Pilea

Several species are grown as houseplants, varying widely in appearance. Some are trailing with lots of tiny rounded leaves, others bushy with pointed leaves, some are splashed with silver or purple, and either textured or smooth. The most widely grown has distinctive coin-shaped leaves, hence its common name of Chinese money plant.

Pileas thrive in bright but indirect light, and free-draining peat-free houseplant compost. Keep them warm, away from chilly draughts, and water them when the top 2cm (1in) of compost starts to dry out.

Avoid overwatering or leaving the pot standing in water, as the roots can easily rot. Very low light can make plants straggly and weak, while too much summer sun can scorch them – pileas prefer something in between.

These are fast-growing plants, so if you buy a small one, it will soon reach a good size, in only a year or two. Most pileas are also easy to propagate, so one plant could soon give you many more.