Pilea

Family. Urticaceae.

Origin. South and Central America, Asia.

Description. Pilea is a large and diverse genus of approximately 550 species of evergreen perennial and annual plants. The stems are erect or lodging, branching, and often become woody and covered with brown bark with age. The leaves, depending on the specific species, can be small and round, up to 1 cm in diameter, or oblong-lanceolate, up to 30 cm long, glossy or covered with a delicate down, often located oppositely. The edges of the leaf blades are smooth or with small teeth. The color of the leaves also varies from the usual green to burgundy or purple with various stripes and spots of a lighter shade. Young leaves are brighter in color. Pilea can bloom at any time of the year, but flowering does not give it much charm.

Height. It grows quickly, but with the help of pruning the height of the bush can be maintained at 25 - 30 cm.

Care at home

Reproduction

Propagated by stem cuttings about 8 cm long in spring and summer. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings and the base is dipped in powder for rooting, the whole process takes 1-2 months.

When it blooms

Pilea blooms most profusely in summer, but individual flowers may appear at any other time of the year. 

How to care

The flower is well adapted to indoor conditions and requires virtually no care. The tips of young shoots are regularly pinched to obtain a bush with abundant branches. If necessary, in the spring, they are cut to the desired height and weak shoots are removed. Buds are often removed so that the plant does not waste energy on flowering.

Soil 

Nutritious and well-drained soil with a high organic content, for example a mixture based on peat and leaf humus. 

Transplant 

The root system of the plant is shallow, so pilea can be grown in shallow bowls. Representatives of the genus are often grown as annuals, in which case replanting is not necessary. If you want to keep the flower for a second year, replant it in the spring when new growth begins.

Watering 

Pilea is sensitive to both excess moisture and its lack. The soil should dry to a depth of about 3 cm in the spring and summer. In autumn, the frequency of watering is reduced in accordance with the ambient temperature. Excess moisture from the pan must be drained. When watering pubescent species, avoid getting moisture on the leaves. 

Diseases and pests 

Bushes easily rot when there is excess moisture or insufficient drainage. Leaves get sunburned when exposed to direct rays. Plants lose leaves when the temperature changes abruptly. Among the harmful insects that can settle on the plant are aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and thrips.

Feeding

From spring to autumn, plants are fed with liquid fertilizers with a high nitrogen content every 2 weeks. In the fall, feeding is stopped. 

Lighting

Pilea indoors can be grown quite successfully in partial shade. She cannot stand direct sunlight. 

How to spray

The flower can tolerate dry air indoors, but will look healthier if grown in a tray with wet pebbles. It is not recommended to spray the leaves of pubescent species; to increase the humidity of the atmosphere, you can place a room humidifier next to the pot.

Containment temperature

Pilea can be kept all year round at normal room temperature of about 20° C. When summer heat sets in, the frequency of watering and air humidity should be increased. Plants do not tolerate temperatures below 13 ° C, but prefer a cool winter at a temperature of about 15 ° C. 

Purpose

Depending on the species, it can be grown as an independent decorative foliage plant, for example, in hanging baskets, or as a groundcover species at the base of large shrubs and trees.

Note

With age, plants often become untidy and such specimens are replaced with new ones. It is believed that the bush cleans the air in the room from harmful impurities.

Hydroponics

Grows well in hydroponics.

Varieties:

Pilea Cadiere or Peperomyoid

Fast growing herbaceous, perennial, evergreen plants that naturally grow in tropical forests. The plant is compact - even adult specimens reach a height of only 25 - 30 cm. The leaves are oblong - oval, arranged in opposite pairs. The main background of the leaf blade is dark green, with oblong silvery spots on it. The flowers are collected in small umbrellas and can appear at any time of the year, but often go unnoticed. When grown indoors, flowering rarely occurs. 

Pilea microphylla

Perennial evergreen plants native to South America can reach a height of 15 to 30 cm. With age, they form a wide mat that densely covers the ground. Pilea smallifolia has abundant branching at the base, thin shoots. The leaves are very small, oblong-oval, glossy, and can be painted in all shades of green. Leaf blades are entire. The flowers are greenish, very small, axillary, densely covering the plant stems. When grown indoors, flowering rarely occurs. 

Pilea nummulariifolia

Evergreen herbaceous plants that are often used as ground cover. The stems are flexible, drooping, sometimes pink and covered with sparse pubescence. The leaves are green, round, covered with abundantly branched leaf veins, slightly recessed on the surface of the leaves. The leaf blades are glossy and have small teeth along the edges. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and have attractive pubescence. During the flowering period, the plants form small inflorescences with small pink flowers, but the flowers are rarely seen when grown at home. Pilea monetifolia looks gorgeous when grown as an hanging plant in a hanging pot.