Round leaves on long stalks and constant new offsets: the Chinese money plant wants bright light without harsh sun, and you water once the top of the soil has dried.

What it does for you

The round, fleshy leaves sit like little plates on long stalks, with the stalk attached in the middle of the leaf's underside¹. At about 20–30 cm tall it fits on any windowsill, and it's considered easy-care and non-toxic to pets¹. And it keeps producing offsets that you can separate and give away².

Origin & history

In the wild it is only known from south-west China, in Sichuan and Yunnan⁴, on shady, damp rocks in forests at 1500–3000 m altitude. There it is very rare and possibly endangered³.

In 1945 a Norwegian missionary found it at a market in Yunnan and took offshoots with him to Norway when he fled. From there it travelled from hand to hand across Europe for decades, without any nurseries – it only reached garden centres recently⁵.

Caution

The Chinese money plant is considered non-toxic to children and pets¹. The ASPCA doesn't list the species itself, but rates the related Pilea involucrata as non-toxic to cats and dogs⁶.

Care

Light. Bright, but without direct sun⁷. The RHS suggests a window facing north, east or west (south, east or west in the southern hemisphere); in a room with midday sun, set it back from the window².

Water. Water when the top few centimetres of soil start to dry – check with the finger test or by lifting the pot. It needs less in winter. Never leave it standing in water, or the roots will rot². Keep the leaves dry if you can: wet foliage easily gets spots¹.

Temperature & humidity. 18–24 °C by day, above 13 °C at night⁷, always above 10 °C and away from cold draughts². Normal room air is fine, though it likes it a little more humid^1,2.

Soil, pot & repotting. Peat-free potting compost². For faster drainage you can optionally mix in some cactus soil – Penn State suggests this for pileas that like fast drainage⁷. Check the roots every spring and repot when it gets crowded, usually every two years or so – into a pot only slightly bigger².

Feeding. From spring to early autumn feed with liquid fertiliser every one to two months, don't overfeed².

Extras

Indoors it rarely flowers¹. White specks under the leaves are usually harmless mineral deposits or sap that has leaked out when temperatures fluctuate². The main pests are spider mites, mealybugs, fungus gnats and scale insects¹. The RHS has given it the Award of Garden Merit⁸.