Pilea Peperomioides
Pilea Peperomioides is also known as the Chinese money plant or the Pass-it-on-plant, has its origins in the Yunnan province in China. First collected by George Forrest in 1906 it was rediscovered in the 1940s. Legend has it that a Norwegian missionary called Agnar Espergen obtained a specimen and took it with his family to India where he kept it alive for a year. He and his family then returned to Norway in 1946 with his Peperomioides in tow. From this original plant cuttings were taken and passed to friends and family and the common name “Pass-it-on-plant” was given.
Despite being widely distributed as a houseplant in Northern Europe for several decades it was not classified officially until 1984 when the first known published image appeared in the Kew Magazine.
Pilea Peperomioides
There is a reason why this little plant has been kept as a house plant for decades and that’s because it is quite easy to keep and very easy to propagate. If you follow a few guidelines your plant will not only survive but it will thrive and you will be able to give out baby plants to friends and family at will.
The Pilea Peperomioides has a hard-woody steam that grows vertically and growing off from this stem are the petioles. The petiole or leaf includes the round pancake and what looks like a stem that connects the flat structure to the actual steam of the plant. These connections are very brittle and will break off easily. This plant will naturally try to grow vertically dropping leaves from the lower portion of the stem as it gets taller.
This is a succulent and will store water in its leaves for when it is required so it is important to not water it too much. Wait until the soil is dry before watering, I recommend using the finger method for this, alternatively you can use a moisture gauge if you like. In the summer months, I have found it needs watering about once a week and I water what I think will fill the pot without letting the water run through the holes as the bottom. If the leaves are drooping rather than standing to attention or feel thin and floppy then your plant requires more thorough water and you should allow the pot to rest in the drip tray for a good twenty minutes so it can absorb as much water as it needs.
Remember in winter the plant’s growth will slow down and you can afford to let it dry out a little more as the temperature and humidity drops.
interesting fact: your plant has what look like pores on the back of its leaves called hydathodes and if you look carefully you will often see a ring of white crystals around each of them. This is excess minerals taken up with water that your plant is sweating out. Plants are awesome, aren’t they!
This is a plant that likes it nice and humid and the best way to achieve this but misting at least twice a week. I try to do it every morning if I remember.
Lighting,
No direct sunlight is the key to success, this plant likes indirect light and will thrive sitting back from a large window. It will also grow in lower lighting situations like a bathroom or within a room. I have mine on a set of shelves in the office well back from the window. Like many plants with big leaves, you should rotate it regularly so it maintains a good shape or you will find it will lean in the direction of the light.
Watering and potting mix,
As discussed, this is a plant that likes a good drink but does not want to sit in soggy soil, the roots will rot quite easily if they are submerged or in wet substrate for a prolonged period. For this reason, I will use a well-draining substrate made up of Coconut coir, Orchid bark, and perlite with some worm castings thrown in for good measure.
Repotting should be done as required, make sure that the pot you have chosen has plenty of drainage holes. I like to use a terracotta pot as this will allow excess moisture to be absorbed by the terracotta helping to stop root rot.
Pilea Peperomioides pup
Propagating this plant is so easy you simply can’t stop it having babies! If your plant had not already got several ones in the pot you soon will have, simply cut them away from the mother plant and if they have roots you can put them directly into a little pot of their own. If it has no roots then pop them in water and you will soon see them growing roots of their own. Use the same soil as you would for the parent plan and water only a very small amount at a time, remember they are sensitive to over watering. Now you can start to spread the Pilea love and start giving them to friends and family.
There we are, a few care tips from my own experiences with this plant. If you have any more then please do not hesitate to comment