Chinese Money Plant Pilea peperomioides

Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this

A cheerful, easygoing houseplant with round, coin-shaped leaves on slender stalks that give it the nicknames pancake plant and UFO plant. It grows quickly, stays a tidy desktop size, and produces babies generously — making it one of the most shared, passed-along plants around.

Light

Pilea peperomioides wants bright, indirect light — an east window or a spot a couple of feet back from a south or west window is ideal. Good light keeps the coin-shaped leaves close together on a compact, upright plant; in dim corners the stem stretches, leaves grow smaller and spaced out, and the plant leans hard toward the brightest source. Because it reaches so eagerly, give it a quarter turn every week or two so it grows evenly rather than lopsided. A little gentle morning sun is welcome, but harsh midday sun through glass will bleach and scorch those flat leaves.

Watering

Let the top inch or two of soil dry before watering, then water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage holes and tip out the saucer. In a typical home that's roughly every 7–10 days in spring and summer and every 2 weeks or more in winter — but go by the soil, not the calendar. Pilea is sensitive to soggy roots, so err on the dry side; the leaves will droop and look slightly cupped when genuinely thirsty and perk back up within hours of a drink. Persistently wet soil leads to yellowing lower leaves and root rot.

Soil & potting

Use a light, fast-draining mix: a standard peat- or coir-based potting mix loosened with a generous handful of perlite or pumice keeps air around the fine roots. The plant resents staying wet, so airy is better than dense and water-retentive. Always pot into a container with drainage holes. Pilea grows fast and can get top-heavy, so repot every year or so in spring, moving up just one pot size — a snug pot actually encourages more of those prized baby offshoots than a roomy one.

Humidity & temperature

Average household humidity suits Pilea peperomioides just fine — it isn't a fussy tropical and doesn't need misting or a humidifier. Keep it in the 60–75°F range; it tolerates a bit cooler but dislikes sudden chills, hot dry air from heating vents, and cold drafts from doors or single-pane windows in winter. It can take a brief dip toward 50°F but should never be left near freezing glass. Steady, room-temperature conditions away from radiators and AC vents keep the leaves flat and firm.

Fertilizing

Feed with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength every 3–4 weeks during spring and summer, when the plant is actively pushing new leaves and offsets. Stop feeding in fall and winter while growth slows, then resume in spring. Pilea is a light feeder and shows over-fertilizing as brown leaf edges and a crusty white build-up on the soil — if that appears, flush the pot with plain water and ease off.

Pruning & maintenance

Pilea needs little pruning beyond tidying. Snip off any yellowed or damaged leaves at the base with clean scissors, and remove the lower leaves' dried stalk stubs if they bother you. To keep the plant bushier and lower, you can behead the main stem just above a leaf node; the cut top can be rooted, and the base will branch. Wipe the flat leaves occasionally with a damp cloth — they collect dust quickly and look their best clean and glossy.

Propagation

Famously easy, which is why it's the original pass-it-along plant. Baby plantlets sprout from the soil around the mother and along the stem; once a soil pup has a few leaves and is an inch or two tall, slide a clean knife into the soil, sever it from the mother root with a bit of its own root attached, and pot it up in moist mix. Stem pups can be cut off and rooted in water or soil. New plants establish within a few weeks.

Common problems

Drooping or curling leavesUsually a watering issue or a sudden change in light or temperature.→Yellow leavesMost often overwatering, but can be light, feeding, or natural aging.→

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Through the year

Spring

Growth resumes — restart regular watering and feeding, repot if it's root-bound, and pot up any babies into their own containers.

Summer

Peak growth. Water when the top inch dries, feed every few weeks, and rotate the plant often to keep it from leaning toward the light.

Fall

Growth slows — space out waterings and stop fertilizing as the days shorten.

Winter

Near-dormant. Water sparingly, skip fertilizer, and keep it away from cold drafts and hot, dry air from heating vents.

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