Chinese Money Plant

The Chinese Money Plant was first discovered in western culture by George Forester, a Scottish botanist and one of the first explorers of China's Yunnan province. It's said that he imported over 31,000 plant specimens to Scotland over numerous trips, including the Pilea peperomioides. From there, a specimen of the plant was taken to Norway by a missionary called Agnar Espegren. Cuttings were then passed around to thousands of people, leading to the Chinese Money Plants delayed identification in the 1980s and its commercial cultivation as a popular houseplant.

The Chinese Money Plant is a perennial plant with bouncy, green, round-shaped leaves that can each grow up to ten centimetres in diameter. Pilea can grow to about 30 centimetres tall and wide, and the stems turn brown and lignify as they mature. In its natural range in China, the Chinese Money Plant grows on damp rocks in shady mountainous forests over 1,500 metres above sea level.

Chinese Money Plants like a bright spot out of direct sunshine. Wait until their soil has dried out before watering thoroughly. Pileas are native to temperate forests, unlike most tropical indoor plants, so they do not need higher humidity to thrive.

Being native to mountainous areas, if you want to encourage your Chinese Money Plant to flower, expose them to sub-ten-degree temperatures for a few weeks.

This plant is non-toxic so although not advised should pose no harm if accidentally chewed or eaten by your furry friends.

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