How to care for a Pilea Peperomioides plant

The Pancake Plant is originally from China and was taken to Europe by a Swedish missionary in the mid-20th century. In China, the plant symbolizes fortune; it's said that if you put a gold coin in the earth near the plant, your Pilea Peperomioides will start growing golden coins. We're still hopeful, but so far no good.

Although the Pilea Peperomioides is a good air purifier, it will have a hard time out-purifying its larger nephews and nieces. You see, Pilea Peperomioides are typically rather small and because of that, you'll need a LOT of Pilea Peperomioides to make any meaningful impact. But all the little bits do help of course!

The Pilea Peperomioides or Pancake Plant is safe for children and pets! Pile-yay!

Since the Pilea Peperomioides is not a very thirsty houseplant, in most cases water once a week is more than sufficient. Keep a close eye on the soil, sometimes less than weekly is fine, too. Definitely make sure that no water remains at the bottom of the pot, causing the roots to rot. Spray Pilea Peperomioides leaves with a plant sprayer; they love it! The soil can go dryer than what most plants prefer but never let it completely dry out.

Although the Pilea Peperomioides certainly deserves to be in the spotlight, it would prefer not to be in the full sun. So choose a place where it won't be burned by the direct sunlight. A spot in front of a window on the north or next to a window on the west / east is perfect.

Once a month a delicious sip of liquid plant food makes the Pilea Peperomioides very happy.

The Pilea Peperomioides is not a very fast grower, so you only have to put it in a larger pot every two years. Do this preferably at the beginning of spring, so that the plant can recover more easily from the move.

You can safely cut off old leaves of a Pilea Peperomioides, although they will often fall off on their own. If you see yellow or glassy leaves, you are probably giving it too much water. Furthermore, this plant does not really need to be pruned; it naturally retains its natural bulb shape. What really helps are the cuttings that grow on the side of the pancake plant. You can cut these off, put them in a glass of water for a while and, when they get roots, plant them in fresh potting soil. Just like that, you'll have a lot of cute Plants! Piece of Pancake, isn't it?

The Pilea Peperomioides isn't very susceptible to diseases, as far as we know. You're safe.