Pachira aquatica is native to Central and South America. Its fruits are used there as a cocoa substitute and even as a medicine. The leaves are also edible once cooked. Lucky chestnuts are therefore classified as non-toxic. For small children, however, a slight risk of poisoning cannot be completely ruled out.
The money chestnut is not only completely non-toxic, the flowers and leaves are even edible
Pachira aquatica does not contain any toxins
No toxins were found in the plant, also known as the lucky chestnut. On the contrary: leaves and fruits can even be eaten. The fruits are used in the country of origin as a substitute for cocoa beans.
It is different with the trunks of the ornamental tree. It is occasionally warned that the trunk of Pachira aquatica contains plant juices that can cause mild symptoms of poisoning in larger quantities. To suffer serious damage, a child would have to suck on the trunks of several fortune chestnuts.
As long as your children are still very young, you should therefore avoid this plant to be on the safe side if you cannot find a child-safe location for the lucky chestnut.
Leaves and fruit are edible
The young leaves of lucky chestnuts can be cooked or eaten raw.
The seeds of the plant, which hardly ever form when cultivating Pachira aquatica indoors, are also edible. The seeds are extracted from the fruit, which ripens throughout the year, and used like nuts. The taste is similar to that of peanuts.
The bark and unripe fruits are used in Guatemala as a remedy for liver problems.
tips
If you keep cats, you don't need to worry about the toxicity of Pachira aquatica. The animals are more likely to pose a threat to the indoor tree. It is therefore better to keep your cat away from this houseplant.