Pilea Care Guide: How to Grow a Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)

Why everyone loves a pilea

With its round, coin-shaped leaves on long stems, the pilea looks like a little bouquet of green pancakes. Pilea peperomioides goes by a lot of nicknames: Chinese money plant, pancake plant, UFO plant, missionary plant, and friendship plant. That last one comes from its best trick: a healthy pilea sends up baby plants from its roots that you can pot up and share.

In the wild, it grows on damp, shady rocks in the forests of southwestern China. Indoors, it's easy to grow once you know two things: it wants bright light and a little drying out between drinks. It's also non-toxic to cats and dogs, which makes it one of the best plants for pet households.

This guide covers the basics for beginners and the details seasoned growers use to keep pileas full, flat-leaved, and productive.

Pilea care at a glance

Light

Pileas grow best in bright, indirect light, like near an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a south or west window. A little gentle morning sun helps the plant stay compact and upright.

• Too little light: stems stretch long and leggy, leaves shrink, and the plant leans hard toward the window. The leaves may also start to cup or dome downward.
• Too much hot sun: leaves can scorch, fade, or develop brown patches. Avoid strong afternoon sun through glass.
• Rotate it every few days. Pileas grow toward the light faster than most plants. A quarter-turn every few days keeps the plant round and symmetrical instead of lopsided.

Grower tip: if your pilea leans no matter how often you turn it, it's asking for more light. Move it closer to the window or add a grow light.

Watering

Pileas like to dry out a bit between waterings. Their thick stems and leaves hold some water, so they handle a missed watering much better than soggy soil.

1. Check the soil. Water when the top inch or two feels dry.
2. Water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom.
3. Empty the saucer after 10 to 15 minutes.

How often? Often about once a week in spring and summer, and less in winter when growth slows. Always go by the soil, not the calendar.

Read the leaves:

• Drooping, floppy leaves: usually thirst. Water deeply and they should perk up within a day. If the soil is already wet, it's the opposite problem: too much water.
• Yellow lower leaves with wet soil: overwatering. Let it dry out more.
• A few old bottom leaves yellowing and dropping: normal. Pileas shed their oldest leaves as they grow taller.

Soil, pots and repotting

Soil

Use a light, well-draining potting mix.

• Beginner: good indoor potting mix with a few handfuls of perlite mixed in.
• Seasoned grower: potting mix with extra perlite or pumice and a little orchid bark, for faster drying and healthier roots.
• Always use a pot with a drainage hole. Terracotta is a great match, since it helps the soil dry evenly.

Repotting

Repot every 1 to 2 years in spring or early summer, when roots fill the pot or poke out the bottom. Go up just 1 to 2 inches in pot size. A pot that's much bigger stays wet too long.

Repotting is also the perfect time to separate any pups growing around the base.

Temperature, humidity and feeding

Temperature: pileas like normal room temperatures, around 60 to 80°F, and can handle down to about 55°F in winter. Keep them away from cold drafts, frosty windows, and heating vents.

Humidity: regular household humidity is fine. Pileas don't need misting or a humidifier.

Feeding:

• Spring and summer: a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer, diluted to half strength, about once a month.
• Fall and winter: skip feeding while growth slows.
• Too much fertilizer can cause brown spots or crispy edges. If you see a white crust on the soil, flush the pot with plain water.

Keep leaves clean: wipe dust off those big round leaves with a damp cloth now and then, so they can soak up as much light as possible.

Propagating pilea pups

A happy pilea sends up pups (baby plants) from its roots, popping out of the soil around the base, and sometimes small plantlets right on the stem. This is how pileas spread from friend to friend.

From soil pups (easiest)

1. Wait until the pup is 2 to 3 inches tall, with a few leaves of its own.
2. Gently dig down beside it to find where it connects to the mother plant's root.
3. Cut the connecting root with a clean knife, keeping some roots on the pup if you can.
4. Pot it in a small pot of moist, well-draining mix, or set it in a glass of water to grow roots first.
5. Keep it in bright, indirect light and the soil lightly moist for a couple of weeks while it settles in.

From stem plantlets

Snip off the little plantlet with a short piece of stem attached, and set it in water. Once the roots are about an inch long, pot it up.

Want a fuller plant instead? Leave the pups attached. They'll fill out the pot and give your pilea a lush, bushy look.

Shaping and pruning

Pileas grow up from a single central stem, and as they get taller, they naturally lose their lowest leaves. Over a year or two, a pilea can start to look like a little palm tree: a bare stem with a crown of leaves on top.

• Remove yellow or damaged leaves at the base of their stems with clean scissors. It's normal and keeps the plant tidy.
• For a fuller look, leave a few pups growing around the base so the pot stays bushy.
• To reset a tall, leggy plant, cut off the top crown with a few inches of stem, root it in water, and pot it up. The old stem left in the pot will often sprout new growth too.
• Stake a leaning stem with a small plant stake if it starts to tip, and give it more light so new growth comes in straighter.

Common problems and how to fix them

For seasoned growers: taking it further

Flat, saucer-sized leaves

The biggest, flattest pilea leaves come from strong, even light. A spot by a bright east window, or a grow light running 12 to 14 hours a day, combined with a regular quarter-turn, keeps leaves flat and the plant upright. Pileas in dim corners grow smaller, cupped leaves on long stems.

Encouraging more pups

Pups come from a healthy root system that has a little room to roam. A slightly wider, shallow pot, consistent spring and summer feeding, and good light all encourage more babies. Pots that are very tight or very large tend to slow pup production.

Pilea varieties to collect

• 'Mojito': green leaves splashed with lighter green and cream variegation
• 'Sugar': green leaves speckled with tiny white dots
• 'White Splash': dark green leaves dusted with white freckles

Variegated pileas grow a little slower and appreciate bright light to keep their patterns strong.

Training a single-stem "tree"

For a sculptural look, remove all pups and let one stem grow tall, staking it straight. Over time it becomes a little tree with a bare trunk and a round crown of leaves.

Other pileas and how their care differs

"Pilea" is a big plant family. The Chinese money plant is the most famous, but most other pileas have different needs. In general, they like more moisture and humidity, they don't grow pups (you propagate them from stem cuttings instead), and many are trailing or bushy rather than growing up on one stem.

Baby tears (Pilea depressa)

Tiny, round, bright green leaves on trailing stems that spill over the edge of the pot. Beautiful in a hanging basket, on a shelf, or in a terrarium.

• Light: bright, indirect light. Gentle morning sun is fine; hot afternoon sun can scorch the small leaves.
• Water: keep the soil lightly and evenly moist. Water when the top half inch feels dry. Unlike the Chinese money plant, baby tears don't like to dry out completely; they wilt fast when thirsty (and usually bounce right back after a drink).
• Humidity: moderate to high. Crispy brown leaf edges mean the air is too dry. A bright bathroom, grouping plants together, or a small humidifier helps.
• Temperature: 60 to 80°F. Keep away from cold drafts.
• Soil: regular potting mix with some perlite, in a pot with drainage.
• Feeding: half-strength liquid fertilizer about once a month in spring and summer.
• Pruning and propagation: trim long stems to keep it full. Snipped stems root easily: lay them on moist soil and press them in, or root them in water for a couple of weeks.

Name note: "baby tears" is also the common name for a different plant, Soleirolia soleirolii. It looks similar and likes similar care (bright, indirect light and consistent moisture), so the tips above work for both.

Other pileas at a glance

All of these propagate easily from stem cuttings rooted in water or moist soil.

Is pilea safe for pets?

Yes. Pilea peperomioides is generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, which makes it one of the best houseplant choices for pet households. The other pileas in this guide, including baby tears, are generally considered non-toxic too, but check the ASPCA's plant list for any specific variety. That said, any plant can upset a pet's stomach if they eat a lot of it, so it's still best to keep it where curious pets won't chew on it.

If your pet eats any plant and seems unwell, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply).

Pilea FAQ

Why are my pilea's leaves curling? Usually it's about light. Leaves that dome downward often need more light, and leaves that cup upward may be getting too much direct sun. Move it to bright, indirect light and rotate it often.

Why is my pilea leaning or growing tall? It's reaching for light. Move it closer to a window, turn it every few days, and stake the stem if it's tipping.

When should I separate the pups? Once they're 2 to 3 inches tall with a few leaves of their own. Spring and summer, when the plant is actively growing, is the best time.

Can I grow a pilea in water? Pups and cuttings root easily in water, but they grow best long term in well-draining soil.

Is pilea a good plant for beginners? Yes. Give it bright light, let the soil dry a bit between waterings, and turn it regularly, and it's very forgiving.

Shop this plant

Coming Soon

Pair it with:

• A Terrasola plant stand: lift your pilea into brighter light and show off its round leaves
• A plant stake: keep a tall pilea standing straight
• A 3D-printed planter with drainage: pileas love a pot that dries out evenly

Sources

For your reference; you don't need to publish this section, though a short "Sources" line at the end of a care guide builds trust.

• How to grow pilea, Royal Horticultural Society
• How to grow Pilea peperomioides, BBC Gardeners' World
• Pilea peperomioides care, Guide to Houseplants
• Pilea Peperomioides Care Sheet, Sprout Home