Description
Aluminum Pilea (Pilea cadierei) gets its name from the silvery markings that seem brushed across its green leaves. Grown mainly for its decorative foliage, it forms a bushy clump approximately 12 inches tall and 6–12 inches wide. Flowers are inconspicuous, so the striking leaf pattern is the main attraction.
Growing Aluminum Pilea in Alabama
Keep this tropical foliage plant in bright, filtered light away from intense afternoon sun. Use a rich, loose potting mix with drainage holes. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, keeping the root zone lightly moist during active growth without allowing it to remain waterlogged. Average household warmth suits it, and extra humidity can help prevent dry leaf edges. Pinch back leggy shoots to maintain a fuller shape and feed lightly during spring and summer. In Alabama, Aluminum Pilea is best treated as a houseplant or a shaded summer patio plant; bring it inside before cool autumn nights or frost. It is not a hardy landscape perennial in most of the Southeast.
