Westerners became aware of this herbaceous perennial, which is native to the Yunnan Province in Southern China in damp, rocky, mountainous areas, in the 1970s. In 1978, Mrs. D. Walport of Northolt, England sent a sample to the Royal Kew Gardens for identification.
This isn’t a plant that revels in bright sunlight. It needs to be kept out of direct sun, so don’t place it in or too close to a window.
Your typical potting soil will work perfectly well for your coin plants. They need well-draining, water-retentive, loamy soil, which describes most typical potting soil.
They do best in high humidity, with a relative humidity above 60%. At the same time, they prefer that their roots stay relatively dry.
Feed your plants starting in the early spring and continue through summer. Stop feeding in early fall and don’t feed at all during the winter when the plant is dormant.
If any of the leaves turn yellow or brown, remove them with a clean pair of scissors or clippers. You can pinch back the leaves to the closest stem to encourage bushier growth.
Part of what brought it into the public eye is that a Norwegian missionary took a plant from China and propagated it. He gave it to friends and family as gifts and they did the same. Eventually, the plant became a token of friendship.