Pachira aquatica is a tropical wetland tree native to Central and South America where it grows in swamps. It is known by the common names Malabar Chestnut, Guiana chestnut, provision tree, saba nut, and is commercially sold under the name money tree.

Characteristics
Pachira aquatica can grow up to 18 meters in height in the wild. It has shiny green palmate leaves and smooth green bark. Its showy flowers have long, narrow petals that open like a banana peel to reveal

hairlike yellowish orange stamens. The tree is cultivated for its edible nuts which grow in a very large, woody pod. The nuts are light brown, striped with white. They are said to taste like peanuts, and can be eaten raw or cooked or ground into a flour to make bread. The leaves and flowers are also edible.

The tree grows well as a tropical ornamental in moist, frost-free areas, and can be started from seed or cutting.

Role in East Asian culture

In East Asia, Pachira aquatica ("Malabar chestnut") is often referred to as the "money tree". The tree had long been popular as an ornamental in Japan. In 1986, a Taiwanese truck driver first cultivated five small trees in a single flowerpot with their trunks braided. The popularity of these ornamentals took off in Japan and later much of the rest of East Asia. They are symbolically associated with good financial fortune and are typically seen in businesses, sometimes with red ribbons or other auspicious ornamentation attached. The trees play an important role in

Taiwan's agricultural export economy with exports of NT$250 million (US$7 million) in 2005.

Name
The genus name is derived from a language spoken in Guyana. The species name is Latin for "aquatic".