If you’re looking to add wealth and prosperity to your life, then consider adding this stunning money plant to your indoor plant collection! Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) is a low-maintenance, easy-to-grow plant that even beginners can work with!

It gets its name from the distinct coin-shaped leaves and is known to have a long association with wealth and abundance in Feng Shui. It’s an easy plant to propagate, so once you have one, you’ll have one or more for life (and your friends and family probably will too!).

Read on to learn exactly how to grow and care for money plant at home.

Scientific Name: Pilea peperomioides

Common Name: Chinese money plant, coin plant, pancake plant, UFO plant, friendship plant, sharing plant

Family: Urticaceae

Plant Type: Perennial

Hardiness Zones: 9 – 11 (USDA)

Sun Exposure: Partial sun

Soil Type: Well-draining

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.0 (Acidic, neutral)

Bloom Time: Spring

Flower Color: White

Native Area: China

Quick Guide: Planting, Growing & Caring for Chinese Money Plant

  • Money plant is an easy-to-grow, no fuss, low maintenance plant
  • Find a spot with bright indirect light to help it grow well and avoid direct sunlight
  • Average household temperatures and humidity work well for this plant
  • It’s an incredibly easy plant to propagate and share with your friends and family
Chinese Money Plant
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.

What is a Money Plant?

Money plant is not just one plant but is the common name for many dozen plant species that belong to various plant families. They may also be known as ‘money tree’.

They’re called money plant for many different reasons, including having coin-shaped leaves. Some plants also have a long-standing symbolic connection to wealth and success, as is the case with the Feng Shui method, which can also be why they’re named as such.

These plants are often used as indoor houseplants to focus feng shui energy towards the creation of financial success.

The most common type of money plant is the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) which we will be learning more about in this article.

pilea peperomioides house plant
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.

Chinese Money Plant Care

Chinese money plant is known for its flat coin-shaped leaves which lends to its common name. It’s a beautiful, delicate plant that works great as a centerpiece or in a grouping, and is the most common plant referred to generally as ‘money plant’.

This plant is native to Southwest China, where it was first discovered by a Norwegian missionary who brought it back home and began giving basal shoots to their friends and family. It quickly became a household favorite and is now a common windowsill plant throughout Scandinavia and the rest of the world.

It can be a slow-growing plant indoors but is relatively easy to care for. In China, the plant is considered to bring good luck and wealth to its owner, thanks to its distinct coin-shaped leaves.

This money plant used to be tricky to get your hands on in the US, but recently many nurseries have started mass-producing it so it’s now a common sight in garden centers across the country. It’s a fairly easy plant to propagate and that’s why it’s often referred to as the sharing plant or the friendship plant.

Other names for it include UFO plant, pancake plant, or simply money plant. This easy-to-grow plant is stunning and in terms of Feng Shui, it has a long symbolic association with wealth and prosperity.

Light

Chinese money plant grows well in bright indirect light. To keep your plant appearing symmetrical, rotate it often. Avoid places with intense, direct sunlight since it will burn the delicate foliage.

Although this plant may adapt to reduced light levels, it will likely become lanky, produce fewer offshoots, and perhaps have smaller coin-shaped leaves. Overall, this plant is the healthiest and looks the best when it is grown in a place with a lot of bright light.

Soil

Money plant should be planted in rich, well-drained soil. It is ideal to use a high-quality organic potting mix that is peat-based or coir-based. Add perlite to the soil to improve drainage and make sure the soil doesn’t get too wet. This plant prefers a soil pH range between 6.0 and 7.0.

Water

The water requirements of this evergreen perennial are regarded to be moderate. The plant should be allowed to dry out almost completely between waterings.

When the soil of a money plant dries up, the plant’s leaves will begin to droop, which is a reliable indicator that the plant needs to be watered.

Temperature and Humidity

Money plant thrives under average home temperatures and humidity. Avoid too dry conditions whenever possible, which typically means keeping the plant away from heating vents or baseboards. If you notice that the edges of your leaves have started ‘burning’ then you should raise the humidity levels.

The Chinese money plant can withstand temperatures down to freezing, but it should be protected from temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) while it is being grown indoors. But a short time in the cold during the winter months might help the plant bloom.

Fertilizer

This plant grows better when it is fertilized once a month in the spring and summer. For optimal results, use a well-balanced all-purpose fertilizer.

Follow the directions on the product packaging for how much to use. Don’t fertilize the plant in the fall and winter, when it goes into dormancy.

Other Common Types of Money Plant

There are many different types of money plants, apart from the most popular one which is the Chinese Money Plant we’re discussing in this article. Each of the other types has its own unique characteristics.

Here are some of the other common varieties of money plant include:

Jade Plant (Crassula ovata): This is a succulent native to South Africa that has thick, glossy leaves that resemble coins. It can grow up to 3 feet in height and is known for its ability to bring good luck and fortune.

Money Tree (Pachira aquatica): This is a tropical tree native to Central and South America where it grows in swamps. It has large, glossy leaves and can grow up to 10 feet in height. It often has braised stems that symbolize interconnectedness and longevity.

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum): This is a common houseplant that is also referred to as money plant. There are many types of pothos, with golden pothos being the most common one. It has heart-shaped leaves with golden variegation that resemble coins. It can grow up to 20 feet in length and is also known for its ability to bring good luck and fortune.

Swiss cheese plant: Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) is a tropical vine native to Central America and South Mexico. It has large, heart-shaped leaves with characteristic holes. It is also an ideal plant to attract money and good fortune according to Feng Shui.

Silver satin (Scindapsus pictus): This is a beautiful plant with silver-gray variegation and has a satin-like texture. According to feng shui beliefs, this plant can ward off negative energy and attract positive energy.

Silver dollar vine (Xerosicyos danguyi): Silver dollar vine has small succulent leaves and is a climber. It is considered to bring a home success and fortune. It thrives in fairly dry environments and grows nicely in sunny windowsills.

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana): Lucky bamboo is an evergreen shrub native to China. It has long, slender stems with leaves that resemble coins. It can grow up to 3 feet in height and is known for its ability to bring good luck and fortune.

How to Plant and Grow Chinese Money Plant

How to Pot and Repot Money Plant

When given the correct care, money plant grows well and may soon fill its container with roots and offshoots. It is best to repot your plant every year in early spring or summer to give the soil a fresh start, remove any extra shoots you don’t want, and move up to a bigger pot.

The most important factor to consider when picking a container for your Chinese money plant is good drainage. In other words, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot for excess water to drain out.

The plant may thrive in containers made of plastic, ceramic, or terracotta. However, if you pick a terracotta pot, you should be aware that you may need to water your money plant more regularly since terracotta draws water from the soil.

How to Propagate Money Plant

Chinese money plant is often called the sharing plant because it is easy to grow new plants from it. These offshoots develop from the mother plant’s root system, but they may also sprout from nodes along the stem, commonly where old leaves have fallen off.

If the offshoots are a couple of inches tall, you may detach them from the mother plant. You have the option of leaving these offshoots on the plant if you would want the plant to have a fuller, bushier appearance.

To propagate your money plant, use a clean sharp knife or pruning shears to dig around in the dirt and expose the branch’s roots. Then cut the main root around an inch or two below the soil.

Place the clipping in a separate container filled with damp soil right away. Make sure to keep the soil moist, but not soggy, until the roots of the new plant have taken hold in the new pot. Then, go back to your regular watering and fertilizing schedule.

chinese money plant cuttings
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases for Chinese Money Plant

Money plant is not vulnerable to any specific pests or illnesses, however it is sensitive to a range of typical houseplant pests when grown indoors.

Aphids, mealybugs, scale, fungus gnats, and spider mites are some of the main pests to watch out for. If you find an infestation, treat it appropriately. Click on any of the names of these pests to read all complete guides on how to get rid of them.

close up photo of aphids
Aphids – Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs – Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Scale Insects
Scale Insects – Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Fungus Gnat
Fungus Gnat – Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Spider Mites
Spider Mites – Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

 

Other Plant Guides from Planet Natural:

11 Best Indoor Plants of 2023 (Easy, Low-Maintenance Plants)

Types of Pothos: 15 Varieties to Consider Growing Today

ULTIMATE GUIDE to Stephania Erecta Care from Dormancy to Sprouting – All You Need to Know!