How to propagate your own Chinese money plant

This popular plant is well and truly back! The Chinese money plant (also known as the pancake plant, or simply Pilea) was hugely loved back in the 1970s and today it is a genuine trend again in all sorts of stylish homes. With its fresh, round green leaves this plant is not just an eye-catcher, it is a must-have for every plant lover.

The plant originally comes from China, which is exactly where its name comes from. Those round little leaves are strongly reminiscent of coins, and in China that is seen as a symbol of prosperity.

What makes this houseplant extra appealing is how simple it is to care for. The Pilea does best in bright indirect light and likes its soil to stay lightly moist at all times. Ideal if you would rather not spend too much time on care but still want to enjoy a gorgeous splash of green at home!

Get snipping

If you are planning to take cuttings from your Chinese money plant, there are a few things to watch out for to make sure it works. Get yourself properly prepared before you start. Here is what you need:

• A healthy Chinese money plant with offshoots

• Small glasses and/or pots

• Potting soil

• Sharp scissors or a sharp knife

The offshoots are easy to spot. They usually grow right beside the mother plant and often look like little green pancakes. Make sure the offshoot is at least 5 cm tall before you cut it away from the mother plant. Smaller ones are often not strong enough to root on their own, which lowers your chances of success.

The best way to take a cutting is to gently loosen the soil around the offshoot. That gives you room and lets you free the little plant more easily without damaging the mother plant's roots. Use sharp scissors or a knife to cut the offshoot away cleanly, and do it as close to the mother plant as you can to protect the health of both plants.

Rooting your Chinese money plant

The baby plant is free. Yes, nicely done! Whether your cutting already has roots or not, the adventure carries on. Stand it carefully in a small pot or glass with a little water. Make sure the leaves do not sit in the water; that stops them rotting. A handy trick is to lay a skewer or a small stick across the glass for the leaves to rest on. The roots stay in the water and the leaves stay nicely dry.

Rooting can take a while, so be patient. It can be up to two weeks before your cutting really starts to root. Do not forget to change the water regularly, so it stays fresh for your little plant. After roughly one to two weeks, once the roots have developed well, it is time to take your baby plant to the next level!

Move the Pilea into a small pot with fresh potting soil and give it plenty of light and moisture. Before you know it you will have a healthy new Chinese money plant, ready to grow and flourish!

Photo source: Mammilade

Put your Pilea in the right spot so it grows well and stays healthy. This plant likes plenty of daylight, but go carefully with direct sunlight. Too much sun scorches and shrivels the leaves, which is exactly what you want to avoid.

Keep a close eye on the health of the leaves too. If you notice them turning yellow, that is a clear sign your plant is not entirely happy. Yellow leaves often point to a problem, such as too much or too little sunlight, or soil that is too wet. It is worth checking whether your Chinese money plant is getting enough sun, but not too much, and whether the soil is waterlogged.

No need to worry, yellow leaves are not the end. You can simply snip them off, ideally as close to the stem as possible. That helps the plant recover and push out healthy new leaves. Check in on your plant regularly so you can step in quickly and keep your Chinese money plant in top form!