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Species library › Pilea › Pilea balfourii
Terrarium Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Pilea balfourii

Pilea balfourii is a Pilea endemic to Rodrigues in the Mascarenes, described by Baker in 1877 and known from a handful of collections, several from Cascade Victoire. It is a warm, humid streamside plant of a small island with a pronounced dry season, so it needs constant moisture at the roots despite the dry months.

At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Specimens come from the ford and waterfall at Cascade Victoire, so it likely grows on damp, shaded banks or rocks by flowing water; Rodrigues' native forest is now very reduced.

No elevations recorded; Rodrigues rises only to about 400 m.

RodriguesMauritius

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

Grow Pilea balfourii? Add it to a free garden and its full profile opens. Pro opens all 38,374 profiles in the library, plants and fungi.

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.