Friendship Plant

Friendship Plant Care

Pilea involucrata

What is the plant

Friendship Plant, or Pilea Involucrata, is an outstanding tropical plant prized for its deeply textured, rich green leaves with bronze-silver veins. It makes a perfect plant for terrariums because of its high humidity needs, but it can also be grown in room conditions if you set it all right.

Pilea Involucrata is a tropical plant with deep green oval, velvety, crinkled, and veined leaves. It is native to South America, where it grows in tropical forest edges. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a gift – pale pink flowers. Pilea is a small plant that rarely grows taller than 6 inches (15 cm).

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

18°C - 21°C

Hardiness zone

11a - 12b

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Friendship Plant loves humidity, so water it frequently. The rule of thumb is: when the top layer of the soil is dry, but the soil is moist underneath, it’s time to give your plant a drink.
Pruning
You can pinch back your plant to keep the growth compact. Remove dead or dying leaves when necessary.
Fertilizer
In spring and summer, fertilize once a month with a balanced (like 10-10-10) water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength. Do not fertilize in winter and autumn.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Friendship plant needs moderate but bright light. Place it close to the window but not under direct sunlight.
Soil
Well-draining and light soil that nevertheless retains moisture is perfect. Coco coir mixed with orchid bark or perlite for drainage is a good choice. A peat moss-based mix will also work.
Propagation
It’s easy to propagate the Friendship Plant. Pilea creates offshoots around the base of the plant. You can simply take them away or snip them off and let the babies root in water.

Alternatively, you can take stem cuttings from the mother plant. The best time to do that is spring. Each cutting should have 2-3 leaves and be around 3 inches (8 cm) long. Plant the cuttings in moist peat-based soil, and keep them warm (75 °F or 24°C). If the air is dry, you can place them under a plastic bag to boost humidity. The cuttings will root in a month.

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Temperature
The perfect temperature is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-23°C). Do not place your plant near heaters, and avoid cold drafts.
Container
Pilea does not have specific pot requirements. Keep in mind that the pot should have drainage holes. Do not choose a pot that is much bigger than the plant.
Fun fact
Pilea is called a Friendship Plant because it is easy to propagate and give to your friends.