Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' (Pilea mollis 'Bunny Ears')
Also called bunny ears pilea, hairy coin pilea.
More about pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'
About Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears'
Pilea mollis 'Bunny Ears' · also called bunny ears pilea, hairy coin pilea · houseplant
Pilea 'Bunny Ears' (Pilea mollis) is a charming creeper with small, deeply quilted, fuzzy lime-green leaves on trailing stems. It enjoys warm, humid conditions, bright indirect light and lightly moist, well-draining soil. Fast-spreading and easy, it suits hanging pots, shelves and terrariums. ASPCA-listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Preferred mix: Light, well-draining, peat-free mix
Watch for — Crispy brown leaf edges: Low humidity or dry soil crisps the soft, hairy leaves. Raise humidity above 60% and keep the mix lightly moist.
Why pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' needs this mix
Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears''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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'.
pH — does it matter for pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'?
Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears''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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' covers the timing and technique step by step.
Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears''s roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' need a special pH?
Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' 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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears'?
Refresh pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears''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 pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Pilea nummuarlifolia 'Bunny Ears' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting pilea nummuarlifolia 'bunny ears' — 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
- Best soil for snake plant
- Best soil for dracaena
- Best soil for peperomia
- All 2464 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library