Husky · CC0
About
Known popularly as the Chinese money plant or UFO plant, *Pilea peperomioides* is a highly popular houseplant characterized by its distinctive, shiny, dark green, circular leaves. It is easily propagated and has gained immense popularity among hobbyists, earning the nickname "friendship plant" or "pass-along plant".
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is an erect, evergreen perennial with shiny, dark green, circular leaves, which are described as peltate—meaning the petiole is attached near the center. These leaves can reach up to 10 cm in diameter, and the plant itself grows to about 30 cm tall and wide in the wild. The stem is greenish to dark brown and lignifies at the base when mature.
Distribution & habitat
Native to the southwest of Sichuan province and the west of Yunnan province in China, growing in shady, damp rocks in forests at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 m.
Cultivation notes
The plant is propagated easily through offshoots (plantlets that sprout on the trunk) or rhizomes. It is suitable for terrariums due to its preference for constant temperatures and high humidity. While endangered in its native habitat, it is noted for being slim, easy to grow, and tolerating dry environments.
History & etymology
The first western collection of *Pilea peperomioides* was made by George Forrest in 1906 and 1910 in the Cang Mountain range of Yunnan Province. The species was later found by Agnar Espegren in 1945. The first known published image appeared in the Kew magazine in 1984.
Conservation
The species is noted as being endangered in its native habitat.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
- Native To
- China
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
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