Pilea peperomioides: the Chinese coin plant

Pilea Peperomioides is native to South America and Asia and is nicknamed the coin plant because of the shape of its leaves which recall the round shape of the coins. It was only discovered in the 1900s in China and immediately became widespread both because of its nickname and because it is an excellent piece of furniture for the home. It is characterized by bushes of stems of about 50-60 cm rich in large and fleshy leaves. In optimal cultivation conditions, the Pilea manages to reach a height between 30 and 50 cm. In addition, in spring it produces white flowers similar to those of Begonia which give the plant a delicate and elegant touch.

Cultivation methodologies

The Pilea Peperomioides is very easy to grow and therefore perfect even for the less experienced. It is ideal as a home design furniture because it is an evergreen plant of the Urticaceae family. To grow it in optimal conditions, it must be grown in winter and left to grow in a bright area exposed to sunlight. It is not recommended, however, to place it in humid environments or near artificial heat sources such as radiators as it does not tolerate excessive heat well. In addition, to grow the Pilea in the best way, you can rotate the pot every week so that the light reaches all sides of the plant. In summer, however, when the temperature is higher, you can decide to take the plant outside but not to expose it to direct sunlight when the temperature is above 28 ° C.

If you want to keep the plant indoors as an ornament, you should repot every year between March and April to replace the old pot with a slightly larger one, if necessary, adding fertile potting soil mixed with a little sand to favor the drainage.

Alternatively, when the outside temperature permits, you can decide to plant the Pilea directly in the ground, in gravelly, Mediterranean or coastal gardens.

In addition to the excessive heat, the Pilea does not tolerate temperatures below 10 ° C, for this reason in winter it is recommended to bring it indoors in a vase. At the same time it does not need to be watered too frequently, it is quite resistant to drought but should be watered when you notice that the soil is dry, more frequently in summer and more rarely in winter.

Diseases and treatments in brief

The advantage of Pilea is that you don’t have to worry about dealing with pest attacks like aphids and mealybugs from which it is resistant. However, the leaves can be subject to gray mold or rust and in this case we must act at the appearance of the first symptoms by cutting the infected leaves to prevent the mold from spreading.

Trivia (language of flowers or unique characteristics of the plant)

Thanks to its nickname, the Pilea is considered a plant that brings luck and abundant money, therefore it is an excellent gift for friends and relatives. In addition, it is also known as the Missionary Plant as it is said that it was brought to Europe by a missionary from Norway.