Does Money Grow From Trees?

In traditional feng shui, plants are thought to enhance wealth and foster prosperity. The belief is that good energy (chi) is attracted to the plant’s growth. In the world of energy, like attracts like. So if your money plant is thriving, the energy attracted to it will also be healthy and prosperous too. These three plants are often called money plants or money trees, and used for this purpose.

JADE

Jade Plants (Crassula ovata) are succulents, and have a natural lifespan of 70 to 100 years when well cared for. It’s possible for one plant to be handed down to children and then grandchildren. Sometimes called the Money Plant or Dollar Plant, many people place them by the front door of their business, or on a pile of money during the Chinese New Year. They are native to South Africa.

CHINESE MONEY TREE

With a braided trunk and lush, glossy leaves, the Chinese Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) is said to bring luck and wealth, and is also highly-rated as an air-purifier. This broadleaf evergreen is native to Central and South America and can grow up to 60 feet tall in the wild.

PILEA

Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides) is also known as the missionary plant, pancake plant, or UFO plant. It is originally from China but very popular in Scandinavian interiors, where its lily-pad-shaped leaves provide an adorable and welcome burst of color against white walls. Lore maintains that a Norwegian missionary, Agnar Espegren, took cuttings home with him in the 1940s, and shared them with family and friends, thus propagating a national trend.

According to feng shui beliefs, these plants are most effective when placed in the southeast corner of your home, or, if standing at your front door, in the far left corner of the home. The worst place for them is in a bathroom, where their chi will flow down the drains.