The artillery plant, also known by its botanical name Pilea microphylla, is a gorgeous and easy-to-grow houseplant. With lacy, fern-like leaves and a spreading habit, it makes an excellent accent or filler in pots and garden beds. When choosing an artillery plant for your home, one of the most important factors to consider is the size. Artillery plants come in a wide range of sizes, from petite 4-inch pots to dramatic 24-inch hanging baskets. Read on to learn how to pick the ideal artillery plant size for your space.
An Overview of Artillery Plant Sizes
Artillery plants are native to tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America. Outdoors, these herbaceous perennials can reach 1-2 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. Indoors, their mature size depends largely on the size of container you choose. Here’s a quick rundown of artillery plant sizes:
- Small: 6-12 inches tall and wide. Perfect for 4-6 inch pots.
- Medium: 12-18 inches tall. Does well in 8-10 inch pots.
- Large: 18-24 inches or more tall. Reaches full size in 12-14 inch pots.
In general, smaller artillery plants take 1-2 years to reach maturity, while larger plants may take 2-3 years to achieve their full size. But with the right care, these tropical beauties grow fairly quickly no matter what size you start with.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Size
When selecting an artillery plant size keep the following factors in mind
Sun Exposure
Artillery plants prefer partial sun, which means 2-4 hours of gentle morning or late afternoon sun. Low light slows growth, so a small plant is best for darker spots. Large artillery plants need brighter light to support lush growth.
Your Space
Carefully assess the room or area where you plan to place your artillery plant Small varieties suit tabletops and shelves Medium to large artillery plants make excellent floor plants or dramatic hanging baskets. Measure your space to ensure the plant’s mature size will fit the area.
Growth Habit
Artillery plants have a spreading, vining habit. The stems extend up to 2 feet long horizontally. Make sure to allow enough space for the plant to spread out without overcrowding other plants.
Growth Rate
While artillery plants grow faster in warm, humid conditions, their growth rate depends partly on size. A smaller 4-6 inch juvenile plant may fill out an 8-10 inch pot by the end of one growing season. Larger plants tend to grow a bit slower, taking 2-3 years to achieve their full mature dimensions.
Your Experience Level
If you’re new to houseplant care, a small artillery plant is a wise choice. They’re more forgiving of beginner mistakes like irregular watering or inadequate light. Larger artillery plants have higher light and moisture requirements to support their substantial growth.
Caring for Artillery Plants of All Sizes
While artillery plant size impacts a few aspects of care, the basic requirements stay the same. Here’s how to keep artillery plants of all sizes looking their best:
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Soil: Use a high-quality potting mix with excellent drainage. Artillery plants dislike soggy soil.
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Light: Provide 2-4 hours of gentle morning or late afternoon sun. Bright, indirect light prevents leggy growth.
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Water: Water whenever the top inch of soil dries out. Take care not to overwater, as it leads to root rot.
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Humidity: Mist the leaves often and place the pot on a pebble tray for added moisture.
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Fertilizer: Feed with balanced houseplant fertilizer every 2-4 weeks in the spring and summer.
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Temperature: Ideal temperatures are 60-80°F. Keep away from hot and cold drafts.
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Pruning: Trim off leggy stems to encourage bushiness. Remove dead or damaged foliage.
Choosing the Best Artillery Plant Size for Your Space
Artillery plants offer a huge range of sizes to suit any space, from intimate desktop plants to dramatic hanging statements. For the best results, opt for a size that fits the light levels, temperature, and humidity in your intended location. And don’t forget to leave enough room for the plant to freely spread its arching stems and delicate leaves. With a little planning, you can enjoy an artillery plant that enhances your space for years to come.
How to fertilize Artillery Plant
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plants nutrients, repot your Artillery Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
Artillery Plant is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!
Artillery Plant prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Artillery Plant may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home .
Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet consumes plant material of unknown toxicity, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.
If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA at US (888) 426-4435.
Artillery Plant doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
Artillery Plant does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Artillery Plant should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
It’s common for Artillery Plant to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
Artillery Plant is native to Worldwide.
Artillery Plant has long, trailing foliage which makes them a great addition to a hanging planter. The newest growth will emerge from the tip of the stems.
USDA Hardiness Zone Artillery Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Artillery Plant can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:
- Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
- To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
How to care for Artillery Plant
Artillery Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5″ pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every 9
Does your plant get direct sunlight? No Yes
Select the pot size
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FAQ
How big do artillery plants get?
Can you propagate an artillery plant?
Is artillery fern invasive?
Do artillery plants like humidity?
How big does an artillery plant get?
Plant Type and Habit: The Artillery Plant is an evergreen perennial plant with a creeping habit. In its natural habitat, it often spreads over rocks and other surfaces, forming a lush carpet. Size: It generally grows to about 6-12 inches in height (15-30 cm) and can spread widely if given room, making it an excellent ground cover or pot filler.
Is artillery a nettle?
It belongs to the nettle family (Urticaceae) and is part of a diverse genus with over 600 species. Plant Type and Habit: The Artillery Plant is an evergreen perennial plant with a creeping habit.
Where should artillery plants be planted?
When considering where to grow artillery plants inside, choose a southern window, away from drafts. Artillery plant care includes placing the plant where day-time temperatures remain at 70 to 75 F. (21-24 C.) and 10 degrees cooler at night. Part of your artillery plant care includes keeping the soil moist, but not soaked.
What does an artillery plant look like?
The artillery species has plump leaves like a succulent. They are either green or variegated pink and white, one-eighth to one-half inch long, and “obovate,” or rounded and narrower at the base. The leaves are arranged in opposing pairs, like a fern frond. In nature, the species produces tiny pinkish flowers followed by brown fruits.