Moon rising

Some of the plants I’ve mentioned in this column over the past year are very rare and highly valued both from a plant lust perspective and monetarily. Frankly, the amount of money consumers are willing to pay for one four-inch pot of a rare plant is both astounding and ridiculous at the same time. I’m not complaining. Most of us in commercial horticulture have profited from this phenomenon. But here’s the question. Does the cost of a plant necessarily mean you’ll appreciate it more? Pilea mollis ‘Moon Valley” is a strikingly beautiful foliage plant that is neither rare nor expensive, yet it is one of my very favorite houseplants. It originated in the tropical rainforests of Columbia and Venezuela where it was first identified in 1856. Because the texture of its leaves which vaguely resembles the surface of the moon, Pilea mollis has been given the cultivar name ‘Moon Valley’. I think maybe a name like ‘Badlands,’ for example, might have been better, but that’s my opinion. By the way, that was Badlands.

Pilea ‘Moon Valley’ is fiercely eye-catching in the nursery, garden center, and in the home. It prefers bright indirect light which helps it stand out boldly. The leaves have red-brown veins set into a deeply dimpled green surface that makes you want to touch them. Because it’s native to the tropical rainforest, it prefers evenly moist soil and high humidity. These conditions are also conducive to terrarium culture. Mature plants reach a height and width of only 12 inches. It is extremely easy to propagate from tip cuttings. Besides its beauty, Pilea mollis is also completely non-toxic to humans or other animals. For all these reasons, Pilea ‘Moon Valley’ should be on your radar as a grower or as a lover of beautiful houseplants, and it won’t break the budget to add it to your collection.