Pilea Mollis, Pilea Moon Valley Plant

Purchase Description

• Pilea Mollis, Pilea Moon Valley - Plant

• Product Material : Natural Plant With Pot , Quantity : 1
• Pot : Height : 5 Inches (13 cm), Pot Colour : Black (Plastic)
• Very easy to maintain and Suitable for gifting to Plant Lovers

Plant Description

Common Name: pilea 

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Urticaceae

Zone: 11 to 12

Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet

Spread: 0.50 to 1.00 feet

Bloom Time: Rarely flowers indoors

Bloom Description: Pink-green

Sun: Part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Flower: Showy

Leaf: Colorful, Evergreen

Other: Winter Interest

Culture

Winter hardy to USDA Zone 11-12. In St. Louis, grow indoors in a warm, humid environment in bright indirect light. Avoid full sun. Use a peaty soil-based potting mix. Plants like high humidity, and appreciate humidified rooms or placement on a bed of wet pebbles. Water moderately in the growing season, and reduce watering in fall to late winter. Pinch stem tips as needed to keep plant compact. Easily propagated from stem cuttings.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Pilea mollis is a bushy trailing plant that features clusters of ovate, toothed, textured, dark green leaves (to 3” long) with dark bronze undertones and often light green edges. Leaf undersides are typically dark red. Tiny pink-green flowers in branched cymes in summer are not particularly showy. Indoor plants rarely flower and fruit.

Genus name comes from the Latin word pileus meaning a cap from the shape of the female flowers.

Specific epithet means soft or with soft hairs.

‘Moon Valley’ is a more upright and mounding cultivar (to 12” tall) featuring textured bronze-green leaves with sunken purple veins and bright green margins. Leaf surface is strongly puckered in a way that purportedly resembles the surface of the moon, hence the cultivar name. 'Moon Valley' is also commonly sold in commerce as a cultivar of Pilea involucrata, but synonymity has not been conclusively determined.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for mealybugs and spider mites. Leaf spots and stem rot may occur. Fragile plant stems.

Garden Uses

Small indoor plant. Good for terrariums.

Disclaimer: The image is for reference purposes only. The actual product may vary in shape or appearance based on climate, age, height, etc.