Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
Urticaceae
Pilea hitchcockii
Friendship Plant
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
VAT included · plus
Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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28-day plant guarantee, if a plant arrives damaged or fails soon after delivery, we help you make it right.
Free returns, simple, cost-free returns according to our policy.
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Care at a glance
Pilea hitchcockii
Watering
Water when ~20–35% dry
Substrate
Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–27 °C • Avoid below: 14 °C
Humidity
Moist 50–60 %
Growth habit
Upright clumping herbaceous perennial.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 20 cm • Max. spread: 30 cm
Toxicity & safety
Non-toxic
Origin & habitat
Native from Colombia to Ecuador
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Pilea hitchcockii
Pilea hitchcockii has narrow, pointed leaves that can show grey-green to deep metallic tones, depending on the individual plant and growing conditions. The darker foliage gives this species a sharper outline than the round-leaved Pilea types.
This smaller tropical Pilea needs bright indoor light, warmth, steady moisture and good drainage kept in balance. In a small pot, the root zone can shift quickly from lightly moist to too dry or too wet, so substrate structure and watering checks matter.
Dark pointed foliage on Pilea hitchcockii
- Leaf shape: Narrow, pointed leaves give the plant a defined outline.
- Leaf colour: Foliage may show deep green, grey-green or metallic tones, with the exact colour depending on the plant and light level.
- Growth habit: Compact tropical growth stays manageable in smaller indoor pots.
- Pot behaviour: Small pots can dry quickly at the edges, while dense substrate can stay wet around the roots.
- Moisture response: Bright filtered light, warmth and careful watering keep new growth more even.
Growth and origin of Pilea hitchcockii
Pilea hitchcockii is a species from Colombia to Ecuador, where it is associated with wet tropical conditions. Indoors, that background translates into warmth, steady but controlled moisture and a substrate that drains freely around the roots.
Its smaller leaves and compact growth make moisture changes noticeable. A small pot can dry quickly at the edges, while a heavy mix can stay wet around the root zone for too long. A light, airy houseplant mix gives the roots moisture while allowing air to move through the substrate.
Care guide for Pilea hitchcockii
- Light: Give bright indirect light. Direct midday sun can mark the darker leaves, while too little light can stretch the stems.
- Watering: Water once the upper part of the substrate has started to dry. Keep the root zone lightly moist, never stagnant.
- Humidity: Moderate to higher humidity keeps new leaves developing more evenly, especially in warm indoor air.
- Temperature: Keep it warm and away from cold draughts. Cold wet substrate can damage the roots quickly.
- Substrate: Use a fine but airy mix with drainage material, so the small root system is not held in dense wet soil.
- Pot choice: Choose a pot only slightly larger than the root ball. Oversized pots stay wet for too long around compact Pilea roots.
- Feeding: Feed lightly during active growth with a diluted houseplant fertiliser. Skip heavy feeding on slow or stressed plants.
Common issues with Pilea hitchcockii
- Crispy edges: Usually linked to drying too far, hot direct sun or very dry air around the leaves.
- Yellowing leaves: Often caused by wet substrate staying around the roots for too long.
- Stretched stems: A sign that the plant needs a brighter filtered position.
- Leaf drop: Can happen after cold stress, irregular watering or a sudden move into harsher light.
- Pests: Check the undersides of leaves and stem joints for spider mites, mealybugs or fungus gnats.
Safety for Pilea hitchcockii
Pilea are generally treated as non-toxic houseplants, but chewing leaves can still irritate a pet’s stomach. Keep the plant out of reach if a cat, dog or child regularly bites houseplants.
Botanical background for Pilea hitchcockii
Pilea hitchcockii was described by Ellsworth P. Killip in 1925. The species belongs to Urticaceae, the nettle family, and its natural range is recorded from Colombia to Ecuador.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
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Pilea hitchcockii
Sale price€12,75
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