Watermelon Pilea Pilea cadierei
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- pil-EY-ah kad-ee-AIR-ey
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
A tropical plant that can be grown indoors in a warm, humid environment in bright indirect light, avoiding full sun, using a peaty soil-based potting mix. This plant does best in high humidity and will 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 to keep plant compact. The best foliage is on new plants, therefore, some replace plants each year by taking cuttings in early spring to start new plants.
The common name, aluminum plant, comes from the foliage looking like it has been splashed with aluminum paint. This upright, herbaceous perennial is noted for its textured green and silver foliage. It typically grows in a shrubby clump to 12” tall. Elliptic to obovate, toothed, dark green leaves, with each leaf having four rows of upraised silver patches. Leaf appearance gives rise to an additional common name of watermelon pilea.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Container Gardens
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Minima'
Dwarf form, grows to 6"
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Minima'
Dwarf form, grows to 6"
- 'Minima'
- 'Minima'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pilea
- Species:
- cadierei
- Family:
- Urticaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China and Vietnam
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Insignificant
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Non-showy/Insignificant
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Elliptic to obovate, toothed, dark green leaves, each having four rows of upraised silver patches.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Pink
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Greenish or pink-tinged
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Houseplants
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
