Hey, what's up everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. Today we're going to be talking about the money tree plant, but actually that name's a bit deceiving. There are many different varieties of plants that are referred to as the money tree plant. So we're actually going to lean on the Latin name for this episode and that would be

Pachira Aquatica, also known as Malabar Chestnut or the Sabah Nut.

Now, it's the one that I most associate personally

with the money tree plant,

although there are other species of plants

that are called that.

So I am just going to call it the

Pachira Aquatica for the rest of the episode, so no one confuses it. Now what is the

history of a plant like this? How does it have this name? Well here is the tale of the money tree plants meaning. A

penniless farmer once prayed for financial assistance, much like I do around

bill paying time. Soon after he found this mysterious new plant

growing in his fields, he brought it to his home.

He began growing and selling this plant,

eventually achieving great wealth and affluence, hence the name, the money tree.

While this might lead to a desire to fill your home with Pachira Aquatica in hopes of attracting

some dough, this is after all just an old farmer's tale.

The plant is native to Central and South American wetlands and it gained its popularity

in Taiwan during the 1980s when a Taiwanese driver began

braiding the trunks together which in that culture was quote-unquote locking

in luck and good fortune.

So these are the ones that you'll often see at Asian restaurants or at nurseries

where there's a few different trees planted in the same pot and they're sort of braided

...