Silver Sprinkles to Brighten the Day

I would never want to rush the weeks. Harvest time is beautiful, and giving thanks has become ever more important. But sometimes, when special gifting is in order, it is necessary to plan about a month in advance. I am doing a bit of planning now for the December holidays.

Have you had the good fortune of being given a sweet, living plant in December? It is a wonderful gift. The more unexpected the plant, the better….

This year I am gathering up some planting containers early—not the typical terracotta pots that generally are employed for this purpose, but instead, some real gift containers. And then for nestling into those containers, what could be better than a plant known as Silver Sprinkles?

Pilea glauca, or Silver Sprinkles, is aptly named. Miniscule rounded leaves grow everywhere, first into an attractive mound with silvery tops showing and then along trailing stems that cascade over any container including a holiday gift box. I have heard this plant called Silver Sprinkles and Silver Sparkle, with both names being perfect for a magical little plant to be shared with a friend on a December day. December days in my neck of the woods are cold, and darkness falls early. Twinkle lights and candlelight—holiday staples—bring cheer. Pilea glauca, with all its own natural sparkle, also brings cheer.

I plan a month in advance to be sure I find the exact plant I want. Silver Sprinkles becomes an ideal gift plant because it can go to just about anyone, from the expert gardener to friends who insist their thumbs are not green. Pilea glauca care is so straightforward, everyone can have success with tending to its minimal needs.

Pilea glauca care is centered around ensuring regular moisture while never letting the plant approach soggy or dry extremes. It also involves setting this silvery charmer in bright indirect light. Beyond that, fertilizing and trimming and misting… well, those are just not part of this plant’s care regimen. Sure, you could trim a long ruby-toned stem. Sure, you could probably get out the mister on occasion and not harm your plant. But Pilea glauca would prefer tending of the simplest sort so that it can focus on sharing of its silvery, sparkly self. More of a giver than a taker, it grows with ease.

My planning extends to gathering up some sturdy cube-shaped boxes to become gifting vessels for Pilea glauca. The boxes are pre-formed and do not fold down. That gives them extra strength for holding tight to a precious plant. Some are pre-wrapped in a color that works for December holidays. Some, I wrap myself. I wrap the base and then the lid separately.

Once covered in cheery paper, my charming boxes get protected with an inner layer of plastic. I use basic kitchen wrap, but other protectors will work just fine. I can drape this plastic atop some straw or cotton balls if I find my planter needs to be built up. I then get my Pilea glauca—specifically, Pilea glauca Aquamarine—and insert its grow-pot into a small bag. I use a cellophane bag, taped near the rim of the grow-pot to ensure it will not slip down. A plastic sandwich bag would also work well. Then, presto—Silver Sprinkles, Silver Sparkle, brimming over the top of a box to be handed to someone I love. I tuck the wrapped lid into the back of the box, upright and on an angle so that it shows as extra decoration, bow-side out. My gift is ready.

Truth be told, I do not intend for the gift recipient to keep Pilea glauca in its special box forever. A cardboard container, no matter how well protected, is not a container for all time. But the box will last beautifully through the month of December. I made some about a month ago. The plants are thriving, and the boxes have remained dry. 

One note I would include for the Pilea glauca recipient is to remove the cello bag each time the plant needs watering. It is best to allow the grow-pot to drain in the sink, and then re-wrap it so as to avoid letting Pilea glauca Aquamarine face the issue of standing water. When it comes time for the gift recipient to choose a permanent planter for this special plant, Pilea glauca can be removed from its original grow-pot, can have its delicate roots teased apart, and can be transplanted into something that will carry it through the spring and summer months.

But spring and summer are presently far off… I want to think of the warmth of the holidays. May you have good ones, with all the sparkle imaginable.