All About Norfolk Pilea
Pilea involucrata ‘Norfolk’
The Pilea involucrata, or Norfolk Friendship Plant, gets its playful nickname from how easy and rapidly it grows roots from propagation.
The Norfolk variety of this fun houseplant has deep green to bronze-colored foliage with silvery stripes and heavily textured leaves. These beauties grow little pink flowers when they are in bloom.
One of the features that also make this plant highly desirable is that it is non-toxic and Pet Safe.
How To Care for Norfolk Pilea
Pileas are known for being relatively easy to care for.
Their compact growth makes them perfect for kitchen window sills and office desks.
You can pot them up an inch or two every two years or once the roots start growing out of the bottom of the pot. They don’t particularly like to be root bound and it may cause them to dry out too quickly.
Pinch back any unwanted growth or if you want to have a bushier, fuller plant.
If you take cuttings they grow roots pretty quickly, hence the nickname ‘Friendship Plant’.
Read on to learn more about caring for Norfolk Pilea ……
Care Summary
Zone
The ideal temperature range is 60° – 90 ℉
Pileas prefer warm, humid conditions but tolerate low humidity well.
Find your zone here.
Water
They don’t like to completely dry out.
Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry.
If you are unsure, stick your finger in the soil.
Too much water can cause root rot
Size
These are small, compact plants.
They tend to spread wide and can be kept compact by pinching and/or pruning.
Light
Bright, indirect light but can grow well in medium-light situations.
They will survive in low light but not thrive.
The brighter the light, the stronger the bronze or rose color. In lower light, they have silver coloring.
Soil
Use a regular potting mix that drains well.
Humidity
Ideally 50% or higher humidity levels.
Pilea will tolerate lower humidity.
Native to subtropical regions.
Fertilizer
Fertilize every during the growing season.
Once every three months with Green Grub Insect Frass.
For synthetic, use an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer with a balanced ratio.
Propagation
Offsets
Stem cuttings
How to Propagate Norfolk Pilea
Propagating the Norfolk is a piece of cake! Just follow the directions below.
1. Take a stem cutting from your plant that has three to four leaves on it.
2. Place the stem one inch deep into a potting mix or into a cup of water for water rooting.
3. Keep the soil moist and warm for best rooting conditions and you should have growth in a couple of weeks. You can use this method to create new plants from cuttings or to fill out a current plant and make it larger and bushier.
Get your very own Norfolk Pilea here.
