Caring for Pilea (Chinese Money Plant)

If it feels dry to the touch, then I water it again. Let it dry out between waterings but be sure that it doesn’t get bone dry (although it is quite hardy and can handle it). I water mine once a week.

How to Grow Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)

Cori Sears is a writer with over a decade of experience, specializing in houseplants, gardening, and home decor. She writes about trending news, interior design, houseplants, and gardening for The Spruce. Her expertise in these areas has led her to contribute to other major publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Apartment Therapy.

Mary has been a Master Gardener for 30+ years and a commercial and residential gardener for 50+ years. She is a former Clemson University Extension Agent.

Pilea peperomioides, often referred to as the pancake plant, Chinese money plant, coin plant, or UFO plant, is a popular houseplant thanks to its attractive coin-shaped foliage and ease of care. This flowering perennial in the nettle family (Urticaceae) is native to southern China, growing naturally along the base of the Himalayan mountains.

It is grown primarily for its unique foliage. Although it can produce small, white flowers throughout the spring months, Pilea peperomioides does not often flower when grown indoors. Learn how to grow this attractive houseplant.

Pilea Peperomioides Care

Although this popular houseplant may be difficult to get your hands on, once you have one it is surprisingly easy to care for. Provide your Pilea peperomioides with bright light, semi-regular watering, and some light feeding in the spring and summer months and it will thrive. Plus, Chinese money plants are easy to propagate, and a healthy plant will produce plenty of offshoots which you can separate to create more plants—one of the reasons it is called the friendship plant. Share them with friends, or keep them for yourself. Once you have a pancake plant, you will never need to buy another one!

Light

The Pilea peperomioides thrives in medium to bright indirect light. Rotate your plant regularly to keep it looking symmetrical. Avoid locations that receive harsh, direct light as it will burn the delicate leaves.

While this plant can adapt to lower light conditions; it will become leggy, grow fewer offshoots, and the coin-shaped leaves may become smaller. Overall, this plant is the healthiest and most attractive when grown in bright light conditions.

Soil

Plant your Pilea peperomioides in rich, well-draining soil. A high-quality organic potting mix that is peat-based or coir-based is best. Amend the soil with perlite to increase drainage and ensure the soil does not become waterlogged. A soil pH between 6.0-7.0 is best for this plant.

Water

This evergreen perennial is considered to have medium water needs. Allow the plant to nearly dry out between waterings and then water well. The leaves of Pilea peperomioides will begin to droop when it dries out, which is a good indication that it’s time for watering.

Temperature and Humidity

The average household temperature and humidity are fine for the Pilea peperomioides. Where possible, avoid overly dry conditions, which usually means keeping the plant away from heating vents or baseboards.

The Chinese money plant is hardy to freezing temperatures, but when kept indoors avoid exposing it to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). However, a short period of cold exposure in the winter months may help to encourage blooming.

Fertilizer

Pilea peperomioides benefits from monthly fertilization in the spring and summer months. Use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer for best results. For the amount to use, follow product label instructions. Avoid fertilizing during the fall and winter months when the plant has gone into dormancy.

Types of Money Plant

There are no named cultivars of Pilea peperomioide (pancake plant or money plant) commonly sold. However, you may run across several other species that are also known by the same common name money plant. Some other species known as money plant include:

• Epipremnum aureum,also known as golden pothos, is another popular houseplant.
• Hydrocotyle vulgaris,also known as marsh pennywort, is an aquatic perennial native to North Africa and Europe. It has round coin-like leaves.
• Crassula ovata,known more commonly as jade plant, also goes by the name money tree. It is a perennial succulent native to South Africa.

Potting and Repotting Pilea Peperomioides

When properly cared for, Pilea peperomioides is fast-growing and can quickly fill its pot with roots and offshoots. Yearly repotting in the early spring or summer months to refresh the soil, removing offshoots (if you wish), and upgrading the pot size is recommended.

When choosing a pot for your Chinese money plant the most important thing to take into consideration is proper drainage. In short, ensure that the pot has a drainage hole!

The plant adapts well to plastic, ceramic, and terracotta pots, although, if you choose a terracotta pot, be aware that you may need to water your Pilea more frequently as terracotta absorbs water from the soil.

Propagating Pilea Peperomioides

Fondly nicknamed the “sharing plant,” a healthy Pilea peperomioides is very easy to propagate as it readily grows offshoots. These offshoots grow up from the root system, but can also grow from the nodes along the stem of the mother plant, usually in places where old leaves have fallen off.

Once the offshoots are a couple of inches tall, it is safe to separate them from the mother plant if you wish. If you want a plant with a fuller, bushier look you can also leave these offshoots on the mother plant. Here’s how to propagate from offshoots:

1. To separate an offshoot from the roots of the mother plant, gently dig around in the soil to expose the roots of the offshoot, using a clean knife or pruning shears.
2. Cut the main root an inch or two below the soil.
3. Immediately move the cutting into some moist soil in a separate container.
4. Keep the soil moist (but not waterlogged) until the new plant has established a root system in the new pot, and then resume a regular watering and fertilization schedule.

Common Pests/Diseases

Pilea peperomioides is not prone to any particular pests or diseases, but when grown indoors it is susceptible to a variety of common houseplant pests. Keep an eye out for mealybugs, scale, fungus gnats, and spider mites, and treat accordingly if you notice an infestation.

How to Get Chinese Money Plant to Bloom

Mature Chinese money plants do sometimes flower with very tiny flowers on stalks that emerge from the base of the plant. They are not very attractive, however, and many growers simply cut them off to ensure the plant’s energy goes toward leaf growth. Encouraging flowering is normally done only by growers who want to experiment with propagating by seed—which is no easy exercise.

Should you want your Chinese money plant to bloom, try moving it to a colder room for the winter months. This slight shock to the system sometimes causes a plant to send forth flowers as a means of propagating itself. It rarely happens with a plant that is happily growing in ideal conditions. And flowering usually only occurs with mature plants.

Common Problems With Chinese Money Plant

Chinese money plant is typically a fast-growing, easy-to-grow plant that is ideal for growers who don’t have the time or interest in babying temperamental houseplants. Cultural problems with this plant usually can be traced to deficits in light exposure or an irregular watering routine. These problems usually manifest as leaf problems.

Curing Leaves

When the leaves of a pancake plant curl up along the edges, it can be because the plant is not getting enough bright indirect light, because room temperatures are too high, or because the room humidity is too dry. Watering too much or too little can also cause this problem.

Discolored Leaves

It’s quite common for the leaves on a pancake plant to signal their displeasure over environmental problems by showing discoloration.

• Yellow or brown edges on leaves are often a sign that the room humidity is too low. Leaves may also fall off.
• Browned leaves may result if your plant is getting too much direct sunlight. Remember that this plant likes bright indirect light.
• Yellowed leaves that eventually fall off indicate the plant is getting too much water.

Is Chinese money plant, aka Pilea peperomioides, easy to care for?

Pilea peperomioides (pancake plant or Chinese money plant) is easy to take care of. They need indirect light and water and, if healthy, will sprout offshoots so you can enjoy more of these plants or share them with family and friends.

These plants do well in medium to bright indirect light. The leaves can burn if placed in direct sunlight.

How often should the Chinese money plant be watered?

Water a pancake plant once a week at the most. Watch for the soil to become dry and leaves to start drooping as good indications that it’s time to water it.

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Caring for Pilea (Chinese Money Plant)

The pilea peperomioides, also known as the Chinese money plant, is a true gem. It’s playful, very pleasing to the eye, and fairly easy to care for.

Pilea plants grows like crazy and then grows little babies so you can share it with friends! Each time I look at mine, I can’t help but smile. Their quirky form is like no other plant.

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Pilea plants, or Chinese money plants, slowly spread through people sharing its “pups,” and within the last several years, it has made its way here to the States. I love learning/reading the history about this plant. You can literally track it back to its exact location and the person who brought it and shared it.

Besides being an aesthetically pleasing plant, it’s also very easy to care for, and it’s quite hardy! Here are some tips for caring for the pilea:

Potting Pilea Plants

I find that repotting a pilea can really encourage growth—giving it some wiggle room will encourage the pups to spread out. To help prevent root rot, use a pot with a drainage hole.

If you have a pot that you love and it doesn’t have a hole, these drill bits are great for drilling a hole on the bottom of an earthenware pot.

I love the trusty terracotta pot since they are utilitarian and simple. The terracotta is excellent because it is a natural clay and will let the soil breathe a bit (unlike a plastic pot).

Don’t get me wrong, you can use a plastic pot or a heavily glazed pot that has a drainage hole, but if you accidentally overwater your pilea, the terracotta will be more forgiving since it dries out a bit faster.

If you have a decorative pot that you love, simply stick your terracotta pot inside your decorative one.

I will take the terracotta pot out of the decorative one for waterings, let it drain completely, and then stick it back in the decorative pot.

To repot your pilea, pour some small stones on the bottom about 1-inch deep. The rocks aid with drainage and will help your plant not succumb to root rot. For soil, I use a quality, well draining potting mix.

Your local greenhouse should have this, or you can pick some up at your local hardware store. My mix has a bit of fine sand in it. We have some pretty humid months where I live (in southern Missouri), so the sand helps dry the plant out a bit faster.

How Much Water Do Pilea Plants Need?

You have to water your pilea moderately, but do not overwater it. They like to dry out in-between waterings and they don’t like to stay soggy. I stick my finger in the dirt and lift the pot to see if it still feels heavy from the last watering.

If it feels dry to the touch, then I water it again. Let it dry out between waterings but be sure that it doesn’t get bone dry (although it is quite hardy and can handle it). I water mine once a week.

If I check the plant and it still feels moist, I’ll wait a couple more days and check again. The other day, a friend texted me a picture of her pilea which was drooping quite a bit. We came to the conclusion that it needed to be watered. It had dried out a bit too long!

The plant will tell you what it needs and when it needs it, so just keep a watchful eye. I asked a local greenhouse about the pilea and watering and they said one of the only ways to kill it is by overwatering.

When you water your pilea, never let it sit in water. Once you’ve watered it, make sure that you empty the excess water that catches in your bottom dish. If the dirt stays wet/soggy for too long, then the roots actually rot, which can likely lead to the death of the plant.

I am prone to overwatering, and it has taken me a good bit to rein in my need to “nurture” (aka overwater) the plant.

How Much Sunlight Do Pilea Plants Need?

The pilea loves the light! Bright indirect sunlight is what it needs. What does that mean? If you put your pilea on your front porch with the sun beaming down on it, then that would be direct light and it will burn.

Keep them indoors near a bright window (which is indirect light). I put mine in the brightest window in my house and they love it. My mom had a pilea on her dining room table (it was low light) and it started getting long and leggy—a very long middle stem with just a few branches.

It was trying to reach for the light and looked like it wouldn’t make it much longer. She put it outside under her covered porch where it gets lot of indirect light and it is thriving again. It is no longer long and leggy! It is amazing how they adapt once you figure out what they need.

I have run out of window space in the house and I’ve put some of my pileas outside under a covered porch. They seem to love the summer air and are growing beautifully! As soon as the temperature starts to drop, I will bring them back in.

Another tip about lighting is that the pilea will follow the light and start leaning towards it. It’s kind of funny to see them reaching for the window like they are trying to break free!

I rotate mine each watering and that helps to keep them straight and balanced. Keeping the leaves dusted helps them get more light as well. Use a damp cloth and lightly rub off any dust to keep the leaves healthy and shiny.

Propagating

One of the best parts of a pilea plant is how fast it reproduces baby plants! As it matures, little babies will pop out of the soil or grow from the stem (near the dirt). These babies are called “pups.” The pups actually grow from the root system and pop out of the dirt on top.

When the pups start growing, you can either cut them off of the mother plant or let them grow. Letting them grow creates a full mother plant (which is beautiful)!

It’s crazy how fast and full they’ll grow when you don’t make any cuttings. I also have a pilea that’s specifically for “sharing” that I will propagate and give to friends.

I like to wait until the pup is at least three inches tall before I cut it. My favorite tool to use is an X-Acto knife, but any sharp utensil will work.

Give your cutting utensil a good rinse before cutting into your pilea. I once heard that you should think of pruning or propagating your plant like real surgery and always wash your tools beforehand. When you are ready to cut off a pup, be aware that the root system is very delicate.

There is no need to tug or pull on the pup. Gently cut the pup where it meets the dirt and it should come right up. Once you have cut it off, you can either stick the pup in water or pot it in dirt.

I prefer the water method because I like to see the roots growing through the glass. For best results, stick your little glass or vase in indirect but bright sunlight. Once you see some roots growing, you can pot it.

Fertilizing

If you want to give your pilea an extra boost of growth, you can fertilize in the spring and summer months. There is some debate on fertilizer, but I like to use a simple 10-10-10 formula. I prefer a liquid fertilizer because it spreads evenly through the plant.

When I water, I pour a little liquid fertilizer into the watering can. Make sure you check the back of your fertilizer and follow the label instructions.

If you’re into podcasts, Bloom and Grow Radio is super informative and enjoyable!

Be sure to leave a comment if you have any favorite tips or suggestions for caring for your pilea! xo, Janae

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