Peperomia is turn for its broad array of leafage and is one of the most tolerant plants for the home .

Sometimes referred to as infant rubber plant , peperomia is a commonly develop , low - maintenance houseplant . This interesting plant is aboriginal to manytropicalclimates , often found in cloud woodland and rainforest growing on wood as an epiphytic plant . The genus of peperomia includes over 1,000 specie currently read . There is constipate to be at least one that would grow well in your home .

Wide-Ranging Foliage Types

grow for their leaf , peperomias are varied in their appearing . In general , they feature thick-skulled , fleshy leaves that store urine . These leaves make out in a miscellany of flesh and size , with some mintage having leaves smaller than a dime and others as large as a baseball game . The leaves of peperomia plants are often a mysterious emerald green , but many species feature intricate scoring and traffic pattern in silver medal . Ripple peperomias , one of the more pop species , have puckered and frilly leaf . There are good deal of variegated varieties to choose from as well , with creams and whites making an appearance in their leaf .

Flower Blooms

The bloom of peperomia are far from showy . In a domicile scope , blooming is a rarefied occurrence . The blooms are long , narrow stalks often in a greenish or brown color that does n’t resemble bloom . More often than not , multitude nobble off these blossom because they take aside from the overall appeal of the works .

Cut off the blooms to conserve the plant ’s free energy and airt its nidus towards plush foliage growth .

BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova

variegated baby rubber plant Peperomia obtusifolia ‘Variegata’

Credit:BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova

Where to Plant Peperomias

Peperomia houseplant are grown for their leaf rather than their flush . They are low - maintenance , tolerant of most lighting conditions found in the base , and pet- and kid - well-disposed . Ideally , peperomia should be placed in bright , indirect ignitor — near an east- or west - face windowpane is a good spot . verbatim sunshine should be avoid . Since peperomia like humidity , a kitchen orbathroom would be a hospitable location .

Peperomia Care Tips

Peperomias are one of theeasiest houseplants to grow in your home .

Light

Peperomias digest a spacious mixed bag of light conditions . In cosmopolitan , keep peperomias out of verbatim sunlight ; recall , most of these specie are from beneath wood canopies . Some of the larger , thicker - folio varieties can brook some sun , and they will quickly lean toward a weak source , so splay your plants on a regular base . Many of the belittled - leafvarieties will grow marvellously in gloomy light .

Soil and Water

When grow peperomias in containers , verify toplant them in well - drained land . A quick way of life to kill peperomia is with too much piss or too heavy stain .

Temperature and Humidity

hail from areas like tropical cloud forests where humidity is generally over 90 percent , peperomias prefer area with 40 to 50 percent humidity , such as terrariums .

However , most peperomia do almost as well in less - moist areas of your business firm . Because these plants are used to grow on rot trees and other Ellen Price Wood , they are also wonted to relatively wry and erratic rise precondition . This is why manypeperomias are succulent in nature .

The ideal temperature range for these plants is 60 ° F to 80 ° F , so if you are well-off with the temperature in your home , the peperomias will in all probability be prosperous too .

japanese peperomia japonica with red stems in ceramic planter

Credit: Denny Schrock

Fertilizer

Peperomia plant are n’t fussy , but they benefit from ageneral - use fertilizer design for houseplantsevery duet of week in spring and summer . For the amount to apply , follow product recording label didactics . Reduce the frequency to once a month during fall and winter .

Pruning

Peperomias will stand trimming , so feel free to make out them back if your works become leggy . Those supernumerary piece that you remove can be propagated to create more plants .

Potting and Repotting

Peperomia plants have few rootage , so they usually do best when arise in minor container . They are alsofine being pot - bandage , and care should be taken when repotting . Be certain not to put them in too large a pot , or you ’ll take chances the potential for rot .

Pot - bound ( or root - bound ) plants have outgrown their container , do their roots to gyrate tightly around the rootage ball . This entanglement can forbid nutrients from being occupy .

Pests and Problems

Peperomias are not susceptible to many pests , but keep an centre out for mealybugs , whitefly and wanderer jot that can introduce the household on a newly purchased flora . set apart the affected plant from any other plants andspray with neem oilor insecticidal soap .

How to Propagate Peperomias

Topropagate by theme cuttings , cut down a radical from the plant and remove the lower leaves , continue one or two mature parting at the top and at least one node on the stem to vex in the dirt . you could then lodge these cuttings straight in damp potting mixture , and they will steady down in a few hebdomad . Many acaulescent type , such as the ripple peperomia , can be started by leaf cuttings alike to anAfrican reddish blue .

Types of Peperomia

Japanese Peperomia

Peperomia japonicahas ½-inch - wide oval leave with a rippled grain . pink - red stems contrast nicely with the green leaves .

‘Jayde’ Peperomia

Peperomia polybotrya’Jayde ' has shinyteardrop - shaped leavesup to 4 inch in diameter . It grows up to 18 inch improbable .

Ripple Peperomia

Peperomia caperataderives its name from its deeply crinkled , waxy leave . ' Red Luna ' has reddish leaves , and ' Metallica ' has leaves denounce with silver gray . ' Emerald Ripple ' is the standard dark-green leafage variety .

Red-Edge Peperomia

Peperomia clusifolia’Rainbow ' has elongatedsucculent leavesmarked with a extensive ring of cream and a central belt of unripe and gray - dark-green . Stems and leaf edge are crimson . It is also sometimes called child rubber works .

Variegated Baby Rubber Plant

Peperomia obtusifolia’Variegata ' grow more upright than most other peperomia , with large , rounded , waxy leaves plash with green and gold diversification .

Teardrop Peperomia

Peperomia orbais a dwarf works that stay put about 6 inch tall . ' Pixie ' and ' Princess Astrid ' are a duad of the commonly available varieties .

Silverleaf Peperomia

Peperomia griseoargenteahas metallic argent green leaves with a rippled grain . The deep greenish folio veins stand in impregnable contrast to the silvery washout on the upper foliage surface . It is a little plant , stay about 6 inches tall .

Watermelon Peperomia

Peperomia argyreiagets its name from its classifiable silver and green striped foliage that resembles a watermelon . It grows only 6 to 8 in grandiloquent . It is sometimes call watermelon begonia , although it is not touch on to begonias .

Frequently Asked Questions

Many peperomias dwell for 5 to 10 geezerhood if they receive the condition they need to expand . However , with more than 1,000 mintage in this genus ( only a few of which are uncommitted as houseplants ) , it ’s difficult to say whether a exceptional species will hold up that long — or even longer .

Most of them are easy to farm , but the one called blunt - leaved radiator plant or baby rubber Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( Peperomia obtusifolia ) has a reputation for being first-rate undemanding .

tear-drop-shaped leaves on peperomia polybotrya ‘jayde’

Credit: Denny Schrock

ripple peperomia caperata with crinkled, waxy leaves

Credit: Dean Schoeppner

red edge peperomia houseplant

Credit:BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova

variegated baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia ‘Variegata’)

Credit:BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova

teardrop peperomia orba dwarf plant in blue planter

Credit: Dean Schoeppner

silverleaf peperomia griseoargentea with metallic silvery leaves

Credit: Marty Baldwin

watermelon peperomia argyreia with striped foliage and flower spikes

Credit: Marty Baldwin