Ive Had My Money Tree for about 2 Months, after i got home the first 2 weeks it shed all of its leaves and started new growth accept for one stalk(trunk or whatever they are called) and it has been slowly turning black it is how about a foot down the tree with about another foot of "healthy" stock left...i have also repotted it a weekago incase it was root bound but there doesnt seem to be many roots at all... can i save it? http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/skyepoe/IMG_9134.jpg http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t386/skyepoe/IMG_9133.jpg
That trunk is dying. For whatever reason, perhaps it was wounded and became infected with something. Best thing now is to remove it entirely, before it gets to the roots and rots the whole plant. Yes it will spoil the braid effect, but better that than losing the whole thing. These guys are swamp plants in nature, but don't like to live in wet soil.. they need good drainage, lots of bright light, but maybe not direct sun in summer. You say it had few roots, what shape were they in ? Firm and no smell, or mushy and soft ? If mushy, it may have root rot, and would need all the mushy roots cut off, dusted with sulphur powder or cinnamon powder, [ antifungal] then potted into fresh, coarse soil. Tropical mix with added perlite for drainage would work. Don't fertilize until you see some healthy new growth, because with few roots, it can't use food anyway. Be careful cutting the bad trunk out, try not to damage the bark of the ones beside it.. if you do, dust any damage with sulphur or cinnamon, to help prevent infection. Use a clean sharp knife, I doubt you'll be able to get pruners in there. If the growth is still hard and green at the very base, you can cut it there and dust that cut, as above, and with any luck it may sprout, but the rot on the outside will have traveled farther than you think inside.. so you have to cut ALL the bad stuff and then some, off, to get rid of it. Good luck.
