Why did my Money Tree spontaneously die?!?

4 years ago

This money tree has been great and super low maintenance since I got it ~8 months ago. But this week, seemingly out of nowhere, it decided to drop dead and I can't figure out why or if it's at all salvageable. I'm a little annoyed because it appears to have been over-watered, even though it has lived in one of those self-watering pots (where you pour the water into a reservoir in the bottom) so this shouldn't have happened.
A few days ago, it started looking droopy, the leaves began to turn yellow and fall off, and the trunk started to feel soft. I repotted it today, mostly so I could investigate the problem. The roots actually looked pretty good. They're small, but none were mushy or dried out. The soil, however, was soaking wet.
But then, after repotting, I carelessly grabbed the pot without thinking and the whole plant tumbled out of the soil onto the floor. One of the branches bent at the trunk and would have snapped off if it had been dry. Instead it kind of mushed off and took a little piece of the trunk with it. Where it detached, the trunk seems to have rotted - it was black and stringy/mushy inside. So I peeled back some of the wet "bark" at the base and it was totally fine - a nice tan-is solid wooden trunk.
How does this happen? The upper part of the trunk shows signs of rot, but the roots and base look fine. Is there anything I can do to salvage the tree? I can't tell if the two remaining branches are dead or not. They have always been slightly grey but continued to produce new leaves. But with the upper trunk rotted, I'd expect these branches won't be far behind....
Any advice or links to resources would be helpful!
Photos attached:
1) Money Tree on Monday when it started looking droopy (please excuse my attempt to blur out my mess)
2) Money Tree today (after repot)
3) Three distinct colors of the trunk
4) Roots - healthy, right?
5) Where branch broke off
6) Remaining branches - are they still alive?
Thank you!

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Comments (2)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
4 years ago
How does this happen? Ultimately, potted plants die because the grower has provided one or more cultural conditions that are beyond what the plant is genetically programmed to tolerate. In this case, soil conditions contributed to growth of a fungal pathogen which first infected the roots and moved systemically through the plant's vasculature to infect stem tissues and destroy the plant's ability to move water/nutrients efficiently. Chronic over-watering and/or a very high level of dissolved solids (salts) is/are almost undoubtedly at the root of the issue (no pun). The upper part of the trunk shows signs of rot, but the roots and base look fine. My assessment is not the same as yours. My intent isn't to make you feel diminished, but if I'm to be honest, the root system was virtually nonfunctional when the plant toppled from lack of enough roots to anchor the plant in the pot. Healthy root system:

Is there anything I can do to salvage the tree? To say yes would be false encouragement. The plant is beyond salvation, and any attempt to propagate it will end in disappointment. I can't tell if the two remaining branches are dead or not. ......... But with the upper trunk rotted, I'd expect these branches won't be far behind.... I agree with that assessment.
I'd skip the self-watering arrangement. Plants grown in these containers are disadvantaged due to the difficulty of maintaining a suitable air:moisture ratio in the medium; and, All salts from tapwater and fertilizer solutions remain in the grow medium. As they accrue, they begin to limit water/nutrient uptake, so your plant can die of thirst in a sea of plenty.

This link to an Overview of Good Growing Practices will help you avoid the major issues we all face at some point on our journey to a green thumb. If you work toward gaining an understanding of the information it contains, it will make a conspicuous improvement in your ability to keep your plants in a high state of vitality (health). That means they will also LOOK like they're healthy, which makes you feel like you're a better provider, and you likely grow things to satisfy that 'nurturing bone' almost all of us have.

Ask questions and don't be bashful about asking them.

Al
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
spontaneously die?

==>>>

it really didnt die spontaneously ... it was a long process.. and may have been going on when you got it 8 months ago .... just now hitting critical mass ...

at least that is how i would justify it to myself that i am not a killer ... lol ...

regardless.. dont torture yourself ... out of sight.. out of mind.. and get another if you need that precise plant in your life ... and if not.. learn how to kill something else.. lol ..

some suggest.. you arent a real gardener.. and that included houseplants.. until you have killed every plant 3 times.. by which time .... you are either broke.. or know how not to kill them ... lol

ken
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