Plant
Pilea spruceana
Pilea spruceanaAlso known as Silver Tree Pilea, Silver Tree
Heavily textured, quilted foliage gives this tropical understory herb its distinctive metallic appearance. Native to damp, shaded forest floors of northern South America, it spreads across moist soil via creeping stems that readily root at leaf nodes. Inconspicuous greenish or pinkish flowers cluster along leaf axils, releasing puffs of dry pollen on warm breezes.
EvergreenTropicalUnderstory
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
- Slugs and snails
- Caterpillars
- Spider mites
ThreatsDeforestation, agricultural conversion, habitat fragmentation
HabitatsTropical rainforest understory, shaded damp ravines, premontane forests
Life spanPerennial (often persistent indefinitely via vegetative spreading)
Classification
- OrderRosales
- FamilyUrticaceae
- GenusPilea
- SpeciesPilea spruceana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Indoor Cultivation: Provide bright indirect light and high ambient humidity to prevent leaf crisping.
- Propagation: Take stem tip cuttings and root them directly in moist, well-draining soil.
Close Relative (c) Mokkie, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Taken by Fanghong / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Husky / CC0 · cc0
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