Pilea Species, Chinese Money Plant, Missionary Plant, Pancake Plant, UFO Plant

So similar to Peperomia polybotrya, Coin Leaf Peperomia. The leaves of Pilea peperomioides are rounded while Peperomia polybotrya comes ...Read Moreto a point. The flowers are different also. [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]


This article, A Chinese puzzle solved - Pilea peperomioides, discusses the search for this plant's origins as well as its perfect growing conditions.
Excerpt:
"Dali itself, at around 6,000 feet elevation (11800m), is renowned for its weather, which is spring-like throughout the year, but the peaks of Tsangshan at almost 14,000 feet (4,250m), were still carrying snow on our visit in late April and early May. Therefore, it seems likely that P. peperomioides survives winter temperatures down to freezing. Certainly, in the British Isles it is more likely to flower in spring if kept in unheated conditions. Both male and female inflorescences are produced by the same plant, although the latter are far less frequent. Male flowers are reluctant to open but if held in the palm of the hand or placed in water they burst open releasing puffs of pollen as in other Pilea species such as P. muscosa, the artillery plant.

We have yet to see the Chinese money plant on sale in nurseries here but it must surely feature in them soon. It is one of the easiest of houseplants to grow, flourishing in a peat based compost. It needs frequent watering in warm weather and is easily propagated from the basal shoots which are so readily produced. Further cultural details can be found in the recently published The RHS Encyclopaedia of House Plants by Kenneth Beckett, the first such publication to illustrate it."
http://www.wildchicken.com/nature/garden/ga008_a_chinese_puz...

I believe the zone information is in error.

Although it can be kept outside in warmer regions, Pilea peperomioides is only...Read More suitable as a houseplant in most locations. It doesn’t appreciate temperatures below 10 °C/50 °F and should be protected from sudden temperature swings.

Beautiful plant. I disagree with light requirements mentioned here, my pilea p. grows on east-facing windowsill with no light damage, pro...Read Moreducing constantly luscious leaves and "babies". Also, in winter it doesn't go dormant per se, but, it's better not to keep it very moist because it have tendency with shorter days and excessive moist to loose bottom leaves rapidly. To be honest I don't keep it all time moist in hot summer as well.
I saw specimens taller than 45 centimeters.
For propagation I wouldn't recommend to remove early stolons with 4-5 leaves, they grow bigger faster then they are still connected to mother plant. Wait till it's at least up to 15 cm tall.

This is a question rather than a comment... I have lots of these Chinese money plants, yet one of them appears to be going a purply-brown...Read More colour and a bit spotty. It is not looking too well, but I don't know why this only seems to be happening with one of my plants... Any care tips??