Chinese Money Plant

Pilea peperomioides     Origin: Southern China

he Chinese Money Plant, otherwise known as Pilea, is an easygoing plant with thick, pancake-shaped leaves that emerge from petioles—AKA long stalks that connect to the brown central stem. With enough bright sunlight, this cheerful-looking plant will offer up small daughter plants perfect for propagation, and might even sprout pretty pink flowers.

Common Issues

Leaf shedding: Allowing the plant to become excessively dry or wet will trigger a shedding response. This is not reversible but can be stopped with a more consistent watering practice.

Light: This plant will typically grow to about one foot tall and wide when happy, producing many offshoots from the base. The strong central stem will produce a whorl of leaves as it grows, creating a very interesting satellite dish effect.  

Water: It's better to forget about this plant than to love it too much. It can recover from drought much more quickly than it can from oversaturated soil. Allow the top of the soil to become dry before watering again.

Humidity: The waxy leaves of this Pilea make it tolerant of a wide humidity range, but we recommend trying to keep the humidity moderately high.

Growth: This plant will typically grow to about one foot tall and wide when happy, producing many offshoots from the base. The strong central stem will produce a whorl of leaves as it grows, creating a very interesting satellite dish effect.

Soil: Your average potting soil will be fine for this plant, paired with a slow-release fertilizer. Expect to repot this plant every two to three years with good growth.

Temperature: Keep this plant between 60-85°F for best growth.

Repotting: Slowly transfer this plant into larger containers as it increases in size. It will generally reach its maximum size in a 10-inch pot, so underpotting is best if you’re unsure.

Extra TLC: Consider grouping this plant with other houseplants, or placing it in a pebble tray to boost humidity.