Pilea
Pilea is a vegetable in the Urticaceae family. It grows best in part shade with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 10-12.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Pilea
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tropical houseplant (offsets) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Round coin-like leaves; produces shareable pups. Note: Considered pet-safe.
Pilea (Pilea peperomioides), the Chinese money plant, is a cheerful houseplant with round coin-shaped leaves that readily produces offsets (pups) to share; pet-safe and easy.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Pilea peperomioides|Hardiness zones: 10-12|Propagation: offsets|Light: Bright indirect light|Water: Medium|Mature size: 8-12 inches
Plan your pilea planting
Add pilea to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →Pilea care at a glance
Bright, indirect light — and rotate the pot a quarter turn every watering, because a pilea leans hard toward the window.
Water when the top inch or two has dried; the stems and coin leaves droop slightly when thirsty and perk up after a drink.
Ordinary room humidity is fine.
Keep above 50°F — cold damage starts below that.
A well-draining mix with perlite; water should run through within seconds.
Dilute balanced fertilizer monthly in spring and summer.
In winter: Water noticeably less in winter; soggy cold soil is its main killer.
Non-toxic to cats, dogs, and people.
Pet listing per the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database.
How to propagate pilea
Pups (offsets)
- Wait until a pup emerging from the soil (or trunk) has a few leaves.
- Cut it free below the soil line with a clean knife, taking roots if present.
- Root in water or plant straight into moist mix.
- Keep bright and lightly moist; it establishes in 2–4 weeks — this is why it's the “pass-along plant.”
Common pilea problems
Why are my pilea's leaves curling or doming?
Likely cause: Cupping usually tracks light and water: doming outward often means too much light or heat; cupping inward, thirst or cold.
Fix: Keep it in bright indirect (not direct) light at a steady temperature, and even out the watering cadence; new leaves emerge flat when conditions settle.
Why is my pilea dropping its bottom leaves?
Likely cause: A few lower leaves aging off a lengthening trunk is normal; rapid wholesale yellowing is overwatering.
Fix: Normal turnover needs nothing. If many leaves yellow fast, let the mix dry further between waterings and check drainage.
What are the white dots under my pilea's leaves?
Likely cause: Mineral excretions — tiny white/cream dots along the underside veins are normal for pilea.
Fix: Nothing — but fuzzy, cottony clumps that wipe off are mealybugs, which need alcohol swabs and insecticidal soap.
Why is my pilea leaning to one side?
Likely cause: Strong phototropism — it grows toward the light faster than almost any houseplant.
Fix: Rotate the pot a quarter turn at every watering; a badly leaning trunk can be staked or beheaded and re-rooted upright.
Care profile compiled from extension and horticultural society guidance and the ASPCA toxic-plants list. Conditions vary by home — treat ranges as starting points.
At a glance
Storing & preserving
Most keep best refrigerated; storage crops prefer a cool, dry spot.
- Freeze: Blanch briefly, cool, then freeze — keeps color and texture.
- Can: Pressure-can low-acid vegetables; water-bath only pickled/acidified ones.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for pilea yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.