Chinese Money Plant

Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides) is the indoor plant people notice from across the room, then ask you to propagate for them. It stays small, around 30cm tall and 30cm wide, with round, coin shaped leaves held on slender stalks like a scattering of green discs. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, which makes it a safer choice for a home with pets.

Why you'll love it

• A shape nothing else has. Flat, round leaves on upright stalks give it a graphic look that suits a desk, shelf or bathroom windowsill.
• Small and stays small. At about 30cm each way it fits a 150mm to 200mm pot for years.
• Not toxic to cats and dogs. Chewing is still worth discouraging, but this is not a plant you have to hide from a curious pet.
• It makes its own spares. Established plants push up offsets from the base and roots. Pot them on and you have gifts, or a fuller pot.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. This is where nearly every one of these ends up. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender.

Pots, balconies and small spaces. It will spend the warm months outside in a sheltered, shaded spot in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, then come in before the first cold snap. Apartments, rentals and offices suit it because the whole plant occupies about the footprint of a dinner plate.

Growing Chinese Money Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light gives the flattest, largest leaves. Direct sun through glass scorches them, and deep shade makes the stalks stretch and lean. Turn the pot a quarter each week so it grows evenly. It is frost tender, so treat it as an indoor plant in cool temperate gardens.

Soil. A good quality free draining indoor potting mix, in a pot with a drainage hole. A handful of perlite or coarse sand helps, because soggy mix is the fastest way to lose one.

Water and feed. Water when the top few centimetres of mix are dry, roughly weekly in warm weather and every two to three weeks in winter, then tip out the saucer. A half strength liquid fertiliser once a month through spring and summer is plenty.

Pruning and repotting. Remove lower leaves as they yellow, which is normal ageing. Repot every year or two into the next size up, separating offsets at the same time.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in a single size, tube stock, and it runs onto backorder when demand is strong. A tube is a young plant with a handful of leaves, not a full rosette, so pot it straight into a 130mm to 150mm pot and grow it on.

It travels well because the leaves are firm and the plant is compact. A little leaf droop in transit is normal and not a fault. Give it a week in bright indirect light before the first proper water, and expect new leaves within a month in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Indoor plant tips for beginners
• Browse indoor plants that are safe around pets
• Compare the full indoor plant range

Common questions

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Pilea peperomioides is not toxic to cats or dogs, which is why it turns up on almost every pet safe plant list. Chewed leaves will still upset a small stomach, so discourage the habit.

Why is my plant leaning to one side?

It is growing toward the light. Turn the pot a quarter turn every week and the stem straightens up over a couple of months. A leggy, stretched plant usually needs brighter indirect light as well.

How do I get more plants from it?

Wait for the offsets that appear at the base and beside the parent, let them reach about 5cm, then cut them off below soil level with a little root attached and pot them separately.