Just five minutes’ walk from Wedding S-Bahn station is a place that will whisk you away from inner-city Berlin and bring you to the tropical jungle. The name? Pilea Living. This packed plant shop is the product of founders Jue and Dingding’s upbringing in southern China, where newborn babies are named after plant species and ancient trees are worshiped as gods. The pair remember spending their childhoods playing among the giant air roots of Banyan trees and using banana leaves as umbrellas, memories that inspired them to open their greenery-filled store in November 2019.
Walking into the shop, you are greeted with the calming pleasure that only a room full of plants can bring. Vegetation covers the walls and floors and hangs above your head, providing you with instant inspiration to turn your own home into a tranquil oasis. Once you have found the perfect potted friend, Jue and Dingding will gladly provide advice on things like light levels and watering, so even beginners can ensure their plants thrive. The species offered include classics like monsteras and calatheas plus a selection of bonsai trees that make perfect desktop companions. But not to be forgotten is the pilea, which is native to south China and produces flying saucer leaves that give it a unique, otherworldly appearance. Besides greenery, the store also stocks 100 different plant pots, many of which are handmade in small ceramic studios throughout Europe and China, as well as handmade Chinese tea sets with incense sticks and holders. Let the relaxation begin…
Text: Lottie Mac / Photos: Luke Marshall Johnson
Pilea Living, Ravenestr.4, 13347 Berlin–Wedding; map
Currently open: Tue–Sat, 12h30–19h
@pilea.living
