Why are my leaves curling?

This is often a sign of too much direct sunlight or extreme temperature changes.

How often should I water it?

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Plant guide

Chinese Money Plant.

Pilea involucrata Lindl.

Pronounced py-LEE-uh pep-er-oh-mee-OY-deez

Also known as Pilea involucrata, Clearweed, Clearweeds

Pilea peperomioides — Photo by Margaret Forrest (CC BY) via iNaturalist

This charming plant is famous for its perfectly round, coin shaped leaves that sit atop long stems. It is a favorite for indoor spaces because it is quite easy to propagate and share with friends. You will love how it adds a playful touch to any sunny windowsill.

Another photo of Chinese Money Plant — Photo by Bruno Avilez (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Bright, indirect light
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 7 to 10 days
Mature size: 12 inches tall
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 11 to 12
Bloom time: Rarely blooms indoors, but may produce tiny flowers in spring.

Care

Keep your plant in bright, indirect light and rotate the pot regularly to ensure it grows evenly. Watch for drooping leaves, which often signal that the plant is thirsty. If the leaves start to yellow, you might be giving it too much water.

Watering: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Pruning: Trim away any yellow or damaged leaves to keep the plant looking tidy.
Repotting: Move to a slightly larger pot once the plant becomes root bound.
Soil: Well draining potting mix
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Temperature: 15 to 24°C
Humidity: 40 to 60%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 5 to 10 years indoors.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of drainage holes
Water running straight through the pot
Plant growth slows significantly

Safety

People: This plant is considered non toxic to humans.
Pets: This plant is considered non toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: Keep out of reach of small children to prevent accidental ingestion of soil or plant parts.
Edibility: This plant is not intended for consumption.

How to identify it

Perfectly round, flat green leaves
Long, slender petioles
Small white flowers occasionally
Compact, upright growth habit

Height: 0.2 to 0.3m
Spread: 0.2 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, evergreen
Flowers: white, green, 0.1 to 0.5cm

Problems to watch for

Root rot · Caused by overwatering or poor drainage.
Leaf drop · Often a sign of inconsistent watering or low light.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your chinese money plant from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, division
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: Keep the plant away from cold drafts and heaters during the winter months. Reduce watering slightly as growth slows down.
In containers: It thrives in containers and prefers a pot that is not too large for its root system.

Offsets

1. Identify a small offset growing from the base of the mother plant.
2. Use a clean knife to cut the offset from the main stem.
3. Place the offset in water or moist soil until roots develop.

Group plants with similar water needs together to make maintenance easier.

Grows well with

Peperomia · They share similar light and moisture requirements.
Spider Plant · They look great together and have similar care needs.

Similar species

Chinese Money Plant · This is the most popular species in the genus.

Science

Family: Urticaceae
Genus: Pilea
Order: Rosales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Southern China
Conservation: It is not currently listed as endangered in its native habitat.

It grows naturally in moist, shaded forest floors in mountainous regions.

Uses: houseplant, tabletop decor

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 5/9
Temperature: 7/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 4/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my leaves curling?: This is often a sign of too much direct sunlight or extreme temperature changes.
How often should I water it?: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Where the name comes from

The name Pilea comes from the Latin word pileus, meaning felt cap, referring to the shape of the flower parts. The specific epithet peperomioides means it resembles a Peperomia.

Good to know

It is native to the Yunnan province in China.
The leaves are perfectly round and sit on long petioles.
It needs to be rotated regularly to keep it growing straight.

Keep your chinese money plant growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on November 4, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.