I have a Pachira Aquatica I bought at IKEA a few weeks ago. Only watered it once with ~ 1/2 cup fo water and one of the five tree's trunks is rotting. What should I do? I have a brown thumb :)! thx, daggett003 The info about my tree is below: Height : 12 in Pot: solid ceramic 5 in diameter Location: Indirect sun only in SE corner of the house
it was probably over-watered at the store and has nothing to do with your ability at growing plants!! if the container it's in does not have drainage, then the first thing to do is repot it into something that does. i forget what type of soil is best for them - please search this site and/or google for that so you can get the right stuff. when you unpot it, carefully remove the one that is bad. you can cut the trunk in a couple of spots so that you can remove it section by section. the roots - well, you'll need to be as gentle as possible because you want to keep the damage to the roots of the healthy plants to a minimum. while you have it out of the soil, take a good look at all the roots and trunks. roots should be whitish and firm (not brown and mushy) and the trunks should be firm not mushy as well. since you just got it, if you find that others are going bad as well, pot it again and take it back for a replacement or refund.
I would say keep the plant and battle it out. It's worth saving. The pachira would do very well in ordinary potting soil. Many plant owners think they're killing their plants and it's their fault that it takes a downward spiral after obtaining it from a greenhouse or a store, but please remember that these plants were grown and likely kept in very stable conditions all their lives. It is normal for some leaf loss to occur. Having said that, a rotting trunk is not. Where is it rotting, in which parts? Is it at the soil level? If it is, when you are repotting, make sure to leave that rotted part above soil level. Let that portion dry out, and try not to get it wet when you water. Joclyn gave good advice about removing the rotted part if it truly is entirely rotted. Some blackness however doesn't mean that stem it is completely a goner. I honestly cannot tell you what is wrong with the plant because of its newness and lack of history, and I can't see or examine its roots or the rotted areas.
Thank you very much Joclyn and Flaxe! I removed the rotted trunk (rotted about 3/4 of the way up the trunk.) Also, I repotted into a new pot that has drainage with regular potting soil. Most of the roots looked healthy and whit, a few looked a little brownish though. I tried to be as delicate a possible while repotting but a few of the roots fell off (white ones) while trying to remove the soil around the root system. Think the plant will make it? Thanks, daggett003
it's inevitable that some of the roots will be damaged during repotting. i really wouldn't worry about it - they will regrow. i hope you removed whatever roots looked bad. it should be fine now. and it should definitely thrive in the better soil and container with proper drainage.
Hi there, As Joclyn mentioned, some good-root loss usually happens anyway. As long as it wasn't a massive portion, ie. 30 to 40% of all the root mass, it should be fine. Some like to prune not only the top portion of the tree (above soil level) but the roots as well. This is how many plants are kept small in the same pots for many years. Depending on how experienced the grower, they may prune a lot of the roots (good also) off or not much. Good luck.
Dear Everyone, It is mid November and I just lost one of the five braided little things, sad... I'm wondering whether it is good to repot now, just like what you suggested in Spring? Appreciate your help. AA
