Growing and Sharing Chinese Money Plants (Pilea)

Chinese Money Plant (also known as Pilea peperomioides) has become a darling of social media thanks to its bright green, pancake-shaped leaves that look striking against bright white backdrops.

It is also extremely easy to grow and propagate, making it a fun plant to share with friends and family as time goes on. Follow these tips to get the most out of these highly sought after plants:

Plant Placement

Chinese Money Plant will love bright light, but avoid placing it in an area that gets direct sunlight, as this intense exposure may scorch the leaves. The leaves are the real stars of this plant, but it will also occasionally produce tiny white flowers under cooler conditions.

Care and Maintenance

Chinese Money Plant prefers a well-drained soil, so using a pot with drainage holes is a must. As with most houseplants, overwatering can be hazardous, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings. You can increase the frequency of watering if the leaves start to droop or during warmer than usual weather.

A monthly treatment of all-purpose fertilizer during the growing seasons of spring and summer will keep your Pilea happy and healthy. Lastly, an occasional rotation to keep it growing uniformly and a light wiping of the leaves to remove any dust is all this plant will need.

Share the Wealth!

Perhaps the best thing about this plant is how easily it will spread and propagate, making it a great plant to share with friends and family.

Healthy Pileas will send smaller plants up through the soil seperate from the original plant. Simply follow the roots about an inch under the soil and cut the smaller plant free with a clean, sharp knife.

Place the plantlet in a new pot and keep the soil moist until a stronger root system develops and it starts sending out leaves. Once established, follow the same care instructions as above and you'll have another completely seperate plant that you can share.