Pilea Peperomioides also known as the Chinese Money Plant is a popular houseplant with coin-shaped leaves and easy care. This flowering Urticaceae perennial is native to southern China and grows along the Himalayas. Grown for its leaves. Pilea Peperomioides produce little, white blooms in the spring, but rarely inside.
The Chinese money plant (or Pilea) is popular in Scandinavian interiors because of its vivid green pancake-shaped leaves. They’re easy to grow, but you probably didn’t find one in a plant shop. Before buying a Chinese money plant, read these instructions on discovering and caring for it.
Where Can I Purchase a Chinese Money Plant on the Internet?
In most places, a friend is the finest source for a Chinese money plant. They aren’t available in many plant centres or garden shops, possibly because they grow too slowly. If you can’t borrow one from a friend, try Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or Craigslist. After seeing high prices, you may decide to wait for a companion to share a young plant.
The Place To Grow Chinese Money Plant
Bright, indirect light is optimal for a Chinese money plant. Sunburned leaves grow larger in shade. They’re hardy down to freezing, and cool weather may encourage plants to produce white flowers on pink stems.
How To Grow/Care Pilea Peperomioides or Chinese Money Plant
Once you have this popular houseplant, it’s easy to care for. Bright light, semi-regular watering, and light feeding will help your Pilea peperomioides thrive. A healthy Chinese money plant will generate many of offshoots that you can simply split to make new plants, which is why it’s dubbed the friendship plant. Once you have a Chinese money plant, you won’t need another.
Soil
Pilea peperomioides needs well-drained soil. Peat- or coir-based organic potting mix is excellent. Perlite improves drainage and prevents waterlogging. This plant prefers 6.0-7.0 pH soil.
Light
Pilea peperomioides prefers indirect light. Rotate your plant for symmetry. Direct sunlight will scorch delicate leaves.1
In low light, this plant will become lanky, generate fewer offshoots, and its coin-shaped leaves may shrink. This plant thrives under bright light.
Water
It is generally agreed that this evergreen perennial has moderate water requirements. Allow the plant to become almost completely dry in between waterings, and then give it a good soaking. When the soil of a Pilea peperomioides plant dries out, the plant’s leaves will begin to droop, which is a reliable indicator that the plant needs to be watered.
Temperature and Humidity
Pilea peperomioides likes the average temperature and humidity. Avoid too dry conditions by keeping plants away from vents and baseboards. When kept inside, don’t expose the Chinese money plant to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). A short period of winter cold may encourage blossoming.
Fertilizer
During the spring and summer months, the Pilea peperomioides benefits from receiving monthly applications of fertiliser. For optimal results, apply a fertiliser that is complete and may be used for a variety of purposes. During the fall and winter months, when the plant is in its dormant state, you should refrain from fertilising it.
Maintenance of Pilea Peperomioides in Containers
The Pilea peperomioides is a fast-growing plant that, when given the appropriate attention, may soon fill its container with roots and offshoots. It is recommended that you repot your plant once a year, either in the early spring or throughout the summer months, in order to upgrade the pot size, remove offshoots, and refresh the soil.
When searching for a container for your Chinese money plant, ensuring that there will be adequate drainage is the most essential factor to take into account. In a nutshell, check to see if the container has a drainage hole.
The plant can thrive in containers made of plastic, ceramic, or terracotta; however, if you choose a terracotta pot, you should be aware that you may need to water your Pilea more regularly because terracotta draws water from the soil. The plant can adapt well to any of these containers.
How to Grow a Chinese Money Pant from Seed
The fact that it is not difficult to propagate is one of the reasons why this plant has become so widespread despite the fact that it is not frequently distributed in commercial settings. When a plant is healthy and happy, it will eventually send offshoots up through the earth, which can then be detached from the parent plant.
After following the stem down about an inch into the dirt, use a knife that is both clean and sharp to cut the tiny plant loose. Place the plant in a fresh container, and water it regularly until it becomes firmly established in its new home and begins to develop new leaves.
New plantlets can also sprout directly from the stem of the plant. If you want to harvest them, simply cut them off, place them in water for a week or two, and then proceed with the steps outlined in the previous section. Mastering something on your own will allow you to better assist others.
