Pilea plants are recognised for their green, circular-shaped leaves and dainty flowers. These versatile plants come in multiple forms, and are an ideal investment for beginner plant owners! They survive well in moderately dry conditions, and can adapt to growing in areas with low light. These low-maintenance plants make gorgeous centrepieces, and are perfect for outdoor hanging baskets. This article will be your guide to pilea plant care, covering 16 pileas types for you to choose the right one for your home!
Pilea Plant Care Tips for 16 Types:
1. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)
The Chinese Money plant is one of the most popular Pilea types. This trendy round leaf pilea comes from Southwest China. Its history states it was once believed to bring luck and fortune - hence its memorable name!
It’s easy to care for, requiring water about once a week! If you notice yellowing leaves, it’s over-watered. It will survive indoors if placed in a bright room, however don’t leave it for long in direct sunlight! Indirect light and feeding it indoor houseplant food monthly are the perfect pilea care conditions for this wholesome plant.
Now available at Bloombox Club, grab your Chinese Money plant in a choice of two sizes!
2. Aluminium Plant (Pilea Cadierei)
Native to China and Vietnam, the Aluminium pilea is a wonderfully low/mid maintenance houseplant with silver splashed leaves. In order for healthy, long lasting growth, trim the stems back to half their length around spring time.
This unique pilea has an extensive root system, so monitor the soil to ensure the roots constantly have space to grow! Hydrate this pilea type 24 hours before tinkering with roots or repotting to a larger pot.
3. Baby Tears (Pilea Depressa)
Originating from the Caribbean, this pilea’s botanical name ‘Depressa’ comes from Latin in reference to its ‘flattened leaves’. This charming pilea’s leaves are shiny, small, and love climbing, the perfect addition as a hanging pilea plant!
This plant thrives in bright indirectly lit spaces. Place it in a humid location in consistently moist soil, as underwatering indoors causes wilting or stunted growth. Repot every three years into shallow, wide pots using a houseplant potting mix and propagate the vines.
On Bloombox.com, our delightful Pilea Depressas come in sustainable coco-coir Kokodama bowls.
You can also enjoy your Pilea Depressa as part of a sharable bundle or an eco-friendly bundle from Bloombox.com!
4. Moon Valley Plant (Pilea Mollis)
The Moon Valley has unusual qualities compared to other pileas, with dimpled oval leaves. These leaves resemble valleys on the moon, giving the plant its creative name!
This South American plant is super easy pilea plant that you should water once or twice a week. It can tolerate mid-light levels, but no direct sunlight. It grows well in medium-high humidity. If you’re looking to grow this plant indoors, keep room temperatures between 65°F-75°F!
5. Norfolk Friendship Plant (Pilea Spruceana)
This delightful pilea is an easy to grow houseplant with colourful foliage. In optimum conditions this pilea will grow extraordinary dark green leaves with tints of metallic coloured streaks down the middle.
For the best pilea plant care, plant it indoors and seek out medium lit rooms in high humidity! Place it in a well-drained pot, as it survives best in moderately damp soil. Protect it from freezing temperatures to avoid crisping leaves, and apply a slow-release fertiliser during spring.
6. Clearweed (Pilea Pumila)
Commonly known as ‘clearweed’, the herbaceous Pilea Pumila is native to Asia and North Eastern America, belonging to the nettle family. This means it’s usually found in fairly damp or wet soil, where it grows best. In ideal pilea plant care conditions, clearweed grows up to 70 cm and blooms around midsummer!
Pilea pumila grows well in generously lit but indirectly sunny areas at home. It has a tendency to grow lopsidedly, so rotate it roughly 2-3 times a week, in a small pot. It is prone to rotting roots, so allow the soil to dry between watering. In summer, the first inch of soil should be consistently moist. Do not let it sit in wet soil in winter.
7. Clearweed (Pilea Fontana)
In natural habitats, Pilea Fontanas inhabit moist woods or floodplains and is another member of the nettle family. This clearweed’s leaves are thin, fairly translucent and shiny with scattered short hairs on their glossy surface.
As this clearweed grows in wetlands, the best way to care for your pilea plant is by growing it outdoors. Keeping it in light shade will help it grow where it can reach anywhere between 4-20 inches!. They do best in moist-wet conditions in loamy soil.
8. Creeping Charlie (Pilea Nummulariifolia)
The Creeping Charlie is an oval-leaf shaped pilea often displayed as an indoor plant. It’s dainty leaves are bright green and glossy with scalloped edges. It belongs to the Urticaceae family, and grows fantastically as a trailing house plant!
For the best pilea plant care, place it in a substantial 6-8” well-drained pot in bright, indirectly lit areas. They like even moisture, but allow soil to dry a little between watering. Water roughly once a week in winter and more frequently in summer, and feed lightly with a slow-release houseplant fertiliser!
9. Pilea Globosa (Serpyllacea)
This succulent pilea is a great addition to any household. Native to Ecuador and Bolivia, this unique pilea’s leaves can turn red during winter! You can indicate whether it needs moisture from the bottom leaves. The thinner they are, give it more water!
It requires minimal pilea plant care, as it can survive in both direct or indirect sunlight. However when short of light, the leaves will turn lighter green. Provide it with ample airflow, and place it in porous soil with good drainage. They require propagating, therefore cut branches above a healthy cluster of leaves.
10. Silver Tree Pilea (Spruceana)
This low-maintenance pilea has beautifully rare silver leaves. An ideal plant to purchase in fall, decorate your home with this seasonal plant as a hanging pilea display! It can withstand all ranges of indirect light, therefore keep it away from direct sun. Repot every two years during spring, and cut stems once they surpass 3 inches in height.
These plants tend to grow quickly, using up lots of energy and moisture. Therefore, avoid dehydration by adding a pebble tray to slow rates of drying soil and place a bed of stones on a plastic saucer. Then, add a dash of water to increase humidity levels!
11. Pilea Greysy
Another jewel from the Urticaceae family, Pilea ‘Greysy’ comes from the tropical Americas and occasionally produces delicate flowers! Due to its origins, this pilea can withstand direct sun, however avoid this in the height of summer to prevent scorching leaves.
For a Greysy’s winter pilea plant care, water it with distilled water if the top inch of soil seems dehydrated. In summer, keep the soil consistently moist but avoid it sitting in water. Keep it in moderately warm temperatures and feed it monthly with half-strength solution of a liquid houseplant type.
At Bloombox Club, you can purchase an adorable Pilea Greysy in a choice of two sizes!
Or why not display your Pilea Greysy in a Cubo pot for a gorgeous modern look?
12. Black Leaved Panamiga (Pilea Repens)
The Repens is native to the West Indies, and this pilea type typically blooms between spring to autumn. They produce small white flower clusters, which are super eye-catching against the near-black foliage! Its small quilted leaves are thin and glossy with a gorgeous coppery-brown hue.
This Pilea will thrive in bright spots in your home in indirect light. To avoid lopsided growth rotate it 2-3 times a week. They grow best in small pots, however try avoiding over-density for the roots. Water your pilea frequently, but allow the soil to dry between waterings and preferably with filtered water to avoid exposing it to salts and chemicals.
13. Jamaican Pilea (Pilea Grandifolia)
The Pilea Grandifolia is an undershrub native to Jamaica, where it grows in the under-wood of humid forests and often thrives on calcareous rocks in up to 2,300m of altitude! This herbaceous and semi-shrubby pilea type has fragile stems and luscious glossy leaves.
Place this pilea in luminous areas in the home, but not in direct sunlight. This pilea plant’s care requires porous and draining soils, and fairly humid settings. Avoid keeping your pilea in temperatures of under 16°.
14. Silver Cloud (Pilea Pubescens)
This striking house plant displays unusual physicalities with its serrated silvery leaves and maroon edges! As a sweet addition to your home as a hanging pilea plant, this South American pilea can grow up to 10 inches / 25cm!
Avoid leaving it in cold winter air, as this can cause leaf drop. To induce growth it requires pruning in springtime in humid conditions to maintain moisture. If you are growing yours indoors, it will thrive in bright conditions. Leaving it in water logged soil will not help it, but let the soil dry slightly between watering.
15. Friendship Plant (Pilea Involucrata)
One of the more aesthetic pileas, the Friendship plant has apple green quilted leaves with contrasting bronze centres! This exquisite trailing plant type comes from Central and South America in high humidity conditions.
This pilea plant’s care requires warm temperatures and high humidity for the best results. It can thrive in low light situations, however requires several hours of sunlight per day (6-8 hours). It needs evenly moist soil, and drier soil in winter. With the right conditions, this gem might surprise you with some pink flowers!
16. Artillery Plant/Rockweed (Pilea Microphylla)
Another gem from the Urticaceae family, this pilea type is native to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central & Southern America! Its light green delicate leaves and succulent stems make up this luscious plant, growing up to heights of 8-12 inches!
It will do best in moderately light environments. An Artillery Plant should be in consistently moist soil, but well-drained. It should be given thorough waterings after the soil is left to dry, and placed in filtered light to prevent leaves from browning and falling off.
Conclusion
On the whole, most Pilea types are a great option for anyone looking to care for an easy upkeep houseplant, and make adorable decorations! Generally, Pileas need plenty of indirect sunlight, consistently moist but not wet soil, and love relatively humid air. That’s why they look gorgeous in hanging pilea plant displays!
Pilea Plant care is easy to follow, as they grow well in moderately dry conditions, are fast-growing, and propagation is super straight-forward in these small but mighty plants!