With its round, plate-shaped leaves, the UFO plant is probably one of the most impressive indoor plants. It would be a shame to remove the attractive foliage. Or does a pruning even lead to a rejuvenation of the plant? Find out the answer here.
The Pilea is cut mainly for propagation purposes
relevance
Although the Pilea forms comparatively long shoots, it remains quite compact and space-saving in contrast to other overhanging houseplants. The large, round leaves are what make this exotic houseplant so attractive. If a pruning is not necessary for reasons of space, you do not necessarily have to use scissors.
exceptions
In two cases, however, it is advisable to cut back the shoots:
- to rejuvenate the plant
- in case of diseases
The taper cut
It probably takes some effort at first to cut off the impressive leaves of the UFO plant. However, the UFO plant rewards your courage just a few weeks later with a more compact and dense growth. The branches increase visibly and give the plant an even more beautiful look.
Diseases
Gray mold sometimes spreads on the plant due to ongoing care mistakes. You can recognize the disease by a gray coating on the leaves. In this case, there is no way around cutting off affected parts of the plant.
time
The best time for pruning is spring. However, you can make smaller interventions such as shortening individual shoots all year round.
multiply
What to do with the long, cut off shoots? As long as these are not affected by diseases, the Pilea can be wonderfully propagated with the cuttings. Expanding your plant population is child's play and can be done all year round. However, the shoots should be at least 4 cm long and have no less than 5 leaves.
Place the cuttings in a glass of water until visible roots have formed, or plant the shoots straight away in fresh potting soil.
Note: The cuttings form roots much faster in a glass of water. However, these are still so sensitive at the time of transplanting that they are often damaged.