How can I describe my relationship with my Pilea peperomioides? It’s simple. It was love at first sight.
C’mon. What’s not to love?
The round leaves are the perfect color green. I love how the pups fill in the plant making it full and bushy. And, watching the leaves stretch towards the sun is pure joy.
Bringing this plant home was a must and thankfully it’s not fussy.
THE LIGHTING SITUATION
My Chinese money plant loves its spot in the sun. I have one juvenile plant in a West-facing window and another in an East-facing window, both are happy.
In the winter months, I find it helpful to move them closer to the light source to ensure they get enough light.
THE WATERING DRILL
Figuring out how to water plants is kinda like figuring out how to Salsa dance with a new partner. Yes, you know the steps but each partner has a rhythm of their own. I find this to be true about plants as well – even if the plants are the exact same species.
My friendship plant aka pass-it-on-plant sitting in the West-facing window needs watering more often than the big guy in my East-facing window.
When I water these guys, I use tap water (that I happen to know is hard water) to saturate the soil; these plants aren’t picky like some others (I’m side-eyeing my entire Calathea crew). I then remove any access water (very important) because I want to avoid root rot. That is literally all I do to water this plant.
In the Summer months, I tend to water weekly. During the Winter, it easily becomes a bi-weekly situation.
SOIL MATTERS
A quality gardening soil with perlite and worm casing is my go-to for most of my plants; however, both of these Pileas are still in the soil used by the plant shops where they were purchased. Even with the growth of pups, I’ve found that repotting frequently isn’t necessary to keep this plant species happy.
HUMIDITY
I’ve read that this plant enjoys higher humidity; however, I haven’t needed a humidifier to keep either of mine happy. During the winter months when dry air is an issue, I make an effort to mist the plants using a spray bottle. Occasionally, I lose leaves but I don’t sweat my plants losing leaves unless it’s several in a short time span.
OTHER CARE TIPS
- Don’t be afraid to remove the pups and create new plants that can be gifted. It’s easy, just be gentle when removing the baby plants.
- Check the soil and backside of leaves at each watering to limit pest problems.
- If you do experience lost leaves or other issues, check out Pilea.com for tons of resources to help keep your plant babe alive.
This once hard to find plant (in the U.S.A) is now available at big box stores and local nurseries. I bought both of mine from Trader Joe’s for a whopping $7! Can you believe it! For less than ten dollars, I can have dozens of little plants if I want.
If you already have this plant and you’re looking for some plant friends with round-ish leaves, take a peek at peperomia obtusifolia.
Where did you find your Pilea peperomioides? How are you doing keeping it alive?
