Peperomia Care and Varieties
When it comes to foliage plants, there are thousands of varieties. Today, we want to talk about one of our favorite genus which we grow here at Wild Interiors, peperomia!
We currently grow about 8 different varieties of the gorgeous plant, but that often changes over time as we discover new kinds and improve our greenhouses.
The entire genus is within the Piperaceae family from South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. It’s often more commonly referred to as a baby rubber plant due to its slightly thicker, shinier leaves.
They’re relatively easy plants to care for and grow slowly and purify your air!
Peperomia Care
Like many of our other foliage plants, peperomias require bright, indirect light, temperatures between 55-85 degrees Fahrenheit and should dry out between waterings. Use the soil as an indicator, as the leaves will hold some moisture, so overwatering can be bad for your plant.
Lighting: Bright, indirect light will allow your plant to get what it needs without burning it. Direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, leaving them brown or wilted. West or South facing windows are best, but if you have to place your plant near direct sunlight, use a curtain to diffuse some of that light.
Water: Peperomia leaves are a bit thicker than other foliage leaves, so they hold onto water a bit longer. Let the soil really dry out between waterings to ensure you aren’t adding too much to your plant. Ensure you have well-draining soil, so your plant doesn’t hold onto too much moisture.
Temperature: Like most foliage plants, they don’t like cold or hot temperatures but do appreciate some humidity. Since peperomias are naturally from a warmer climate, they’ll appreciate some moisture in the air.
Fertilize: You can give your plant some help during its growing season, which is spring and summer. Go ahead and fertilize with a diluted liquid fertilizer once per month and count that as one of your plant’s waterings.
Pruning and Propagating: It’s normal to want to prune an errant leaf now and again, but don’t go crazy. Peperomias are a bit more forgiving than other foliage varieties, if you pinch the stem just below the leaf, the plant will create more branches and more leaves. You can propagate your plant anytime, even using one of the leaves you pruned off. Give that pruned leaf plenty of light and water while it’s in soil and you should see roots after just a few weeks.
Repotting: Don’t worry about this for a few years. Since your peperomia grows slowly, you should see any roots coming out of the pot’s drainage holes for about 2 years. When you repot, always do so in a larger pot.
Types of Peperomia
Here at Wild Interiors, we grow several varieties of peperomia plants and are constantly trialing and innovating to bring more unique varieties to our greenhouses for you.
Currently, we have about 8 varieties in our rotation of peperomia plants and want to tell you more about each of them!
Peperomia Watermelon: This is one of the peperomia varieties that has a pretty straightforward name. The leaves are true to the peperomia shape but have a unique patterned look resembling a watermelon rind. These plants are gorgeous, with round full, shiny leaves.
Peperomia Raindrop: This peperomia variety is the truest of all with round, shiny leaves in a true green color. They can grow to a decent size as each leaf and stem grow, looking less compact over time.
Peperomia Obtipan Green: Similar in color to the peperomia raindrop, the peperomia obtipan green is a true green color and extremely shiny. However, the leaves are a bit more tapered and have more texture than some other varieties.
Peperomia Brasilia: This peperomia variety is perfect for the fall season, as its leaves have gorgeous deep texture in addition to a deep green color. The underside of each leaf has an orangey tint, giving it even more depth.
Peperomia Green Gold: A bright, beautiful variety is the peperomia green gold. Each leaf has unique coloring, but it is a stunning mix of true green and a soft lime green color. It’s great to add a pop of color to any space without straying too far from nature.
Peperomia Mendoza: Similar to the peperomia brazilia, the peperomia mendoza has tapered shaped leaves with dark color on top and lighter color under. The top is a grey-toned green, with the bottom leaning more burgundy. It’s a great, rich accent for fall.
Peperomia Napoli Night: This variety is about halfway between the raindrop and mendoza/brasilia. The tapered shape is there, but there isn’t as much texture. A gorgeous green color adds some depth to any space.
Peperomia Rosso: The tapered leaf helps the deep, rich colors standout. Full of rich reds, burgundy and deep green, this is a stunning statement plant.
