How to Grow Pilea: Easy Care Methods and Tips for Beginners

First, get to know the temperament of pilea

Pilea is also known as transparent grass, white-through grass, and aluminum-leaf grass. It is a perennial herb in the genus Pilea of the nettle family (Urticaceae). Its leaves have elegant patterns and its form is graceful and spreading. It is fairly shade-tolerant and can be kept long-term on a tea table or plant stand with scattered light, or grown as a hanging basket hung in a prominent spot such as a corner. It likes a warm, humid climate and prefers loose, fertile sandy soil. The optimum growing temperature is 15°C to 25°C, and in winter it must not go below 5°C. In the wild it is mostly found in valleys, beside streams, or in shady, damp places under forests at altitudes of 300 to 1500 m. In China it is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Sichuan, southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, southern Henan, southern Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Taiwan, and it also occurs in Japan and Vietnam. From June to September it also blooms, with separate male and female plants; cymes emerge from the leaf axils bearing small yellow-white flowers, and it fruits from September to November. Both the flowers and fruit have ornamental value.

Propagation is not difficult: division or cuttings both work

Pilea forms clumps very readily. Division can be done together with repotting and soil changing: split the whole clump into several portions and pot them separately, and shorten the old stems, keeping 2 to 3 nodes at the base of the stems. After they establish, the axillary buds quickly sprout and send out new side branches. Cuttings are usually taken in May: cut the stem tips as cuttings and use river sand or vermiculite as the medium. At a suitable temperature they root in about 10 days. When the new shoots reach 3 to 5 cm, pot them in sandy soil, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and move them into normal care.

Five key points for routine care

Soil: use a loam rich in humus, loose and fertile, and keep it moist but not overly wet, otherwise the roots rot easily; it also has fairly high requirements for air humidity. Fertilize mainly with decomposed organic fertilizer; urea should not be used too much, because when nitrogen is excessive the plant grows leggy and its form becomes unattractive, and when phosphorus and potassium are insufficient the leaf patterns fade.

Light: it is shade-tolerant, but prefers ample light. Avoid direct strong light. In summer place it at a north window, and in winter at a south window. If the light is too dim the leaf color fades, and if the sunlight is too strong the leaves get scorched. The optimum growing temperature is 18 to 22°C, and for overwintering it should not go below 7°C.

Water and fertilizer: the best state for the potting soil is dry without cracking, and moist without being soggy. In summer spray the leaves often, which keeps the foliage cleaner and glossier; in winter spray less water, otherwise black spots may appear on the leaves or they may even turn black and rot. During the growing season apply a 20-80 or 30-70 nitrogen liquid fertilizer about once every two weeks, and after autumn increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to strengthen the stems and prevent lodging.

Pruning: it tolerates pruning well. After a rooted cutting is potted, pinch it once, and when the new side branches grow to 4 leaves, pinch again keeping 2 leaves. Repeat this and you can develop a full, hemispherical plant shape with many branches. When an old plant grows too tall, take the opportunity of spring repotting to cut it back hard, keeping 2 to 3 nodes at the base; after new branches grow, pinch 2 to 3 more times, and the plant shape becomes short and compact again.

Pests and diseases: for the common leaf spot disease, spray 200-times Bordeaux mixture as a preventive; soil that is too wet easily causes root rot, so drench with 1000-times Topsin solution; for root-knot nematodes, apply 3% carbofuran; for scale insects, spray with 1000-times 40% omethoate; for scarab beetles that chew the leaves, hand-pick them or spray with 1000-times trichlorfon.

Do not overlook these details

Pilea should be repotted at least once a year in spring, and during the growing season fertilize about once a week with a nutrient solution. When it has been grown too long and its growth slows, prune it promptly, otherwise its ornamental effect declines. It likes fairly strong scattered light; in summer block more than 70% of the sunlight, and in winter use no shading or only slight shading. The overwintering temperature is best kept above 13°C; being below 10°C for a long time causes damage, though a short period around 5°C does no harm. It also likes a humid environment, so keep the potting soil moist and the air humidity fairly high; in dry seasons spray water often on the surrounding environment or on the leaves. This small foliage plant does not take up much space, and grown in a room or office it is both attractive and able to purify the air.