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.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Pilea involucrata
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
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. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Drooping act today
- Curling leaves this week
- Yellow leaves this week
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Fungus gnats monitor
- Spider mites act today
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 — Pilea involucrata Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Pilea peperomioides (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q311696 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Pilea peperomioides Accepted name; family Urticaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Husky, Wikimedia Commons , CC0.
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