A cute and compact clump of foliage, Pilea involucrata is a must-have for any houseplant connoisseur. And with very minimal care requirements, it’s easy to grow and even easier to love.

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As a pretty perennial that’s simple to propagate and share, the friendship plant is a wonderful gift for giving to your pals, both new and old.

I mean, if somebody just walked up and handed me one of these little beauties, we’d definitely at least become acquaintances, if not full-fledged friends.

But before you go and grow your friendships, you’ll need to grow them first. This guide will teach you exactly how.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

What Are Friendship Plants?

Hardy in USDA Zones 11 to 12, friendship plants – aka Pilea involucrata – are tropical herbaceous perennials from the Urticaceae, or nettle family.

Friendship plants are native to southern Central America, northwestern South America, and select islands of the Caribbean.

In the wild, they tend to grow on the forest floor, where they receive dappled light that trickles through tropical tree canopies.

Individually, friendship plants aren’t very big, as they only reach heights of six to 12 inches and spreads of three to 12 inches at maturity.

However they spread via basal offsets, which can take over an open area or occupy the niches in an already crowded one.

Ovate, velvety, deeply veined, and about one to three inches long, the oppositely arranged leaves burst with shades of vibrant

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