Chinese Money Plant Care
Pilea peperomioides
Medium to bright indirect light
Allow soil to dry before watering
The Pilea peperomioides is also known as Chinese Money Plant, Chinese Friendship Plant, Coin Plant, Missionary Plant, Pancake Plant, UFO Plant.
For a plant known by so many names, the care for these crowd pleasers is thankfully a lot simpler than all the ways it is known. Pilea enjoy bright indirect light and may burn if the leaves have too much hot direct sun on them. They prefer to have the top 2” or so of soil dry out before watering again and are a great candidate for a technique known as bottom watering. This simply means you place the plant in a saucer or bowl of water and allow the soil to wick up the moisture through the pot’s drainage hole. As with all of your houseplants, drainage holes in the pots are a necessity for plant health. If you do try the bottom watering method, don’t let your Pilea sit in the water for too long- if it doesn’t seem to be absorbing the water and the top of the soil is dry, you can tip the remaining water from the saucer or bowl over the top and be pretty confident that all of the soil has been moistened. If you prefer to water at your sink or tub, or with a watering can, water thoroughly enough for the liquid to drain out at the base and discard any extra water so the plant doesn’t sit in it.
“One of the most rewarding things about Pilea peperomioides are the “babies” or offshoots that will start to form at the base of happy plants.”
One of the most rewarding things about Pilea peperomioides are the “babies” or offshoots that will start to form at the base of happy plants. This tiny growth comes out of the root system beneath the soil and is Pilea’s way of spreading out horizontally. If you have a plant with offshoots, you can leave them there for a firework looking display of those gorgeous round leaves, or you can cut and propagate them. If you want to try propagating, wait till the babies are about 3” big and cut them right at the base of the soil with a clean, sharp blade. Take the cutting and place it in soil or in a clear vessel of clean water to root in a bright spot. If placing in soil, be sure not to let the soil stay too wet, as this can cause the small root to rot. If placing in water, keep the water clean by changing it every week or so and wait till the roots reach about 2” in length. At this point, you can put your cutting in soil and stick to the same rule of thumb about not keeping it too wet. Soon, you will have plants to give away to friends or add to your own collection.
