How to Grow Aluminum House Plant

About Aluminum House Plants

Are you looking for a low-maintenance and attractive plant for your home or office? The Aluminum house plant is an excellent choice. It is an excellent choice for your home or office. Also called Pilea, it is very popular, for its attractive, bushy, variegated foliage. The leaves are a deep green with raised silver streaks. Most people grow it as a houseplant. Growing the Aluminum Houseplant indoors is easy. It is not grown for flower blooms. The plant rarely produces flowers. And, when it does, the flowers are rather plain-looking with little or no scent. Outdoors, it is usually grown in the warmer regions of the country that do not have a frost or freeze.

Aluminum plants, also called by their botanical name “Pilea”, are not hardy. It is native to tropical regions of China, Vietnam, and other areas of Southeast Asia. There are 600 – 700 species of Pilea plants. They are related to Nettle plans. It is a low-growing evergreen plant. The Aluminum plant is grown primarily for its green and silver (aluminum-colored) leaves. On occasion, the plant will produce small, plain-looking flowers.

Did you Know? This plant is sometimes sold as an aquarium plant. However, it is not a true aquatic plant. When submerged in water, it becomes messy. So, you need to clean your aquarium more frequently.

How to Grow Aluminum Plants Specifics

Flower Colors: White

Flowers Bloom: Summer but rarely.

Plant Height: 1 to 2 feet tall.

Lifespan: about 4 years

Light Requirements: Bright, indirect sunlight.

Ideal Room Temperature: 60 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Humidity: Normal to high humidity.

Hardiness Zones: 9 – 11

Toxic?: Yes

Ideal Indoor Room Temperatures: 70-75° F during the day, and 60-70° F at night.

Ideal Soil pH: Slightly acidic

Native To: China, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia.

Plant Botanical Name: Pilea cadierei

Are Aluminum Plants Edible?

NO!! The Aluminum plant is toxic, Keep this plant away from young children, pets, and farm animals.

Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Medicinal Uses for Aluminum Plants

There are no known medicinal applications for this toxic plant, neither for consumption nor for topical treatments.

However, aluminum plants have one medical benefit. It is a good air purifier for people with allergies or respiratory problems.

Light Requirements

Pilea plants perform best in bright, indirect sunlight. Give them at least 3 – 4 hours of bright, indirect sunlight. The plants tolerate a little less than ideal lighting conditions. However, lower than recommended lighting negatively affects plant health as the level of lighting goes down.

Important: Too much direct sunlight can burn the leaves.

Aluminum House Plant Propagation

Aluminum house plants are grown from cuttings. For use as a houseplant, take a cutting and root the cutting in water. If grown outdoors, take cuttings in the spring. You can root them outdoors in moist soil. Or, root the cuttings indoors in a flowerpot. Then, transfer new plants into the garden.

The flowers of the Aluminum plant produce tiny seeds. Very few gardeners propagate the plant in this manner. It takes much longer for the plant to grow. If you want to grow them from seed, allow the flowers to develop and dry up, Or, look for seeds online from a reputable seed company.

How to Grow Aluminum House Plants - Care and Maintenance

Here’s how to grow aluminum house plants:

This tropical plant is easy to grow and care for. It prefers warm and humid conditions. The plant is suitable to grow outdoors in warmer, frost-free areas. Frost and freeze will kill the plant. Even cold temperatures can stunt it.

Most people grow this plant indoors. For growing Aluminum plants indoors, select a pot or container that fits your room decor. It should have holes in the bottom for good drainage. It likes a sandy soil that drains well. As your plant continues to grow, you will need to repot it into a larger container from time to time.

The soil should be moist, not wet. Allow the surface of the soil to dry between watering.

Aluminum plants do not need a lot of fertilizer. For best results fertilize every 2-3 months. Or, use slow-release fertilizer spikes.

If you live in a warm region of the country, it is a good plant for ground cover. And, it looks attractive in a flowerpot on your patio or deck. If you are going to grow an Aluminum plant outdoors, treat it as an annual. Or, bring it indoors in the fall. It will succumb to frost and freeze. Protect the plant from cold and frost. Or bring it indoors in cold weather.

For house plants, mist the leaves in dry conditions.

Transplant them into larger pots as needed, before they get root-bound.

Did You Know? Aluminum plants are a good candidate to grow as a bonsai plant.

How to Prune Aluminum Plants

The plants look their best when pruned from time to time. Pinch back the growing tips from time to time, to create a bushier appearance. Some growers, remove flower buds, before they open, providing more energy to leaf growth and health. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears. Remove dead or sickly leaves on a regular basis. Remove other leaves, to shape the plant. Cut the stem at the base of the main stalk.

However, if you are an adventuresome hobby gardener, leave the flowers on. They will eventually produce seeds that you can harvest. Then, you can try your hand at growing an Aluminum House Plant from seed.