Gardening Tips: How to Care for an Aluminum Plant

An aluminum plant, or Pilea cadieri, is a popular house plant that's easy to grow. You simply need to provide this perennial with plenty of humidity. If you want to grow one in your home or greenhouse, there are a few things you should know. This article will give you a few tips to get you started.

Soil

In order to grow an aluminum plant properly, you will need to use rich potting soil. It needs to retain water yet drain very well. This type of plant can easily succumb to root rot if the soil is kept too wet. You should also make sure that you use a pot with a hole in the bottom.

Water

During the growing season, you need to provide enough water to keep the soil slightly wet. In addition to causing root rot, overwatering can also cause the aluminum plant to drop a lot of leaves. During the winter months, you can provide less water than usual.

Humidity

An aluminum plant requires a lot of humidity. You can provide the necessary amount by misting the leaves frequently with warm water. Another solution is to place the pot in a tray of pebbles and water to raise the humidity.

Light

It is best that you provide aluminum plants with plenty of bright, filter sunlight throughout the year. If you don't provide the plant with enough light, the leaves will lose their variegation. Therefore, if you notice some of the leaves turning solid green, you need to provide more light.

Maintenance

During the spring, you will need to prune the older stems. Also, it's a good idea to check the plant occasionally for pests. Spider mites and whiteflies are common problems.

These are a few tips on growing an aluminum plant. Make sure that you use soil that retains water but also drains it well. You will also need to provide plenty of humidity for the plant.