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Pancake Plant for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

  • Pancake Plant
  • Pancake Plant
  • Pancake Plant
1 of 3
Pilea peperomioides
  • Ships in 1-2 days
  • 1-Year Warranty Eligible
  • Pots or accessories are not included unless specified in the product options.
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Shipping Details:

Once your order is shipped, you’ll receive an email with a tracking number and estimated delivery date. Most orders ship immediately, but some items are seasonal and may only ship in spring or fall. These products are noted on the website.

The Pancake plant, Pilea peperomioides, is a charming plant that adds a great pop of green to any indoor setting. Also known as the Chinese money plant, it has small round leaves that grow, each on its own branch, from a central trunk. Because of its easy-care nature, it is a popular house plant, maintaining a compact structure that means it doesn't need frequent repotting. In spring, it may produce small white flowers, but the real attraction is the glossy, succulent-like leaves, which may dimple slightly, increasing the textural quality of this plant. Here are a few more reasons to add a pancake plant to your interior design:

  • It doesn't need high humidity to thrive, unlike many tropical plants.
  • It is easily propagated through offshoots.
  • A mature Pancake plant only achieves a height of 1 to 3 feet, making it a good choice for side tables or plant stands.

Plant Care

Sunlight

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The pancake plant thrives in bright indirect or filtered sunlight.

Watering

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Water once a week or whenever soil 2 inches below the surface is dry.

Fertilizing

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Feed your pancake plant with a balanced fertilizer designed for house plants as directed.

Planting instructions

Choose a site for your pancake plant that will receive bright, indirect sunlight. An east-, west-, or north-facing window is a good choice. Choose a container for your plant that is roughly twice the size of the root ball. Unpot the plant, and tease out any encircling roots, which can slowly girdle the plant and kill it. Place a few inches of a good-quality potting mix in the container and place the plant on top of it, spreading out the roots. Fill in around it with the potting mix, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly.

Watering and nutrients

Give your pancake plant water every few days when newly planted, until you see signs of vigorous new growth. Then taper back to a once-a-week watering schedule. If your home is very dry or hot, you may need to water more frequently. Check the soil 2 inches below the surface to determine if water is needed. If it’s dry, give it a drink. Fertilize regularly throughout the growing season with a product that’s designed for house plants.

Pollination

In the wild in its native China, Pilea plants pollinate through the action of wind, which disseminates the pollen from male flowers to female flowers. For those wishing to propagate new plants, however, there is a far easier way. Simply separate out the offshoots that will naturally appear at the base of the plant once they are a few inches high. Plant the offshoot in moist soil or potting mix and keep it watered and fed, and it should grow into a healthy plant.

Pruning

There is no need for regular pruning of your pancake plant. You may remove dead or damaged limbs whenever you see them. The outer leaves of the plant will slowly turn brown and die as new growth appears from the center, and these can be trimmed out as needed.

Pests and diseases

The pancake plant is not prone to any diseases or insect infestations, but you may see common insect pests on them, such as aphids, scale insects, or spider mites. You can wipe down the leaves and stems with a damp cloth to help eliminate them. Use an insecticide if the infestation becomes serious. Diseases that could impact your pancake plant include powdery mildew and botrytis. Both of these are fungal in nature. Avoid overwatering your plant, and take care to water it at the base without wetting the leaves.

Achieving maximum results

Choosing the right container for your Pilea is one way to achieve maximum results. By picking a pot that’s roughly twice the size of the root ball, you give the roots room to grow and extend. The pot you pick should have excellent drainage because pancake plants are susceptible to overwatering. The potting mix you use also plays a role. Choose one that’s designed for tropical plants or houseplants, and preferably contains peat or coir with perlite to allow for better drainage. Terracotta pots can look very attractive when used with pancake plants, and the porous nature of the clay allows for good drainage.

FAQs

How hardy are pancake plants?

If you wish to place your Pilea outdoors for the summer, you may do so as long as temperatures at night don't drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. As tropical plants, they appreciate the warmth and will be fine in a sheltered, semi-shady location outdoors that is sheltered from the wind.

My pancake plant has gotten leggy. What's wrong with it?

The likely culprit is not enough sun. Although it does need to be kept away from direct sunlight, Pilea thrives in very bright indirect light. Plants that are not receiving enough sunlight will become leggy, with smaller leaves and fewer offshoots. You might try your plant in a sunny southern window that has sheer drapes to see if that helps.

Does the pancake plant need high humidity?

No. Unlike some tropicals, the Pancake plant does well in normal indoor conditions. Having said that, during the winter months when the furnace is on and the air is very dry, consider misting the leaves with water every week or so.

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Mature height
1-3 ft.
Mature width
1-3 ft.
Sunlight requirement
Indirect Light
Growth rate
Moderate
Botanical name
Pilea peperomioides
Shipping exclusions
AZ
Grows Well In Zones
Indoors
map
Growing Zones: Indoors i Growing zones help determine if a particular plant is likely to grow well in a location. It identifies the average annual minimum winter temperatures across the U.S. provided as a map by the USDA.
(hardy down to -10°F)

Pancake Plant

Pilea peperomioides
  • Ships in 1-2 days
  • 1-Year Warranty Eligible
  • Pots or accessories are not included unless specified in the product options.
Size
Quantity
- +
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