What is Chinese Money Plant?
The chinese money plant (Pilea Peperomioides) is a flowering plant that belongs to the nettle family. It is native to southern China, especially Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. It has been “discovered” several times by Europeans. However, it was a Norwegian missionary who brought it to Norway in 1946, who started the plant craze in Scandinavia where it is now commonly found. It’s hard to get here in the US unless you have a friend willing to share the offset with you or you can order from an online source.
The Chinese money plant is only hardy through zone 10, so most gardeners grow it as a houseplant. The plants are small, about 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
The plants get their name from their unique leaves that are dark green and round like coins. It is about 4 inches in diameter. They grow on long leaves. Petioles are leaf stalks attached to the stem. The petioles of the chinese money plant can grow up to a foot long, giving it a distinctive shape.
The chinese money plant rarely blooms when grown indoors as a houseplant. When it blooms, the flowers are small and white and grow on pink stems.
How to Grow Chinese Money Plant
The chinese money plant prefers bright, filtered sunlight. It is preferable to use an east or west facing window where the plant gets about half a day of sun. Do not place your plant directly in front of a window unless it is covered by a curtain. If there is no shade, move your plant away from a window so the sun doesn’t shine directly on it.
Well-drained potting soil is suitable for these plants. Drainage is essential or your plant will die from root rot. Make sure the pot you put it in has a drainage hole in the bottom. Water the plant every 7 to 10 days to allow the plant to dry out between waterings.
Moisture is also essential for your plant’s growth. Since our homes are too dry for them, you can either wash your plants daily or create a humidity tray.
A humidity tray is a shallow tray filled with decorative pebbles and water. Place your plant on top of the gravel, not in it. The water around your plant will evaporate along with the moisture. Check the humidity tray regularly to keep it filled with water. If all the water evaporates and is not replaced, no moisture will be produced.
You will need to fertilize your plant monthly during the growing seasons, spring and summer. You can use standard household fertilizers. Your plant does not need fertilization during the fall and winter during the rest period.
How to Grow Chinese Money Plant From an Offset
Because we grow chinese money plant as a houseplant, when it flowers there are no insects to pollinate the flowers to produce seeds. These plants are propagated by offsets.
The chinese money plant regularly produces offsets, which are completely new plants that grow from shoots that grow back from the parent plant. They are called clones because they are genetically identical to the parent plant.
To create a new plant, take a sharp knife and carefully cut off the offset from the mother plant and then repot it. It is best to choose an offset that has its own leaves and roots, ensuring that the new plant will have the best chance of surviving after being cut from the parent plant.
If the offset you cut has little or no roots, you can plant it directly in the soil. Push the portion that was under the soil in the original pot into the soil of the new pot and keep the soil moist. When you see new leaves growing, you know that new roots are also growing because a plant that has no roots cannot grow new leaves.
Rooting plants in water is not a good idea. The roots that grow are much weaker because they do not have to put pressure on the soil that strengthens them. When you plant roots in water and then try to prune or dislodge them, those weak roots will often break and your new plant has a good chance of dying. Strong roots do not always require rooting and transplanting directly into the soil, which can stress the plant.
