Four Houseplants Called “Money Plant”: How to Tell Which One You Own — and Which Care Sheet to Trust

“Money plant” isn’t one species. In much of the Indian subcontinent it’s a common name for pothos (Epipremnum aureum). In the US, “money tree” is Pachira aquatica and “Chinese money plant” is Pilea peperomioides, while jade (Crassula ovata) gets the name too. Their light, watering and pet safety differ, so identify yours by its leaves first.

That matters because a tag that says only “Money Plant” tells you nothing about how to keep it alive. A care sheet written for one of these plants will get three things wrong for another: how much light it wants, how often to water it, and whether it is safe around a cat. The key below sorts them in under a minute, and each plant then links to a matching Blooming Expert guide. Trust a care sheet only if it names the botanical name you confirmed from the leaf.

How to Tell the Four Money Plants Apart by Their Leaves

Look at the leaf shape and where the stalk joins it; the pot, the tag and the price don’t help. Work through the checks in order and stop at the first one that fits:

1. Round leaf, stalk joined to the middle of the underside: Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides). NC State Extension calls the leaves peltate, meaning the stalk attaches at the center of the leaf rather than at its edge. They are round, fleshy, glossy, dark green and about 4 inches across, and the plant makes small offsets (pups) around the base.
2. A fan of 5 to 9 leaflets from one point, usually on a braided trunk: money tree (Pachira aquatica). The leaves are palmately compound, each leaflet 5 to 10 inches long. The trunks are flexible enough that they can be braided together, and the braid is the giveaway.
3. Thick, shiny, oval leaves 1 to 3½ inches long on a tree-like plant: jade (Crassula ovata). The leaves are fleshy and mid to dark green, and they can take on a red tint in direct sun.
4. Glossy heart-shaped leaves on a trailing or climbing vine, often splashed yellow, cream or white: pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Leaves run 3 to 6 inches long.

Two look-alikes are worth knowing. NC State lists Peperomia polybotrya as the plant Pilea is most often confused with, so check the botanical name on the tag if the leaf is round but you can’t see the center attachment. And pothos is sometimes sold as a philodendron: NC State notes that pothos has no free stipules on new growth, which is how you separate it from heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum). Wikipedia’s entry adds that pothos is sometimes mislabelled as a philodendron or scindapsus in plant stores.

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The Four Money Plants Side by Side

The biggest split is light, followed by pet safety: jade wants a sunny spot, the money tree wants indirect light, Pilea and pothos want bright indirect light, and pothos is the one NC State says survives long stretches of low light. Pothos and jade are toxic to cats and dogs, while the other two are rated non-toxic or pet-friendlier, though both can still upset a stomach. The table puts the botanical name, leaf, light, soil check and ASPCA pet rating for each in one place.

Sources word the watering rule differently, so read the column as a direction rather than a schedule. NC State describes the money tree’s mix as “moist, well-drained,” while our money tree care guide waters thoroughly and then lets the top 1 to 2 inches dry. Both agree on the part that kills plants: no standing water.

Why One Name Hides Four Different Sets of Needs

Habitat explains the light column better than the watering column. Pothos is a tropical vine that NC State places in the Society Islands, and it tolerates dim rooms. Pilea comes from cool, shaded mountains in Yunnan Province, China, according to NC State, and the RHS likewise lists it for partial shade. The RHS also says it needs high humidity and rates it H1C, meaning it needs heated protection and can only go outdoors in summer. Jade is a South African succulent with thick leaves, and it is the one that wants real sun.

The money tree is the odd one out. NC State says it grows in freshwater swamps, estuaries and along riverbanks, which suggests a plant that likes wet feet. It doesn’t: NC State warns that standing water isn’t tolerated and can cause root rot, while leaf drop can follow if the soil gets too dry. That narrow window between soggy and parched is why money trees drop leaves so often, and our jade plant vs money tree comparison covers the same trap from the jade side.

The soil rule is similar for pothos and jade; the real differences are light and winter. NC State says pothos tolerates low light and dries between waterings, while jade wants a sunny spot, water in moderation only when the soil is dry, and less from fall to late winter. Overwatering causes leaf fall and root rot in jade. A jade parked in a dim corner and watered year-round on a pothos rhythm gets too little light and no winter cutback, and it is the one more likely to rot.

What Goes Wrong When You Use the Wrong Care Sheet

The same symptom can point to opposite fixes depending on the species: a money tree dropping leaves in dry soil needs more water, while a jade dropping leaves in wet soil needs less, so check the soil first. The table matches common problems to the cause NC State gives for each plant.

NC State names root rot for the money tree, Pilea and jade alike, which is why the watering rule matters more than any other line in a care sheet.

Other Names to Watch For

The botanical name is the only label that doesn’t change from shop to shop, but the other common names each plant carries can help you match a tag to a species:

• Pothos: golden pothos, devil’s ivy, taro vine and ivy arum.
• Money tree (Pachira aquatica): French peanut, Guiana chestnut, Malabar chestnut, Mexican fortune tree and water chestnut, as well as money plant.
• Chinese money plant: coin plant, friendship plant, missionary plant, pancake plant and UFO plant.
• Jade: jade tree, lucky plant and baby jade, and the ASPCA and NC State both also file it under money plant or money tree.

Names such as money plant and money tree are shared between species, so match the botanical name and the leaf, not the common name.

Are Money Plants Safe for Cats and Dogs?

It depends which money plant you own, and the ASPCA’s own pages show why the name can’t be trusted. Its money tree entry lists Pachira aquatica under the common name “Money Plant” and rates it non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Yet its succulent guide says jade is also known as “Lucky plant, Money Tree or Money plant” and calls it toxic. An owner who finds the safe “Money Plant” entry could be holding a jade.

Here is what each plant carries:

• Pothos: the ASPCA lists golden pothos as toxic to dogs and cats because of insoluble calcium oxalates. The signs are “intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips,” plus drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
• Jade: toxic to dogs and cats; the ASPCA’s jade plant entry lists vomiting, depression and incoordination, and gives the toxic principle as unknown.
• Money tree: the ASPCA finds no toxic principles, though it still lists nausea, vomiting and loose stool as possible signs. NC State rates it a little more cautiously, as “low severity,” and says the seeds are the part that may be poisonous, with mild to moderate stomach upset reported in cats.
• Chinese money plant: the ASPCA succulent guide lists it among plants to consider if your pet nibbles. The ASPCA adds that “non-toxic” doesn’t mean “no problem,” since any plant can upset a stomach.

The safe route is to confirm the botanical name before you trust any “pet-safe” list. If a pet has chewed a plant you can’t identify, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control line is (888) 426-4435, or call your vet.

Short Care Summary for Each Money Plant

Each summary below gives the one decision that matters most for that plant. For the full routine, follow the link.

Pothos: the Forgiving One

In many parts of the Indian subcontinent pothos is the money plant; one 2013 study of its leaves opens by noting it is “commonly known as Money plant.” NC State says it prefers bright, indirect light and lets the potting mix dry out between waterings. It also roots easily in water, so cuttings can start in a glass. Start with the complete pothos care guide, then see how to prune pothos and pilea money plants for fuller growth, and the money plant diseases guide if the leaves yellow or spot.

Money Tree: the Leaf-Dropper

The money tree wants indirect light, a mix of sun and shade at most, and a pot that drains freely. Direct sun scorches the leaves, and NC State says yellow leaves can follow low humidity. Water thoroughly, empty the saucer, and don’t let the pot sit wet. Braiding doesn’t change any of this, and it doesn’t make the plant bloom: NC State notes it won’t flower indoors. The full routine, including why leaves turn yellow, is in the money tree (Pachira) care guide.

Chinese Money Plant: the Pup Producer

Pilea wants bright indirect light and a moist, well-drained mix, and NC State flags root rot if you overwater. Leggy growth means the light is too weak. Pups at the base are the easy way to get more plants: NC State says to propagate from offsets or stem cuttings in spring or early summer, when the plant is actively growing. The details of potting up pups are in the Chinese money plant (Pilea) growing guide.

Jade: the Sun Lover

Jade is the money plant that disagrees with the other three. NC State recommends a sunny location indoors with some afternoon shade, moderate watering only when the soil is dry, and less water from fall through late winter. The leaves are thick and fleshy, and in practice that makes jade more forgiving of a skipped watering than of a soggy pot. Our jade plant vs money tree guide sets out the light and watering difference in more detail, along with the choice between the two.

The Outdoor “Money Plant” You Might Also Meet

One more plant carries the name outdoors. Clemson Extension’s money plant fact sheet is about Lunaria annua, also called honesty: a biennial of partial shade that grows leaves in year one and flowers in early spring of year two. It is grown for its coin-like, silvery, translucent seed pods, and it has nothing in common with the houseplants above. If your “money plant” is in a woodland border rather than a pot, this is probably it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a money plant lucky?

Luck is folklore, not horticulture. Several traditions sell these plants as bringers of money, but none of the sources used here claims that they bring luck or money; “lucky plant” is simply one of jade’s common names. What each plant does reliably is grow, if you match its light and watering to the right species.

Is a money plant toxic to cats?

It depends which one you own. Pothos and jade are toxic to cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA. The ASPCA lists the money tree as non-toxic, though it names nausea, vomiting and loose stool as possible signs, and its succulent guide lists the Chinese money plant among pet-friendlier choices. Check the botanical name before you decide.

What is the difference between a money plant and a money tree?

“Money tree” most often means Pachira aquatica, the braided-trunk tree with fanned leaflets, though the ASPCA also uses it for jade, while “money plant” is a looser term that the ASPCA and NC State attach to several species, jade and the money tree among them. NC State even lists “Money Plant” as a common name for the money tree itself, so ask which species is meant.

Which money plant grows in low light?

Pothos is the only one of the four that NC State says survives for long periods in low light. Jade wants the most sun, the money tree wants indirect light, and Pilea wants bright indirect light.

Can a money plant grow in water?

Pothos cuttings can: NC State says the vines root easily in water, so a cutting in a glass is a normal way to start a new plant. NC State documents water rooting only for pothos; it says Pilea is propagated from offsets or stem cuttings, and our pruning guide for pothos and pilea shows where to cut.

Which money plant suits a sunny window?

Jade. NC State recommends a sunny indoor location with some afternoon shade for it, while the money tree scorches in direct sun and the Chinese money plant prefers bright indirect light.

Sources

1. ASPCA. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — toxic and non-toxic plants database. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
2. ASPCA. Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) — toxic and non-toxic plants database. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
3. ASPCA. Jade Plant — toxic and non-toxic plants database. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
4. ASPCA. Are Succulents Safe to Have Around Pets? American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
5. NC State Extension. Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Vine) — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina State University
6. NC State Extension. Pachira aquatica — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina State University
7. NC State Extension. Pilea peperomioides — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina State University
8. NC State Extension. Crassula ovata (Money Plant) — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina State University
9. Royal Horticultural Society. Pilea peperomioides — plant profile. RHS
10. Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center. Money Plant (Lunaria annua) fact sheet. Clemson University
11. Wikipedia. Epipremnum aureum. Wikimedia Foundation
12. Mehta RH, Bhagwat A, Karmarkar S, Sawant C. A Pharmacognostic and Preliminary Phytochemical Study of Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G. S. Bunting. International Journal of Phytomedicine 5(2), 2013