My house is full of plants. Some are so high that they almost touch the ceiling. I like to use them as accent pieces instead of using art. And works.
Others are short, like the accessories that complement the towering types. And every time I want to move a plant to a different section or add one to my house, I have to think about where it will fit best. So, how big can a Pilea get?
I will start by dismantling the Pilea. It is not a real plant, but a genus consisting of more than 600 species.
So when I describe the Pilea, I am talking about the general genus, but not about a specific plant. Such a plant should reach 12 inches in height (about 30 centimeters) when fully grown. The most common pilea, the pilea Peperomioides, reaches a height of 30 centimeters.
The leaf, which is quite round and large, reaches about 3 inches. This is why I consider the Pilea as a complement to my large species.
But, of course, not all pileas reach 30 cm. And some even go beyond 12 inches. This guide explains how big your plant can get, how to make sure it grows, and what to do if its growth gets out of hand.
Contents
How big can a Pilea reach?
Pilea is a genus joined by hundreds of species. And it includes sagging and bushy types. The smaller types are found in houses as they reach an average height of several inches.
They grow rapidly, soon reaching around 12 inches at maturity, with leaves averaging 3 inches. But again, it depends on the type of strain you are growing at home. Examples include:
- Pilea mollis ‘Valley of the Moon’,
- crushed microphyll,
- A Pilea nummulariifolia,
- Pilea peperomioides and
- Pilea cadierei.
Take Pilea nummulariifolia as an example. While most Pilea species reach a few centimeters and stop growing, this variety can spread quite quickly, especially when grown outdoors where it can crawl at will.
Gardeners also call it Creeping Charlie, and anyone who’s cared for it can tell you that it can quickly become a nuisance.
And if we look at the Pilea Peperomioides, this plant can grow up to 25 inches tall with a width of 30 inches! And that’s almost two to three times the overall stat of Pilea.
Therefore, there is no set standard for the size of a Pilea, as it depends on the type of species you have. But in an indoor environment, 12 inches should be a reasonable estimate.
How fast do pileae grow?
Pileas grow rapidly once they get their basic care needs. If they don’t lack enough water, light and nutrients, they can double in size every year.
This means that if your Pilea is 4 inches now, it could be 8 inches next year. You can encourage the plant to grow even faster by transplanting it every year or a year and a half and feeding it twice a year.
When transplanting the plant, you should use a pot a few centimeters wider than the current pot.
How to grow a taller Pilea?
Assuming you want your Pilea to be much taller and wider than the usual 30cm. What can you do to stimulate this growth?
Well, plants thrive when they receive their basic care needs. And for Pilea, an excellent starter plant, that shouldn’t be difficult. Your plant will grow if:
1) Sufficient light
This plant prefers bright, indirect light. Place it near an east or west facing window where it can enjoy the afternoon or morning sun.
When placed in full sun, the leaves burn due to the heat of the sun’s rays, which negatively affects photosynthesis.
And when you place the plant in low light conditions, it begins to show leggy growth accompanied by small yellowish leaves.
He does this to reach the light to make food so the leaf can grow. If your plant doesn’t have access to enough light, you should invest in grow lights to supplement what you can’t get at home.
For more information on pilea and light, we have a full stack light guide to answer all your questions.
PS: All Pileas tend to be long, even in bright, indirect light. If you want the plant to grow bushy, pinch off the tips of new shoots on the branching pilasters.
Keep in mind, however, that as the plant ages, leggy growth will become even more pronounced due to leaf loss at the bottom of the plant. In this case, you can always propagate a new plant and start over.
We have an article about it. how to fix a long leg pool and how to avoid this in the future.
2) A good soil
Pileas grown outdoors rarely need a lot of soil amendment. But if you’re growing a Pilea in a pot, make sure it has access to well-drained soil.
Otherwise, the soil can retain too much moisture, which promotes root rot which could kill the plant. You must use a peat-based potting soil for your Pilea.
Also make sure the pot has plenty of drainage holes to prevent water retention.
3) A flexible watering schedule
Pilea has succulent properties that allow it to retain water for a long time. Therefore, you should water it only when the top two centimeters of soil are dry.
Excess water causes waterlogging, which poses a threat to the plant. Moreover, irrigation is also harmful as it reduces cell activity and causes the plant to fall.
If you the battery hangs We have an article that can help you.
To maintain a good watering schedule, invest in a moisture meter to know when the plant needs water.
4) Temperature regulated
Pilea does well in temperatures between 65 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It can survive cooler temperatures as long as they don’t drop below 50 degrees as this can kill the plant.
Also keep in mind that the plant does not appreciate sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, you should place it away from hot or cold air vents.
The plant likes moderate to high humidity. You don’t need to change the humidity unless you live in an area with exceptionally low levels.
In such a case, you can improve the humidity by installing a humidifier or opening the kitchen and bathroom doors.
For more information on humidity, we did an article on What is the ideal humidity for a pilea.
5) Sufficient nutrients
Indoor plants do not have access to nutrients except those found in potting soil. And when the Pilea depletes what’s in the ground, it has nowhere to get its nutrients.
To account for this, feed it twice a year with a liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted by half. Do this in summer and spring when the plant is actively growing.
If you can provide your Pilea with the above requirements, it should grow quickly. Please note that Pilea actively grows in spring and summer.
But during the cold months, growth slows. Therefore, it is best to transplant the plant in the spring when it is actively growing, as this will help it withstand and overcome transplant shock.
To avoid sticking to the roots, transplant the plant into a larger pot at least once every 1-1.5 years. And in case of abundant growth, you may need to transplant the plant more often.
What do you do when Pilea gets too big?
If your Pilea has exceeded the usual 12-inch stats, you’ve done a great job giving it what it needs.
But if you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for a way to slow the growth of the plant before it invades your home. Or you want a way to support your growth. Here are the options available to you:
Stand Pilea
If the plant seems unstable, you can stake it. This is not a permanent solution, however, as you will need to continue staking the plant as it grows.
After all, he didn’t address the underlying cause of the high growth.
cut the pilea
Although this is not a common approach, it can reduce the Pilea. To do this, you can lift the shoots from the ground so that your stem has enough access to light.
Again, this won’t work long term, as you will have to keep pruning the plant.
Cut the pilea
If you don’t want to continue pruning the plant, the solution is to cut the Pilea in half! By doing this, you will end up with two plants.
The lower part of the plant begins to branch and grow like a bush. You can then root the top of the plant to create another Pilea.
To do this, remove most of the leaf and leave the stem in water for a few weeks until the roots become visible. You can then transfer the plant to a pot and grow a Pilea.
How to prevent your Pilea from getting too big? Easy: Avoid transplanting until you need to.
If the plant has no room to grow, it will not grow to uncontrollable sizes. However, in about 1.5 years there will be no choice but to give him a bigger pot.
final thoughts
Pilea is one of the easiest plants to grow indoors, whether you choose the bushy or trailing variety.
Give it plenty of water, nutrients, and light and it will quickly reach heights that will beautify your space. And if it gets too big, now you know what to do: happy gardening!
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