Peperomia care guide

Peperomias are small, slow plants with thick leaves in all kinds of shapes: round, rippled, striped like a watermelon, or tiny and trailing. They fit on a desk or a shelf, they are safe for pets, and most of them forgive a missed watering.

There are over a thousand species. The common ones share the same care.

Light

Give peperomias medium light or bright, indirect light, such as a spot near an east or north window. Variegated types need the brighter end to keep their color.

Low light makes them leggy. Direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves.

Water

Peperomias store water in their thick leaves and stems. Water when the top half of the soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer.

Too much water is the top way to kill a peperomia. Soft, black, or mushy stems at the soil line mean root rot. Wrinkled, floppy leaves mean it is thirsty. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a chunky, fast-draining mix. Add perlite and orchid bark to houseplant soil.

Peperomias have small roots and like small pots. Repot every two to three years, and go up only one small size. A pot too big stays wet and rots the roots. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

Average room air is fine. Keep it between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F), away from cold windows and drafts.

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Skip fall and winter.

Pruning

Pinch off stem tips to keep it bushy. Cut long, leggy stems just above a leaf.

Thin green spikes may grow above the leaves. Those are flowers. They do no harm, but you can cut them off if you do not like the look.

Propagation

Most peperomias root from a single leaf or a short stem.

1. Cut a healthy leaf with its stem, or a stem tip with two or three leaves.
2. Let the cut end dry for a few hours.
3. Set the stem in water, or in damp perlite or potting mix.
4. Roots grow in three to six weeks. New plants sprout from the base.

Watermelon peperomia leaves can be cut in half across the middle. Push the cut edge into damp mix, and new plants grow along it.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Soft, black stems at the soil	Root rot from too much water
Leaves drop	Too much water, or cold
Wrinkled, floppy leaves	Too dry
Long, bare stems	Not enough light
Brown, scorched patches	Direct sun
Variegation fading	Not enough light

Pests

Mealybugs and spider mites can show up. Check under leaves and where they join the stem. Fungus gnats mean the soil stays wet too long. Read how to get rid of fungus gnats in houseplants.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists peperomia as non-toxic to cats and dogs. That makes it one of the best small plants for a home with pets.

Varieties

• Baby rubber plant, Peperomia obtusifolia, has thick, round, glossy leaves.
• Watermelon peperomia has round leaves with silver stripes, like a watermelon rind.
• Ripple peperomia has deep, wrinkled leaves in green, red, or silver.
• ‘Hope’ has small, round leaves on trailing stems.
• String of turtles has tiny round leaves patterned like a turtle shell.
• Raindrop peperomia has glossy leaves shaped like a raindrop.
• ‘Rosso’ has dark leaves with red undersides.
• Trailing jade has small, round leaves on long, hanging stems.