Pilea peperomioides—also known as the Chinese money plant, lefse plant, or missionary plant—is adorable, easy to grow, and apparently always in demand. (Nurseries: take note!)
We have another name for the plant: "Pass-it-on" pilea. Why, you ask? Follow along:
Above: Photograph via German blog Lise Liebt.
Here in California, we don't see Pilea peperomioides in our local nurseries. But we know it as an Internet star, headlining one cute Scandi houseplant lineup after another. So surely, we thought, the little plant must be widely available in Scandinavia, maybe even Europe-wide. We were wrong.
Above: Photograph via Helt Enkelt.
It turns out that P. peperomioides is a trick to find commercially the world over. We read story after story of plant enthusiasts receiving a cutting as a gift, then realizing how lucky they were to have one.
Above: Photograph by Frida Ramstedt via Trendenser.se.
We read pleas from houseplant lovers in Canada, the US, South Africa, and Europe trying to get their hands on the elusive lefse.
Above: Pilea in the Brussels workshop of designer Géraldine Calbert. Photograph via Auguste & Claire.
P. peperomioides got its start as a houseplant when a Norwegian missionary brought the plant from China to Norway in 1946. The plant then spread through European households one cutting at a time. (It's quite a charming story: read it at Wild Chicken and Miss Moss.)
Above: Photograph via Moon to Moon.
We found some sources with only a little sleuthing online, but one source—Glasshouse Works in Stewart, Ohio—notes that demand often outstrips supply. (More sources: try Accents for Home and Garden and eBay.)
Above: An upstart shot by Letizia Lorenzetti via Flickr.
If you do manage to purchase a pilea—or better yet, if you're the lucky recipient of a cutting—P. peperomioides likes bright, indirect light, well-draining soil, and a soak-and-let-dry watering pattern.
Above: Belgian bloggers Bart Kiggen and Magali Elali were fortune to receive a cutting from a friend. Photograph via All Items Loaded.
Most importantly, once your P. peperomioides is stable, don't forget to share your cuttings with the rest of the world. Remember the plant by its mandate: "Pass-it-on" pilea.
Above: Lebenslustiger blogger Annette learned the plant is hard to come by after she missed her chance at a cutting. "Pieces of it are given from one to another—just like the teacher gave one to my son." She found another on eBay. Photograph via Lebenslustiger.
Above: A pilea in still life by Danish designers Moebe.
Above: Pilea and friends by Belle Fleur de Lis on Flickr.
Above: A pilea styled by Hungarian artist Ildiko Olah. Photograph by Igor Josifovic via Happy Interior Blog.
Above: Blogger Dani of Salad Days describes the personality of the Chinese money plant: "quirky, sweet, charismatic." Photograph via Salad Days.
Above: Photograph via Llamas' Valley.
Can't wait for a cutting of P. peperomioides? Try:
- Expert Advice: 10 Best Low-Maintenance Houseplants
- 5 Favorites: Lofty House Plants
- Houseplants for a Hater
- The Novice Gardener: Will a "Poisonous" Plant Really Kill Your Pet?
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