How to Grow and Care for Peperomia Plants

Peperomia is a large genus of ornamental foliage tropical plants in the family Piperaceae native to Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. With more than 1,500 known species, like watermelon peperomia and baby rubber plants, these hearty plants vary significantly in appearance.

Most boast thick, fleshy leaves that contribute to their drought tolerance and vigor. All Peperomia plants are low maintenance, slow-growing, and can be planted year-round. Plus, evidence shows they may remove toxins from the air.1

Common Names	Baby rubber plant, pepper elder, radiator plant, shining bush plant, emerald ripper pepper
Botanical Name	Peperomia spp.
Family	Piperaceae
Plant Type	Perennial
Mature Size	6–12 in. tall, 6–12 in. wide
Sun Exposure	Full, partial
Soil Type	Moist but well-drained
Soil pH	Neutral, acidic
Bloom Time	Summer
Flower Color	White, green, brown
Hardiness Zones	10–12 (USDA)
Native Area	Central America, South America, Caribbean

Peperomia Plant Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing Peperomia plants indoors:

• Place in medium to bright indirect light and should be protected from direct sunlight.
• Choose a potting mix that is loose and well-draining but still retains moisture well.
• Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings; be cautious of overwatering.
• Maintain warm temperatures and medium to high humidity; avoid frost.

Light

Position your Peperomia in a spot that receives medium to bright light to maintain its vibrant foliage colors. Place it directly in front of a west- or east-facing window, or set it a couple of feet back from a south- or north-facing window.

Insufficient light will result in fewer leaves, leaf drops, and drab coloration. Direct sun rays should be avoided, as they can burn the leaves.

Soil

Choose a soil blend that mimics chunky, loose, and acidic conditions. An orchid potting medium typically works well, but regular potting soil is fine, too. You can always lighten it with a handful of coconut coir and perlite for good aeration.

Many Peperomia species grow as epiphytes, which means in the wild, they might settle into the nook of a tree and send their roots into some slightly decaying bark.

Water

Allow the top two inches of the soil to dry out between waterings. Keeping Peperomia on the dry side is better than saturating it. Soggy soil can lead to root rot.2 Peperomia have succulent-like leaves that indicate that these plants don’t need frequent watering to maintain vigor.

Temperature and Humidity

Give tropical Peperomia plants a warm and steamy environment, especially in the summer months when their growth is the most active.

If you’re considering placing your Peperomia plants outdoors all year, make sure it’s USDA zone 10, since they cannot handle freezing temperatures. In cooler areas, move plants indoors before nighttime temperatures drop to 50 degrees.

If your plant doesn’t get an outdoor vacation in the summer, place it on a tray of pebbles and water to increase ambient humidity or keep it near a humidifier. Alternatively, choose a naturally humid room in the home, such as a bright bathroom for these humidity-loving plants.

Fertilizer

Provide a diluted liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season if the soil is poor. When it comes to fertilizing Peperomia plants, less is more.

Do not fertilize in the winter. As a slow-growing epiphyte, Peperomia can go without supplemental fertilizer, getting what it needs from its planting media.

Types of Peperomia

Plants in the Peperomia genus can look very different from one another. For example, varieties like P. obtusifolia are commonly confused with rubber plants due to their similar deep green leaves.

Peperomia leaves can be textured or smooth in red, green, gray, or purple solid leaf colors or intricate patterns, like variegated or marbled; and leaf shapes that range from large to tiny and heart-shaped to round to pointed.

There are hundreds of different varieties of Peperomia plants, many of which make exceptional houseplants. Some of the most popular varietals include:

• P. argyreia (watermelon peperomia): A showy plant with round leaves striped dark green and light green, resembling small watermelons.
• P. tetraphylla (peperomia hope): A trailing variety with small, round green leaves that are thick and succulent-like.
• P. orba (peperomia pixie lime): P. orba grows 4 to 6 inches tall and wide; it’s a semi-succulent, growing best in light, well-draining soil, preferring full sunlight and warm temperatures.
• P. caperata ‘Rosso’: Fleshy silver foliage with green veining on top and deep red on the underside; grows 8 inches wide and tall.
• P. obtusifolia (Baby rubber plant): This epiphytic species isn’t related to the rubber plant (Ficus elastic) but is a Peperomia; its epithet “obtusifolia” means “blunt-leaved.”
• P. verticillata ‘Belly Button’: An eye-catching varietal with a compact form and tiny leaves, somewhat reminiscent of the baby tears plant.
• P. metallica var. colombiana: A dazzling, tri-colored plant with foliage of bronze, silver, and red.
• P. nitida (cupid peperomia): A varietal that’s ideal for hanging baskets, complete with heart-shaped leaves edged in cream.
• P. perciliata: A trailing varietal that has a tight growth habit and produces oval-shaped foliage and red stems.
• P. caperata ‘Suzanne’: A unique plant with deeply ridged foliage and silver accents.
• P. rotundifolia (trailing jade plant): A bushy, trailing Peperomia with small, thin green leaves.
• P. pellucida: A varietal with waxy, thin, heart-shaped green leaves with deep veining.
• P. albovittata: A bushy, mounding Peperomia with light green leaves, dark green veining, and red stems.
• P. nivalis (taco leaf peperomia): A low-lying varietal with pointed oval leaves that resemble taco shells.
• P. graveolens: A Peperomia variety with thick, cupped oval leaves that are green on top and red on the bottom.

Pruning

Lightly prune Peperomia plants in the early spring to correct leggy, sparse growth. Pinching back the stems just above a leaf node helps maximize the plant’s lush appearance by encouraging more branching.

Remove the end of each stem and the first set of leaves. You can pinch them off with your fingers or snip them off with hand pruners.

Propagating Peperomia Plants

Peperomia plants can be propagated at any time, although spring or summer is when its growth is more active and likely the best time. If you plan to prune your plants in the spring, you can take a stem’s extra leggy growth and easily propagate from that stem cutting. Here’s how:

1. Start with sterile pruning snips or scissors, a small pot, potting soil or orchid mix, plastic wrap, and a brightly lit location.
2. Cut off a leaf, including at least an inch of its stem, from the mother plant.
3. Place the cutting in a small container filled with potting soil, cut-end down. Place it in a bright spot with a lot of indirect light.
4. Cover with plastic wrap to create a mini-greenhouse environment to help it retain moisture.
5. Water consistently. Never let the soil dry out. Roots will form within a few weeks.
6. Repot the new plant into a larger container once it outgrows its original one.

Potting and Repotting Peperomia Plants

Peperomia plants can live for years in a relatively small container. They enjoy a somewhat root-bound existence, and this, combined with their slow growth rate, means you can leave them alone until you see roots coming out of the drainage holes.

When necessary, repot your Peperomia into another container only a couple of inches bigger than its former home. Use an acidic potting mix or orchid bark.

Common Pests

Peperomia plants are subject to common pests affecting most houseplants: mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies.2 Insecticidal soap is the most straightforward treatment for these pests.

How to Get Peperomia to Bloom

Peperomia rarely flower when kept as houseplants, but they occasionally do.

Bloom Months

If Peperomia blooms, it will be in the spring and summer.

What Do Peperomia Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Peperomia plants’ unscented blooms appear as spindly spikes of brown and greenish-white. They don’t look like flowers; you might even think they’re offshoots, detracting from the look of the plant. You can cut them at the base of the shoot or leave them to fall off once the flower withers naturally.

How to Encourage Peperomia to Bloom?

To encourage bloom, make sure that you avoid direct sun and give your plant plenty of bright, indirect light. Avoid too much moisture and prune strategically to remove dead or damaged leaves.

Common Problems With Peperomia

Peperomia is a low-maintenance plant that doesn’t need much water. Once you’ve identified a bright but not direct sun location—and you remember to check the soil occasionally—this slow-grower is not usually fussy. However, here are some signs that your plant might need additional care.

Leaves Curling or Yellowing

In most cases, when Peperomia leaves turn yellow or start curling, it means they’re getting too much water. Remove the yellowed leaves.

Deformed Leaves

Ring spot may be diagnosed when you see deformed leaves. Pull off the distorted leaves and see if the plant grows back healthy. If not, it’s best to toss the whole plant. The disease is spread by seemingly healthy plants that are infected.3

Leaves Falling Off

Peperomia leaves may fall off because of a lack of light, underwatering, or overwatering. Ensure your plant gets plenty of indirect light and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings and then water thoroughly.

Also, ensure your Peperomia has adequate drainage, so it doesn’t get waterlogged and develop root rot. Use a moisture meter to help you determine when to water.

• Is a Peperomia plant a succulent?

  Peperomia plants are semi-succulents, meaning they have some succulent characteristics, particularly fleshy leaves.

• Do Peperomia like being misted?

  Peperomia plants like high humidity, but misting doesn’t do much to raise the humidity levels in a room. Use a humidifier or keep Peperomia in humid rooms, like bathrooms and laundry rooms.

• What is the lifespan of a Peperomia plant?

  Peperomia plants can live for many years, usually five to 10 years, in a small pot—never needing much care or attention, only indirect light and regular watering.

• Do Peperomia plants affect the air quality indoors?

  Research conducted by NASA shows that plants like Peperomia can reduce formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon dioxide in a sealed container experiment. This evidence leads researchers to deduce they can reduce these substances from indoor environments.1