Digging deeperPlant Library

Other Names:  Watermelon Pilea

Description:

Rich, deep green oval leaves that look like they have been splashed with aluminum paint, hence the name; pinch stem tips to keep plant compact; a great annual base or edging plant; requiring only bright indirect light, this one is a great houseplant

Ornamental Features

Aluminum Plant's attractive serrated oval leaves remain dark green in color with showy silver variegation throughout the year on a plant with a mounded habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Aluminum Plant is a dense herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Aluminum Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Aluminum Plant will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in a shady location. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Aluminum Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.