Aluminum Plant (Pilea cadierei) — Comes in a 2″ pot with striking silver-green leaves. Best for terrariums, houseplant collections, or shaded outdoor beds in warm climates.
$4.99
In stock
🌿 Introduction
Native to Vietnam and southern China, the Aluminum Plant is known for its silver-splashed green leaves that shimmer in low light. It thrives as a terrarium plant, a houseplant, and in warm regions as a shade groundcover, where its fast growth fills in spaces with a bright, metallic look.
🌱 Plant Profile
Type: Broadleaf perennial (terrarium/houseplant; not a true aquatic)
Origin: Southeast Asia (Vietnam, China)
Position: Midground in terrariums · Groundcover or border outdoors in warm zones
Growth Rate: Fast
Lighting: Medium to high · Avoid direct midday sun
CO₂: Not required
Height / Spread: 12–18″ (30–45 cm) tall · 12–24″ (30–60 cm) wide in a season outdoors
Water Parameters (for terrariums): High humidity · Moist but well-drained substrate
USDA Zones: 10–11 (perennial) · Grow as annual or overwinter indoors in cooler climates
✅ Care Summary
Plant in rich, well-draining soil indoors or in shaded outdoor beds.
Pinch tips or trim regularly to keep a compact, bushy shape.
Spreads laterally by branching stems, not runners — forms a dense clump, and may root at nodes if stems touch soil.
Keep soil evenly moist; avoid prolonged drying or waterlogging.
Terrarium/Paludarium: Excellent filler for humid enclosures, adds silver contrast against mosses and ferns.
🌿 Q&A
Q: How big does Aluminum Plant get?
A: Indoors or in terrariums, it usually tops out at 12–18″ tall. Outdoors in frost-free zones, it can sprawl up to 2 feet wide in a season.
Q: How does it spread?
A: It branches outward laterally, creating a bushy mat. It does not send runners, but stems may root at the nodes where they touch soil, helping the plant thicken and expand naturally.
Q: Can I overwinter it if I’m not in zone 10 or 11?
A: Yes — pot it up and bring it indoors before frost, or take cuttings and grow them through winter to replant in spring.
🌍 More about Aluminum Plant
Described in 1928, Pilea cadierei grows naturally along the humid forest understory of Vietnam and southern China, spreading outward through branching stems across shaded ground. Its reflective silver markings help it stand out in dim conditions, a trait that translates beautifully into terrariums and shaded gardens.
In landscaping, it’s valued as a fast-spreading groundcover in tropical climates, brightening dark corners without runners taking over. In terrariums, its compact lateral spread makes it an excellent filler plant, creating layered texture against mosses, ferns, and other humidity-loving species.
