HouseplantsDiscover the right indoor plants for your home.
Watermelon peperomia . Photo by : Ladydoubt / Shutterstock
If variety is the spice of life history , thenPeperomiais the perfect houseplant to add together zest to your indoor ( or outdoor ) container arrangement . Few plant life propose so many options in foliage color , flesh , size , and texture , from the glossy succulent - like leaves of baby rubber plant ( P. obtusifolia ) to the deeply fissure heart - determine leafage of ‘ Red Ripple ’ ( P. caperata ) .
you’re able to choose from a wide range of growth habits too , from small , mounding types that tuck neatly intoterrariumsto trailing industrial plant idealistic for hang baskets . Ca n’t decide on a favorite ? Then fling and bring home several . These compact houseplant are great for mixing and matching , allowing you to create a showy display by combine peperomias in an miscellany of color , textures , and forms .
On this page : Basics|Growing|Care|Varieties|Troubleshooting
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page :
PEPEROMIA BASICS
Botanical name:
Peperomia obtusifolia
Common names:
Peperomia , babe caoutchouc industrial plant , radiator plant
Origin:
Subtropical and tropic regions of Central and South America
Growth rate:
dull growing
Size:
Under 6 inch up to a foot , depend on the variety
Foliage:
normally thick , waxy and succulent - like , with texture ranging from smooth and flat to deeply ripple . Leaf cast can vary as well , and may be ellipse , orotund , pointy , or heart - shaped . Foliage colors range from strong green to motley or divest design sporting silver , white-hot , sick yellow or inscrutable crimson markings .
Flowers:
Under ideal growing condition , peperomia will sometimes acquire long , spiky , computer mouse tail - like bloom , unremarkably green or creamy white in colouring material . It ’s a special treat when they do , and the blooms will often last for several weeks .
Special attributes:
GROWING PEPEROMIA
' Frost ' peperomia . Photo by : Stephanie Frey / Shutterstock
Light:
For the adept folio color , develop under bright , indirect light , such as from an east- or west - confront window . Can also be develop under fluorescent lighting . annul lineal sun , which can burn down the leaves .
Temperature:
Peperomias are also called radiator plant because they starve warm growing condition . Indoors , grow at room temperature of 65 ° farad to as high-pitched as 80 ° atomic number 9 . If you put your plant outdoors during the summer , be sure tobring it back insidebefore temperatures go down below 50 ° F .
Humidity:
Because peperomias are native to tropic regions , they favour moderate to gamey humidness and thrive in places like terrariums and brightly get off bathrooms . In drier areas of the home , you’re able to keep your plants hydrated by fog the foliage or gear up them on a tray fill with pebbles and urine .
Soil type:
apply a well - run out potting mix , sooner one contain coco fiber and perlite to keep the soil loose and aerated .
Pot requirements:
As with most houseplant , be sure to apply a grass with drainage hole to prevent soggy soil and origin rot . Peperomiadon’t mind being a bit cramped in their homes , so choose a container that is only slightly great than your plant ’s tooth root ball .
PEPEROMIA PLANT CARE
Watering:
Because of its succulent - comparable quality , peperomia stock water in its thick leaves and stem and does n’t demand frequent lachrymation . Aim for giving it a potable every seven to ten days , or when the top inch or two of soil feels ironical to the touch . Be heedful not to overwater , which can lead to radical rot .
Fertilizing:
enforce a dilute liquid fertilizer once every month or so from other spring through late summertime . Do not fertilize in winter .
Pruning and shaping:
If you require to give yourPeperomiaa bushier appearing or prevent it from becoming too leggy , pinch it back just above a leaf node to boost new ontogeny and forking . you’re able to habituate the clippings to diffuse more plants .
Leaf care:
Peperomias with large farewell , such as ‘ Ginny ’ ( P. clusiifolia ) , benefit from an occasional cleanup with a moist cloth to keep the foliage nice and shiny . For coinage with grooves or ripples in their leaves , the safe cleaning method acting is to mist the leaves at times with way - temperature water to dispatch junk buildup in the fissure .
Repotting:
Because of its dumb growth rate , peperomia can go for class before it ask repotting and really prefers being a second rootbound . When you do repot , move your plant to a container that is only slightly larger .
Propagation:
home root word or folio cuttings ( well taken in spring or early summertime ) in a glass of pee or into some moist pot filth and give them bright , collateral Inner Light . New roots should develop within a few weeks . To accelerate up the rooting process , you may sink the bottom of the stem in some rooting powder before embed .
Pests:
Peperomias are unremarkably plague - free , but be on the scout formealybugs , whiteflies , andspider mites . ( See more oncommon houseplant pests . )
PEPEROMIA VARIETIES
Photo by : phM2019 / Shutterstock .
BABY RUBBER PLANTPeperomia obtusifolia
Size:6 to 12 inch tall and broad
Named for its resemblance to the full - sized safe industrial plant ( Ficus elastica ) , this succinct ape has a beautiful shrub - like form and luxuriant , calendered green leaves that are sometimes variegated with spatter of creamy white , white-livered , or gold .
Photo by : sharohyip / Shutterstock
Ginny peperomiaPeperomia clusiifolia
Also prognosticate jelly peperomia or tricolor peperomia , this striking cultivar sport highly variegate foliage accented by pink or red margins . The large , unsloped leave also have slightly curled bound , which adds to this flora ’s alone look .
Photo by : Maritxu / Shutterstock
String of TurtlesPeperomia prostrata
size of it : trail up to 12 inches
As the name suggests , the dainty ellipse leaves of this trailing peperomia feature light green vena in a radiation pattern that resemble a turtle ’s shell . The midget polo-neck face charming cascade down from hanging basketful or over the edge of a mesa or shelf . fresh plants are easy to distribute from stem cuttings .
Photo by : Skyprayer2005 / Shutterstock
' Red Ripple’Peperomia caperata’Red Ripple '
Size : Up to 8 inch marvelous and wide
If you need a change of tread from green foliage , you ’ll jazz these inscrutable red and violet heart - shaped leaves with their beautiful crinkled texture and silver luster . The foliage is congeal off by slender spikes of bloodless flowers in summertime .
picture by : Anne Balogh
Inachis io PeperomiaPeperomia’Piccolo Banda '
Size : Up to 12 inch tall when in bloom
A gorgeous cultivar with argent green leaves accented by cryptic purple veining . specially impressive when in bloom , air up wispy spikes of pale green flowers perched atop long red stalks .
Photo by : Ladydoubt / Shutterstock
Watermelon PeperomiaPeperomia genus Argyreia
Size:6 to 8 column inch tall
Exotic - looking green leaf with flatware striping resemble mini watermelons , held aloft by heavy red stems . The leaves are great than those of most peperomia , wee the design even more striking .
Photo by : Jus_Ol / Shutterstock
' Hope’Peperomia tetraphylla’Hope '
Also called four - leaved peperomia , this flora ’s deep , rounded leaves get in whorls of three or four every few in along trailing stems , like a concatenation of prosperous clover . Looks mythological spilling from a hanging handbasket ormacrame plant hanger .
Photo by : Stephanie Frey / Shutterstock
' Frost’Peperomia caperata’Frost '
Size:6 to 8 inches tall and wide of the mark
Similar in design to Citrullus vulgaris peperomia , but with iridescent silvery - blanched leave-taking etched by dark gullible veining . The frosty foliage counterpoint beautifully with darker - colored peperomia varieties and is a real standout in terrarium garden .
Photo by : Nahhana / Shutterstock
Ruby Glow PeperomiaPeperomia graveolens
Size : Up to 10 column inch grandiloquent and 24 inches wide
Often mistaken for a succulent , this absorbing plant has compact deep red - slanted stem and long , fleshy , semi - semitransparent calcium hydrate - green farewell that curl up to reveal red undersides . It uphold a skillful , shrubby growth habit , with newfangled branches shooting out from the chief stem .
COMMON PROBLEMS WITH PEPEROMIA
Peperomias are ordinarily fuss - free and easygoing , but like most houseplants , their wellness can suffer when grow under less - than - optimal conditions . Here are some of the common warning signs to count for :
