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Pilea peperomioides Diels

Chinese money plant

Native records: 1 botanical areas

China South-Central

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

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Distribution last verified:

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Photograph of Pilea peperomioides

A signature Urticaceae houseplant with round, coin-like leaves, native to shady rocky areas in southern China (Sichuan and Yunnan provinces).

Description

An evergreen perennial growing to 30cm or more, with shiny, dark green, circular leaves up to 10cm in diameter on long petioles. Flowers rarely when cultivated indoors; in habitat produces tiny pale green flowers. Produces offsets at the base that are easily separated and shared, explaining the common name 'Friendship Plant'.

Habitat

Native to damp, rocky areas and cliff ledges in southwestern China (SW Sichuan, W Yunnan), often on humus-covered boulders at elevations between 1,500-3,000m. Prefers moist, shaded microhabitats.

Distribution areas

  • Belgium

    • BelgiumIntroduced

  • China

    • China South-CentralNative

  • Luxembourg

    • BelgiumIntroduced

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 43 areas worldwide, 42 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Other names

Chinese money plant、Coin plant、Friendship plant、Lefse plant、Missionary plant、Pancake plant、UFO plant

Family
Urticaceae
Genus
Pilea

Other species in Pilea

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Belgium · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    China · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Luxembourg · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information