Friendship plant – Indoor House Plants

Friendship plant (Pilea involucrata) is an ornamental indoor house plant. It is a bushy trailing plant typically grows up to 30 cm tall, that features clusters of ovate, toothed, textured, dark green leaves with dark bronze undertones and often light green edges. Leaf undersides are typically dark red. Clusters of tiny, pink-green blooms may appear in spring, but they are insignificant compared to the showy foliage. Indoor plants seldom bloom and fruit.

Scientific Name: Pilea involucrata
Common Name: Friendship plant

How to grow and maintain Friendship plant (Pilea involucrata):

Light:
Friendship plant thrives well in bright light, but should not be placed into direct sunlight, which can scorch its leaves.

Soil:
Pilea involucrata prefers organic soils over mineral soils. Use African Violet or peat-moss potting mixes.

Temperature:
It prefers average to warm room temperatures 65 degrees Fahrenheit – 80 degrees Fahrenheit / 18 degrees Celsius – 27 degrees Celsius suit this tropical plant. Keep it away from heat vents or drafty windows.

Water:
Water regularly, keep the soil evenly moist spring through fall. Reduce watering in winter, allow the top one inch of soil to dry out between waterings.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize monthly during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation:
Pilea involucrata can be easily propagated by dividing the rootball or by stem cuttings. Take stem tip cuttings in spring. Put the stem in the moist potting blend, then firm the blend around the stem so that it stands up. Enclose the entire pot in a plastic bag to hold in moistness. It is also propagated from seed.

Pruning:
Pinch off stem tips to keep the Friendship plants smaller. This is especially important if you are growing them in a terrarium.

Pests and Diseases:
There is no serious pest or disease problems. Look for mealybugs and spider mites. Pilea involucrata is also susceptible to stem rot and bacterial leaf spot.