Pilea involucrata
A world filled with opposition and antagonism can benefit from something as pure as the friendship flower.
This is a compact and adorable clump of leaves. Pilea involucrata This is a must for any connoisseur of houseplants. And with very minimal care requirements, it’s easy to grow and even easier to love.
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As a pretty perennial that’s simple to propagate and share, the friendship plant is a wonderful gift for giving to your pals, both new and old.
I mean, if somebody just walked up and handed me one of these little beauties, we’d definitely at least become acquaintances, if not full-fledged friends.
But before you go and grow your friendships, you’ll need to grow them first. This guide will tell you exactly how.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
What Are Friendship Plants?
Hardy in USDA Zones 11 to 12, friendship plants – aka Pilea involucrata – are tropical herbaceous perennials from the Urticaceae, or nettle family.
In southern Central America, northern South America, as well as select Caribbean islands, the friendship plant is native.
In the wild, these plants tend to grow near the forest’s floor, where they get a dappled amount of light from the tropical tree canopy.
Individually, friendship plants aren’t very big, as they only reach heights of six to 12 inches and spreads of three to 12 inches at maturity.
The basal offsets can be used to occupy a niche or to take over a large area.
The oppositely arranged, ovate, velvety and deeply veined leaves are about 1 to 3 inches long. They burst into vibrant colors.
They have dark purple undertones and light green edges.
Depending on genetics and growing conditions, exact shades and hue intensities can differ between and even within specimens – how cool is that?
The terminal buds of the plants produce clusters ranging from green to pink flowers in spring. Although they’re not as visually significant as the leaves, they’re still an aesthetic treat!
Friendship Plant Propagation
Propagation can be a tricky part of plant parenthood – but not with friendship plants! Let’s go over some propagation techniques.
Stem Cuttings
Stem cuttings are an easy way to propagate friendship plants.
Take three-inch-long cuts in spring from healthy-looking stems with many nodes and leaves.
You can also apply rooting hormones to the ends of the cuts if you already have them.
Bonide Rooting Hormone
If you need a rooting hormone recommendation, try Bonide’s IBA rooting powder Arbico Organics.
Prepare a three-inch container for each cutting – and fill with a 50:50 mix of perlite and Peat moss The following are some examples of how to use coconut coir.
Stick the leafless sections from each cutting into the growing medium, and gently moisten the soil.
Position the cuttings near windows or other bright indirect light sources. Wrap clear plastic bags around the containers to enhance the humidity.
They also require temperatures of 65 to 85°F for optimal rooting, so feel free to use a heat pad if the location you place your cuttings won’t remain consistently warm enough.
For a heating mat that adds 10 to 20°F to the growing media, try this one from Gardener’s Supply.
Keep the media damp as the cuttings grow. In three to five weeks, you should have rooted cuttings – check by giving them a gentle tug. If there’s resistance, they have roots!
Then, remove any plastic covers, along with the heat mat at the bottom, if you have one. Then, you can move them into stylish new containers.
Via Division
As a prolific creeper P. involucrata You can divide many offsets. Give an offset a gentle pull to make sure it has a strong root system.
Give it a good watering about 24 hours before dividing. When it’s time to divide your specimen, remove it from its container. Gently brush the soil away from the roots.
Sever the offset using your fingers or a knife.
Transplant your offset into a new container, return the mother plant to its original pot, and you’re golden.
Transplantation
If the container you bought is large enough, you might not need to repot your nursery start.
You can move your plant to a nice new pot if you are using a bareroot transplant, a cutting with roots, or any other type of plant.
Select a container that’s about an inch wider than the root system of your transplant, and fill it with a potting soil formulated for houseplants, or a half-and-half mix of perlite and peat moss or coconut coir.
Make a hole in the media large enough for the transplant’s root system then remove the plant from its existing container.
After you have inserted the transplant, fill in any gaps with media, then moisten it. Congrats, you’re done!
How to Grow a Friendship Plant
For a plant to show friendship, it must be properly cultivated.
Climate and Exposure Needs
P. involucrata To survive outside, plants must be in USDA Hardiness zones 11 or 12. But indoors, a temperature range of 55 to 85°F is acceptable.
It is essential to have bright indirect light with a humidity level of at least 50%.
If you live in a very dry home and need to increase humidity, place the specimens on a humidity tray with pebbles partially submerged into water or near a humidifier.
Soil Needs
P. involucrata The pH should be between 5.0 and 6.
Miracle-Gro Houseplant Potting Mix
What is the best growing medium for your plants? This Miracle-Gro houseplant potting mixture is available in four-quart-bags Amazon.
Needs for Water and Fertilizer
Moderate moisture is the name of the friendship-plant-watering game. Let the top inch or two of soil dry between waterings.
The frequency of watering will naturally decrease during the dormancy phase in the fall and winter.
The best way to fertilize is by applying a balanced, half-strength fertilizer every month during the growing season. You do not need to fertilize your plants during the period of dormancy.
Growing Tips
- Make sure you provide humid conditions.
- The ideal medium for growing plants is one that retains moisture but drains well.
- When the soil top inch dries, water it.
Pruning and Maintenance
You should immediately prune any damaged, dead or diseased stems and leaves.
Keep the growing tips pinned back to encourage bushy growth.
You can also divide or repot your friendship plants when they begin to outgrow the old containers, preferably during spring or summer.
Water them at least 24 hours before transplantation to avoid shock.
Where to buy
There are many types of indoor plants. P. involucrata isn’t as readily available as, say, a Snake plant The following are some examples of how to use Spider plant. If you search in the right places, it could be yours.
I’d first check nurseries or stores that carry tropical houseplants, whether they’re local or online. If you’re willing to travel to a distant vendor you know has friendship plants in stock, that is a great idea.
You can also shareable specimens P. involucrataReaching out to other green thumbs is helpful.
Ask your friends if they have any spare cuttings or offsets that you could use. You could also try local plant exchanges or horticultural events!
Pests and Disease: How to Manage Them
Houseplants can fall to their knees due to health problems. Here are some issues that may plague your P. involucrata.
Pests
Insects can sense a plant’s poor health, just as dogs can smell fear and salesmen can perceive indecision when buying.
It is important to take care of your specimens from the beginning and keep them healthy.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs, soft segmented insects, are covered in a white and mealy-waxed wax. They tend to gather in colonies, usually on the leaf or stem surface.
The mealybugs feed on phloems and extract the vital fluids. This results in reduced vigor, resulting in leaf drop. The mealybugs also produce honeydew when they feed. This can cause black build-up. Sooty mold.
Scale
The scale insect is a flattened, round insect that can be found in soft and armored forms. Scale are usually legless and appear as clusters of bumps that are slightly raised on stems and leaves.
Honeydew is excreted by scale insects in the same way as mealybugs.
Control of scale is also done via hand removal and horticultural oil applications, although scale may take more finesse and/or “oomph” to remove. The toothpick is a great tool to use.
You can find here additional tips and tricks to control scales..
Spider Mites
Spider mites are small – like, “require-a-magnifying-glass-to-see” small.
With no one, they look like red dots in a sea of leaves. You can see their eight-legged arachnid body just fine under magnification.
Spider mite infestations, which leave small, discolored marks on the leaves, can also cause foliar chlorosis and distortion.
For control, spraying strong water or applying horticultural oils should be enough.
You’ll find further pointers for dealing with spider mites in our guide.
Root Rot
Root rot is the unfortunate result of a root system not receiving enough oxygen thanks to oversaturated soil – a result of overwatering or poorly-draining potting mix.
As the roots effectively “suffocate” and become necrotic, the stems and foliage lose their base of support, exhibit symptoms like chlorosis, dieback, stunted growth, and eventually death.
Avoiding overwatering your soil and using a potting mixture that drains well will help you prevent and manage root rot.
Recovering your specimen can be helped by unpotting and trimming away dead roots. But if it’s too far gone, it’s probably best to scrap it and start over.
How to use friendship plants
You can place a friend plant anywhere you have humidity and bright indirect light.
It’s pretty enough to stand out as a centerpiece, but humble enough to remain tucked away and out of the limelight.
Additionally, P. involucrata It is also a good idea to add some foliage to your terrarium if you already have one. If you don’t have one, here’s our guide on how to make one!
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type: | Creeping herbaceous perennial | Flower/Foliage Color: | Green, pink/ light green, dark green, dark reddish purple |
Native to: | Central America, South America, West Indies | Water Needs | Moderate |
Hardiness (USDA Zone ) | 11-12 | Maintenance: | Low-cost |
Bloom Time/Season | Spring | Tolerance: | Moderate drought |
Exposure: | Indirect light that is bright | Soil Type | Rich, moist |
Time to maturity: | Three to five years | Soil pH | 5.0-6.0 |
Soil drainage: | Well-draining | ||
Planting Depth | The depth of the root system (transplants). | Uses: | Foliar interest houseplants for well-lit rooms |
Height: | 6-12 inches | Family: | Urticaceae |
Spread: | 3-12 inches | Genus: | Pilea |
Common pests and diseases | Mealybugs, scale, spider mites; root rot | Species: | Involucrata |
Strike Those Friendships Up!
Now that you have some friendship plant know-how, there’s nothing stopping you from scoring some new buds, pals, chums, and the like.
You can share a lot of things P. involucrata With your hand in the air, you will be noticed by everyone.
The friendship plant, despite its ability to bring friends together, is a beautiful addition to any houseplant collection. You deserve a lot of credit for discovering its secrets.
You may be interested in other aspects of P. involucrata care? Have any questions about what’s been already discussed? Use the comment section beneath your megaphone.
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