How do I care for my Chinese money plant?

This May our pet-friendly indoor plant of the month is the Chinese Money plant!

Native habitat

Pilea peperomioides is native to South West China and the West Indies.

Light and position in the home

The Chinese money plant enjoys a bright spot but it must be sheltered from direct sunlight.

Flowers and foliage

Whether you're looking to create an eye-catching feature on a shelf or window sill, the Chinese money plant is a real head-turner. Its novel leaves are almost round, with a gorgeous glossy green, fleshy appearance. Foliage is borne on long stalks, which adds to the plant's striking appeal. Its tiny green flowers can even sometimes be tinged with pink.

Watering and humidity

Allow the surface of the compost to dry out in between waterings from spring through to early autumn. In winter, however, water more sparingly, and make sure you always use tepid tap water. Plants enjoy raised levels of humidity, so mist the leaves regularly.

Temperature

As it originates from warmer climes, the Chinese money plant appreciates being kept snug. Average warmth is best, but never let temperatures fall below 10C (50F).

Did you know?

The Chinese money plant is also commonly known as the missionary plant. It's said that this is because a Swedish missionary first brought the plant to Europe from the Yunnan province of China in 1946. #randomfactoftheday

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If you like the look of our Chinese Money plant and want to get your hands on one of these, you can get yours here.