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A Complete Guide to Grow & Take Care of Chinese Money Plant

Are you interested in adding good luck to your home? Because you can.

Bring in the Chinese money plant. Also known as Pilea peperomioides. A leafy little stunner that is said to attract good luck and fortune.

Its green coin-like leaves add to the beauty of your home decor. And it is super easy to care for. Even if you’re not a plant expert. Just follow these simple tips and tricks by AHH Flowers and make your money plant bloom.

So, let’s pave the way to your joy.

Chinese Money Plant | Traits & the Conditions to Grow

Before going towards the care tips. Let’s take a moment to appreciate what makes the Chinese money plant so special.

This plant is used in home decor with its circular leaves resembling coins. Hence the name. It gives a clean and minimalist look to your windowsills, desks, or side tables. Better yet, it’s a low-maintenance, air-purifying, and pet-safe option.

Another quality is its easy propagation. You can easily share this “friendship plant” with anyone in your circle.

Here are some details of the plant that brings prosperity and fortune to the home

Common Names

Chinese money plant, pancake plant, coin plant, UFO plant, friendship plant 

Botanical Name

Pilea peperomioides

Family

Urticaceae

Plant Type

Perennial 

Mature Size 

12” length, 8-12” width

Bloom Time 

Spring 

Flower Colour 

White 

Native Area 

China 

Sun Exposure 

Limited

Soil Type 

Well-drained

Soil pH 

6.0 – 7.0 

Temperature

13°C to 30°C

 

Like any other living thing, it also needs the proper environment to grow. That’s where your money plant caring duties are needed.

How Do You Take Care of Chinese Money Plant? | 8 Essential Tips

Our simple care guidelines can guarantee that your money plant will love you forever. And will bring the good luck and happy energy in return.

1. Choose the Right Pot & Soil Mix

The first condition to grow any plant is the right soil mixture. Everyone who plants money plant should choose a medium-sized pot having holes for proper drainage.

Potholes also don’t let water collect in bottom and prevent the root rot. Add a high-quality organic potting mix with neutral pH to help money plant grow faster. Prefer the peat-based or coir-based soil mix.

Pro Tip: Add some perlite to your soil mix to add extra drainage and prevent waterlogging.

2. Keep it in the Right Light

Chinese money plant is a little choosy in terms of light. It loves the sunlight but prefers to stay in shade. As direct light and long sun exposure can burn its delicate leaves. And absence of light makes it thin and yellow.

So, keep it under a well-lit shaded place, indoors or outdoors. An east- or west-facing window or a shaded shelf is ideal for these filtered light lovers.

Pro Tip: Rotate your plant regularly so all sides of it get an even amount of light. It will keep it symmetrical and prevent leaning.

3. Water Properly | Not Too Much, Not Too Little

Prepare yourself for the medium water needs of your money plants. They need water to live but don’t like to be kept damp. Water them thoroughly but don’t forget to drain after watering. Then wait for top 2 inches of soil to dry out before watering again.

Average time between waterings is 1-2 summer weeks & 3-4 winter weeks.

How to know that your money plant is thirsty?

  • Sad and drooping leaves? Your plant needs a drink.
  • Soggy soil? You are overwatering, drain to prevent root rot.

4. Create a Warm & Cosy Environment

There is not any particular heat or humidity demand of the Chinese money plant. Just the normal household temperature, 13-30°C, is fine for it. Just remember to don’t let it frost in winters and burn in summers.

Sudden changes in temperature can stress it out, just like any living thing. It also appreciates a bit of moisture in the air. So, keep it near the bathroom or use a humidifier in dry winter months.

Pro Tip: Keep your money plant away from heating vents or radiators to avoid dry air.

5. Mist Regularly to Keep it Fresh

Another way to boost the humidity around your indoor money plants is occasional misting. It not only hydrates the plant but also removes extra dust from leaves. Increasing the surface area to absorb more light.

If you have a group of plants, keep them close. So, you don’t have to mist them all separately. Transpiration from one’s leaves will give freshness to others.

Pro Tip: Mist early in the morning to avoid moisture sitting on the leaves overnight.

6. Keep Your Plant in Shape with Pruning

Pruning can keep your plant growing and maintain its lovely shape.  If you notice any yellowing or damaged leaves, remove them.

Also trim the overgrown parts to keep the symmetry. E.g. pruning the top growth makes the money plant to bush out. While pruning the side growths can help in adding length to it.

Pro Tip: Use sharp and clean shears and cut the excessive growth at the base of stem.

7. Feed the Right Fertilizer to Your Plant

Your money plant does not need too much food and lives perfectly fine without it. But if you want to show some extra love, try adding a fertiliser.

Add a balanced amount of house plant fertiliser every month in growth season. i.e. spring and summer. Proper money tree plant food will reward you with added strength and beautiful blooms whole year. Avoid fertilizing during the fall and winter months.

Pro Tip: Dilute your money tree food i.e. fertiliser to half strength. It will prevent overfeeding.

8. Repot When it Outgrows its Home

Repotting is the must-have step in your money plant care guide. As soon as you notice your Chinese money plant outgrowing its pot, repot it. It usually happens after one to two years.

Choose a few centimetres larger pot with drainage holes. Repotting gives the room for roots to grow and a boost of nutrients from new compost.

When repotting, divide off the several baby plants grown at the base and edge of the pot. You can gift them to your friends.

Pro Tip: Don’t repot your Pilea until Spring/Summer to prevent a pause in growth.

If you care for Chinese money plant, it will reward you with lots of little baby plants. Don’t forget to share the joy by propagating it. It’s a fun and easy process.

How to Propagate a Chinese Money Plant

Here is how you can have a mini version of your “friendship plant” to share with your loved ones.

  1. Look for baby plants, called pups, growing around the base of your plant stem.
  2. Gently remove the pup with some roots attached, using a clean and sharp knife.
  3. Place the pup in a small vase filled with water.
  4. Wait until you start to see some root growth.
  5. When the roots are 1-2” long, you can move into a separate pot filled with fresh soil.
  6. Keep the soil moist and pup will establish itself as a new plant in a few weeks.

Don’t stress out if any concerns appear during your indoor planting session. Just keep an eye out and treat the root cause of them.

Why is My Money Plant Dying? 6 Common Problems & Their Quick Fixes

Here is the list of some common issues of your money plant, their causes, and ways to treat them.

1. Yellowing Leaves

The Chinese money plant naturally sheds its lower leaves throughout the year. However, if you notice increased shedding, it will be due to poor light or overwatering.

Quick Fix: Position the plant in a brightly lit spot out of direct sunlight. Also, check your watering routine and drainage.

2. White Spots on Leaves

Small white spots on the underside of Pilea peperomioides leaves indicate mineral deposits. They are not overly concerning. Just your plant telling you that it had too much mineral-rich water. This is more common in a hard-water area.

Quick Fix: Try filtered tap water or rainwater to solve the issue.

3. Curling Leaves

If the leaves of your money plant curl up along the edges, its not under the right lightening. Curling can also indicate decreased humidity or too high room temperature.

Quick Fix: Adjust your plant’s position, watering schedule or mist more frequently.

4. Browning Leaves

Delicate leaves of your money plant can burn under direct sunlight. So, browning is your plant’s way of showing its trouble under the sun.

Quick Fix: Move the plant away from harsh sunlight if you notice burn marks on the leaves.

5. Pests & Diseases

Chinese money plants do not attract any particular pests or diseases. Just keep an eye on common houseplant pests. E.g. mealybugs, scale, fungus gnats, and spider mites.

Quick Fix: Remove affected leaves and clean with a mild soap solution if you notice an infestation.

6. Crispy Leaves

If your money plant’s leaves are turning crispy and breaking on touch. It means that the surrounding air is too dry.

Quick Fix: Increase the misting frequency or place a humidity tray under the plant.

And congratulations! you are completely ready to grow the Chinese money plant indoors.

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