Moreton Bay Chestnut

Botanical name - Castanospermum

Origin - East Coast of Australia

Bright Indirect Light

I thrive in areas of bright indirect light. But please keep me away from harsh direct sunlight as this will scorch my leaves. If you put me in an area of lower light I will be more prone to root rot and overwatering problems. Although I will tolerate it change your watering habits accordingly. 

Infrequent Watering

Allow the top two inches of the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Why not pop your finger in to check the moisture level. If you've put me in a darker spot allow half of my soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root rot occurring. 

Care Tips

Average room humidity is great for me so you don't need to worry too much about misting. 

Root rot is the most common problem. If you suspect this, you may see yellowing leaves, then it could be that my soil is waterlogged. Why not carefully take me out of my pot and inspect the roots. If they are yellow tinged and looking good then I'm doing well. If you find they are brown and mushy we have a problem. 

As I'm quite a slow grower feel free to give me a bit of fertiliser once a month in the spring and summer months. 

Don't worry if my seeds dry up and detach from the stem. It just means they have done their job and I no longer need them. 

Fun Facts

In the wild I can grow up to 40m tall. But don't worry this won't happen in your house. You can give it a trim once a year if you think I'm getting out of hand. 

Did you know that in Australia I am used by the Aboriginal people to make animal traps.