By Oil
United Kingdom 
We have a money tree, Crassula ovata, I think that has lived in our office for at least ten years. Recently the leaves and some stems have dropped off but there are still some strong and healthy leaves there. I have just discovered the trunk has split about three inches from the bottom and inside is it a soft and black mush. There is what appears to be new growth from the bottom, that is to say there are branches growing beneath the split. We have a saying in ouroffice, like the ravens at The Tower, the day the money tree dies is the day our company dies. Can anyone give us hope to save our tree?
14 Feb, 2011
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this is basal stem rot disease, usually caused by over watering in winter. You can attempt to propagate from stems further up, or cut back beyond the rotted area. Keep watering to an absolute minimum, though you will need to water more during late spring and summer. Next year, remember it needs very little water during winter, only do it when the surface of the compost is dry (not shrunken from the side of the pot, but dry to the touch on top) and, for preference, use tepid water. As for your superstitious belief in the connection between the money tree and your business, be comforted by the thought that, in fact, an excess has caused the problem, lol!
14 Feb, 2011