Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley'

Origin and background of Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley'

'Moon Valley' is a horticultural cultivar whose early breeding history remains uncertain.

Keeping Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley' healthy indoors

• Humidity and warmth: Give this cultivar a humid, frost-free position and keep it above 15 °C. A roomy terrarium can suit it well when air can still move around the leaves.
• Light: Bright indirect light or partial shade supports dense growth. Protect it from hot direct sun.
• Watering: Keep the mix evenly moist. Water as the surface begins to dry, then let excess water drain away.
• Potting mix: Use a loose houseplant mix with perlite, pumice or fine bark so the roots get both moisture and air.
• Feeding and shape: Feed lightly while fresh leaves are forming. Trim old bare stems if you want to keep the plant compact and full.
• Repotting and propagation: Repot when roots crowd the pot or the mix becomes compacted. You can divide an established plant and pot the rooted pieces separately.

Problems to watch for with Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley'

• White powdery patches spread across the leaves: Powdery mildew can develop on the foliage. Remove heavily affected leaves, improve spacing and air movement, and isolate the plant if fresh patches continue. If treatment is needed, use a product labelled for powdery mildew on indoor ornamental plants and repeat it as directed on the label.
• Longer stems develop with wider gaps between leaves: The plant needs stronger light. Move it to a brighter indirect position while keeping it clear of hot direct sun.
• Yellowing leaves and a soft stem base appear in wet mix: Stem or root rot is developing. Unpot the plant, cut away all soft brown tissue with a clean tool, discard the rot and repot the healthy rooted parts in fresh, loose potting mix.
• Crisp pale patches form on the raised leaf surface: Strong sun or a dry root ball has damaged the foliage. Move the plant into filtered light and restore steady moisture around the roots.

Pilea involucrata ‘Moon Valley’ is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

Pilea involucrata: name and meaning

Pilea alludes to a felt cap through Latin pileus, referring to the small cap-like flower structure over its dry fruit. The epithet involucrata is Latin for enclosed or wrapped in an involucre.

John Lindley established the genus Pilea in 1821 in Collectanea Botanica, plate 4.

John Sims first described it as Urtica involucrata in 1824 in Botanical Magazine, volume 51, plate 2481. Charles Henry Wright and D. Dewar later placed it in Pilea as Pilea involucrata in 1894 in Johnson’s Gardener’s Dictionary, page 1056.