Pilea Glauca has become a trendy houseplant thanks to its lovely and peaceful look. People love to enjoy it in hanging baskets, put it on the shelf, or turn it into a cover in a terrarium setup.
So, how to make this delicate “Aquamarine” flourish throughout the year? Let’s discover critical tips that contribute to successful growth!
What is Pilea Glauca?
Pilea Glauca is a member of the Pilea genus and Urticaceae family. Native to Brazil rainforest, it’s also called Silver Sparkles or Aquamarine plant.
Glauce has a different look with pinkish-red stems and a bunch of cascading tiny leaves covered by gray “fairy” dust. The healthy mature Glauce can generate small white or peach blossoms in late spring.
Its baby form or terrariums is about 10 cm tall, while the mature well-care version may reach 3 feet long.
In this video, Amy shares her tips and tricks for caring for pilea glauca indoors:
Pilea Glauca Care
Soil
Pilea Glauca grows well in well-drained soil that can maintain a little moisture. It’s best to treat the plant with a commercial or a homemade potting mix based on organic materials.
For instance, a substrate mixture made of peat moss and perlite or sand with a ratio of 1:2 will make the plant happy.
Watering
The succulent Pilea loves to stay slightly moist. It tolerates neither drought nor soggy. Standing in water for too long can make the plant rot out or fall off leaves.
Typically, you should water your plant once a week. Still, you should regularly check the soil’s dryness and water when the top regularly 1 – 2 inches get dehydrated water in the summer and less in the winter.
Light
Pilea light requirements resemble most other succulent cultivars. Besides bright indirect sunlight, the plant desires 1 – 2 hours of the morning or afternoon soft light.
It’s best to put it near a glass window to get filtered natural light throughout the day. Besides, this Silver Sparkle is also open to artificial light.
Humidity
Moisture is a vital factor in growing the tropical Pilea houseplant. Glauca thrives in humid weather with high but wide-range humidity levels at around 60 – 90%.
You should mist its foliages daily or use a humidifier to keep proper humidity in hot and dry periods.
Temperature
Pilea plant care requires a temperature between 60 – 80ºF (15 – 26ºC). Therefore, it can’t stand frosty and may grow slower in the winter but still retain an entire look.
To keep it warm in cold and low light weather, such as winter, you can put it under artificial light plus a homemade cloth tent.
Common Problems With Pilea Glauca
Why does my Pilea Glauca fall off leaves?
Reason:
- Overwatering, resulting in soggy roots.
- Watering from overhead too frequently, causing over-moist leaves.
Solutions:
- If you find water regularly stagnates on the surface since you overwatered it, remember to water only when the upper ground dried completely.
- If the problem is related to drainage, you should transfer the plant to a well-released platform.
- Apply the bottom-up watering method or drench the ground only to ensure you won’t let excess moisture settle on the leaves.
Why do my Pilea Glauca’s leaves turn yellow?
Reasons:
Yellow foliages result from water or nutrient reasons. Apart from the yellow color, additional cues below will help identify the problem.
- Overwatering: There’re brown spots on available leaves or new dark leaves.
- Underwatering: The leaves curl, pucker, and turn crispy.
- Otherwise, it’s a sign of undernutrition, especially kali.
Solutions:
- Overwatering: As mentioned in session 1.
- Underwatering: Slightly mist the foliages every day and water the ground thoroughly when it gets dry.
- Undernutrition: Feed the plant with a liquid kali-rich fertilizer diluted to half strength.
Propagating Pilea Glauca
Things to prepare
- A healthy Pilea Glauca plant
- A clean, sharp knife or scissors
- A pot and potting mix
- A plastic bag to cover the new plant
Steps on how to propagate Pilea Glauca
First, sterilize the cut tool with a 70 – 100% alcohol solution. Then, take some 1 – 2 inches stem pieces from the main vines, ensuring there’s at least a node and some leaves attached to each.
Then, select from the 2 following methods, depending on whether you’d like to propagate Pilea Glauca in soil or water.
Propagate in soil:
- Gently lay the cuttings into a new pot with moist ground.
- Locate the pot within a clean plastic bag to maintain a humid environment.
- Place it under a filtered or artificial light source.
- Don’t forget to water when the soil is dehydrated, plus open the plastic bag daily to avoid mold and ventilate your baby.
Propagate in water:
- Put the cuttings into a cup of clean dechlorinated water.
- Place it in a proper environment and replace the water every week.
New roots appear after 1 – 2 weeks. Then, it’s time to shift your Silver Sparkle baby into the soil or remove the cover in case of soil propagation.
Top Tips For Growing A Healthy Pilea Glauca
- Pilea Glauce doesn’t appreciate chlorine. If you don’t have rainwater or a purified version, be sure that you get the dechlorinated water to feed the plant.
- The plant is also sensitive to residual salt left by fertilizer. Therefore, you should feed it monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half or a quarter strength.
- It is non-toxic to humans and pets. Feel free to locate it anywhere in your home.
Conclusion
Despite some sensitivities in care requirements, the serene Pilea Glauca is still as easy to grow as most other tropical trailing cultivars.
It’s such a well-deserved candidate for your plant collection, which will bring a lovely but peaceful atmosphere to any corner of your home.
