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Pilea cadierei
Urticaceae FAMILY

Pilea cadierei

Pilea cadierei

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

The leaves and stems contain alkaloids and are mildly toxic to some animals - their effect upon humans is unknown[1]. Although a member of the stinging nettle family (Urticaceae), members of this genus do not have stinging hairs[2].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Perennial
Growth—

Grows best in partial shade[3]. Tolerates a range of soil conditions, from acidic to slightly alkaline and from sandy to clay soils[4]. Requires a moist soil and is tolerant of occasionally very wet conditions[4]. Aluminum Plant forms a thick ground cover within 2 years after planting on 18-inch centers. Unrooted stems can be struck into the ground and will root if kept moist in a shaded location. You can propagate the plant quickly in this manner. Locate the plant in a fully shaded location since foliage on Aluminum Plant will discolor in the sun. Provide for irrigation in dry weather and fertilize regularly to keep the plant thick and looking nice[4].

Propagation

Seed - Stem tip cuttings root easily[3]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pilea+cadierei>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Poisonous Plants of North Carolina — http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm ↩︎An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
  2. [2]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  3. [3]KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder — Missouri Botanical Garden · http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ ↩︎Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
  4. [4]Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida — University of Florida · http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/ ↩︎PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.