Temperature
60–78°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Chinese money plant
Pilea peperomioides
Chinese money plant wants bright indirect light and water every 6 to 11 days, once the top inch is dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Two to three feet back from an east or north window. Turn the pot weekly or it leans hard toward the glass.
Water
Every 6–11 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Fine in normal household air. Prefers 50%.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: fast, forgiving, and throws offsets you can pot up. Loses points for drooping dramatically whenever it is thirsty.
Habit
Upright
Grows to 8–18 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
No ASPCA entry for this species. The genus listing is recorded above; a species-level source is required before a toxicity page ships. Nearest listing: ASPCA entry for Pilea involucrata.
DISPLAY — in-content responsive
Light
Bright indirect light. Two to three feet back from an east or north window. Turn the pot weekly or it leans hard toward the glass.
Water
Every 6 to 11 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 1.5 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species.
Propagation
Division in water or soil. Roots in 14 to 28 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 14–28 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Pilea peperomioides
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Plant Finder — Pilea peperomioides
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online
- Wikidata entity Q311696
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02