneath.
If the plant leans, push a stake into the soil near the edge of the pot and tie the braid loosely to it.
Then let it be. Keep it in bright indirect light and water as usual. The stems will harden into their new shape over the next several months.
How Should You Tie and Check the Braid?
Use one soft tie near the top of the braid, keep it loose, and check it every two to three months. Plant ties are temporary helpers, and a forgotten tie is one of the most common ways braided trunks get hurt.
Leave Room for Each Trunk to Thicken
Braided trunks keep getting wider each year. A tie that fit well in spring can be snug by fall.
Here’s what I’d look for at each check:
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Tie slides easily, finger fits under | Leave it alone |
| Tie feels snug or leaves a dent | Loosen or retie it higher |
| Bark bulging around the tie | Remove it right away |
| Stems green and still bendy above the tie | Keep it as support |
Keep the gaps where trunks meet clean and dry, too. Wet soil, dead leaves, or soggy ribbon trapped in those creases invites rot.
Loosen or Remove Ties Before They Cut into Bark
Once the braided section turns brown and woody, it holds its own shape. At that point, you can take the tie off that section for good.
To remove one, snip it with small scissors pointed away from the bark. Don’t pull or unwind it hard.
Store-bought plants often come with ties hidden at the soil line or tucked under the top of the braid. Check yours when you bring it home.
If a tie has already sunk into the bark, cut it carefully and leave any piece that’s buried deep, since digging it out does more harm.
How Do You Continue an Existing Braid?
You continue a braid by weaving only the new green growth that sprouts above the old braid. The woody lower section stays as it is.
Work Only with New, Flexible Growth
Find the spot where brown bark turns to green stem. That line is where your new weaving starts.
Wait until there’s at least 6 inches of fresh growth, so you have enough length to make a crossing or two. Then:
- Water the plant the day before.
- Remove the old top tie.
- Hold the woody braid steady just below the green growth.
- Continue the same crossing pattern, keeping the same gaps.
- Retie loosely at the new top.
Expect to add a few inches of braid at a time, once or twice a year. Most braids reach their full height over several seasons of this.
Prune Crowded Shoots Without Stripping the Canopy
New growth often comes out as several shoots per trunk. Pick one strong shoot from each trunk to keep braiding, and cut the extras.
Make cuts with clean pruning shears just above a leaf node. Remove no more than about a third of the leaves at once, because those leaves feed the trunks.
Spring and early summer are the best times, and you can read more on how to prune a money tree for shape.
Note that a cut stem branches below the cut. So if you want one leader per trunk, thin the side shoots instead of topping the leader.
Care for a Braided Plant as It Grows
A braided money tree wants bright indirect light, warmth, soil that dries between waterings, and a pot that drains fast. These basics keep all of the trunks healthy at once, and my full guide to money tree care covers them in more detail.
Give It Bright Indirect Light and Steady Warmth
Set the plant a few feet from an east or south window, or behind a sheer curtain. It handles medium light, but growth slows and gets leggy.
Gentle morning sun is fine. Direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves, especially in a Southwest or Southeast window in summer. Rotate the pot every week or two so the braid grows straight.
Keep it between 65 and 80°F and above 50°F. Move it away from heat vents, radiators, and drafty doors, since sudden swings cause leaf drop.
Water by Soil Dryness, Not a Fixed Calendar
Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. Indoors, that works out to about every 1 to 2 weeks, and less in winter.
Water slowly until it drains from the bottom, then empty the saucer within 15 minutes. Never leave it sitting in water.
Soggy soil causes root rot, the top killer of money trees. Since every trunk shares the same soil, one soaked pot can hit the whole braid. For a seasonal schedule, see my notes on how often to water a money tree.