The moon valley plant or moon valley pilea is grown in Central and South America. It gets its name from its dimpled leaves that look like valleys on the moon. These leaves have a vivid yellow-green color with copper veins.
Pilea moon valley remains small and does not exceed a height of 12 inches, making them perfect for tabletops and windowsills. The plant prefers average home humidity and indirect light.
Did you know that this plant is called the “friendship plant”? These tropical foliage plants need to be potted in fresh soil that contains organic matter.
Moon valley pilea is a great statement plant with its small size and tiny heart-shaped leaves. Here is everything you need to know about growing a healthy, happy plant:
Soil
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These plants grow best with rich potting soil that has adequate drainage. You can get a premixed base of 2 parts moist potting mix and 1 part succulent soil to make the best mixture.
We also recommend mixing an organic blend of soil containing peat moss, leaf mold, and perlite. African violet potting mix is also a great idea.
Perlite prevents waterlogged soil by keeping the soil aerated, providing good drainage, while leaf mold improves the soil’s nutrient intake. Altogether, the soil moisture is kept in check.
Even though the moistened potting mix is a good idea, you must ensure that your moon valley does not struggle with soggy soil. Moreover, you must stick to a regular watering schedule to keep your plant safe from root rot.
How Much Light
The friendship plant requires indirect light to grow. Bright light and direct sunlight will only destroy the plant, so ensure that you strategically position friendship plants around the house.
Pilea moon valley sheds its leaves if exposed to too much light. Their stems might also become leggy, and you might notice brown leaf tips.
Hence, it is recommended to use sheer curtains when placing these plants on the window sill. Curtains will help lower light exposure and ensure that your plant grows beautifully.
Water Requirements
Pilea moon valley thrives in evenly moist soil. This means instead of regularly watering the soil, check to see if the top layer is dry and only go ahead and water the plant.
Allow the water to drain from the soil, and refrain from watering the plant again till the potting mix dries out.
During the winter season and late spring, your plant will not require too much water, so it is best to be mindful.
Humidity and Temperature
Pilea plants grow well in temperatures between 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. All you have to do is ensure that the temperature in your house does not fall below 10 degrees Celsius. This means keeping these inexpensive little plants away from frosty windows.
Moon valley pilea can also adjust to 50 percent humidity, but we recommend higher humidity levels to grow well and produce cream-colored flowers.
You can even get a humidity monitor and grow this plant with other houseplants that like humidity.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing these plants with a water-soluble fertilizer once in the summer and once in the spring will ensure that the lance-shaped leaves continue to grow and spread to their full potential.
However, remember that the plant’s growth slows down if fed too much fertilizer. Moreover, the foliage can transform into yellow, dull foliage if you are not careful.
As long as you fertilize the plant properly and in the correct season, it will experience new growth.
Does the Entire Plant Blossom?
Pileas occasionally bloom, but they are usually grown for their showy foliage. Hence, if your Pilea plants do not grow any flowers, do not get too worried.
If you are lucky, you might notice pale pink or cream flowers growing on the plant in the early summer months. These flowers can last for several days before falling out naturally.
Do You Need to Mist the Moon Valley Pilea?
Even though the foliage varies considerably, all kinds of moon valley plants, regardless of old or new plants, benefit from regular misting.
Misting is a great way to increase the humidity levels in your house.
Young or inexperienced growers who do not have much practice growing this plant can stick to misting the plant once a week. You can also place wet pebbles around the plant or put the plant in a sealed plastic bag every now and then to boost humidity.
How Do You Prune Moon Valley?
Moon valley plants tend to develop leggy stems, but all you have to do is pinch them with your forefinger and thumb. You can also use sharp scissors to cut above the leaf node and get rid of the stem length.
Moon valley plants are great starter plants since they do not require too much care. All you have to do is keep an eye on the foliar growth and provide the moon valley plant with lots of indirect sunlight.
Why is My Moon Valley Drooping?
Even though the lower leaves naturally drop, if you find that the plant’s leaves are drooping, it could be because you are overwatering your plant and providing it with too much sunlight.
A quick trick is to touch the top 2 inches of the soil and check if it is soggy or moist. In either of these cases, stop watering the plant till the soil dries out.
If there is no improvement in the drooping leaves, your plant may be suffering from root rot. Check the root system of the mother plant for mushy, dark patches. Keep a sterile knife handy to cut off rotten sections.
You can also spray the plant with natural fungicide before repotting your moon valley in a new pot. This will keep any kind of stunted growth at bay.
Are Moon Valley Plants Toxic?
Fortunately, moon valley plants are not toxic to animals or humans.
However, if the leaves are consumed in big quantities, vomiting and nausea may occur.
Hence, we recommend keeping this plant out of the reach of children. If you have more plants around the house that might cause similar symptoms, simply spray them with lemon juice. The bitter repellent will ensure that pets do not accidentally consume the plant.
In case your cat or dog munches on the leaves and faces odd symptoms, take them to the vet as soon as possible.
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