Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Money Plant Spurflower (Plectranthus verticillatus)
Also called Money Plant, Swedish Ivy, Creeping Charlie, Whorled Plectranthus.
More about money plant spurflower
About Money Plant Spurflower
Plectranthus verticillatus · also called Money Plant, Swedish Ivy · houseplant
Plectranthus verticillatus (often sold as Swedish ivy or Money Plant) is a fast-growing, trailing South African native in the mint family, popular for hanging baskets and shelves with its glossy, scalloped, bright-green leaves and easy-going nature. It grows vigorously in bright, indirect light with evenly moist compost and will cascade dramatically once established. It is notably pet-safe — a welcome trait for households with cats or dogs. Listed by ASPCA as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Preferred mix: Well-drained, moderately fertile compost
Why money plant spurflower needs this mix
Money Plant Spurflower is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Money Plant Spurflower is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
- A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
- It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons money plant spurflower struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates money plant spurflower's roots.
- A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
- No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.
Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for money plant spurflower.
pH — does it matter for money plant spurflower?
Money Plant Spurflower is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for money plant spurflower as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Drainage and the pot
A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all money plant spurflower needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh money plant spurflower's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for money plant spurflower covers the timing and technique step by step.
Money Plant Spurflower soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for money plant spurflower?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Money Plant Spurflower is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for money plant spurflower?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates money plant spurflower's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for money plant spurflower as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Does money plant spurflower need a special pH?
Money Plant Spurflower is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for money plant spurflower?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for money plant spurflower as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
How often should I refresh the soil for money plant spurflower?
Refresh money plant spurflower's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all money plant spurflower needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Money Plant Spurflower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water money plant spurflower — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting money plant spurflower — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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