Peperomia (50 photos): types, cultivation and care at home

Houseplant Peperomia - description

As you can easily guess from the name, which contains the word “peper”, peperomia belongs to the Pepper family; its name itself translates as “pepper-like.” It is a perennial and evergreen plant, which means it will provide you with a bright, cheerful appearance for years to come.

Despite its tropical origin (and most tropical flowers, such as orchids, are very capricious), peperomia is absolutely unpretentious. Sometimes there is even an opinion that there are succulent species of this flower, but this, of course, is not so.

Succulents are easy to care for because they tend to grow in dry places and will not die if you forget to water them a couple of times, since they store moisture for a long time with the help of their thick, succulent leaves. Peperomia is unpretentious for another reason: it is epiphatic, that is, it can grow on almost any soil and survive in almost any conditions. Therefore, it is easy to care for even for novice gardeners.

What does peperomia look like?

This plant has many varieties (more than a thousand, by the way!), so their appearance can be very diverse. There are peperomia with red leaves or simply reddish, gray-silver, variegated (also variegated, that is, with a pattern on the leaves), and even the so-called “watermelon”.

What do all these types have in common:

• Peperomia is always short in stature, usually from fifteen to fifty centimeters;
• The main decorative element is leaves. They come in different shapes, can be pointed or round, like coins, but most often they are oval, slightly elongated, dense, leathery, covered with a waxy coating and therefore glossy.

The color of the leaves is varied, depending on the species, the presence of sun and moisture. Sometimes the leaves are velvety to the touch.

Peperomia can be either erect or creeping - ampelous (types of creeping peperomia are often used for hanging pots, therefore they are called ampelous).

Where it grows - the birthplace of the plant

South America, Asia, Africa. The native climate for peperomia is tropical, hot, humid.

How indoor peperomia blooms and what color it is

Yes, it blooms, but not very decoratively. The peduncles have the shape of thin spikelets, the flowers are faded and small. The main decorative element of peperomia is its leaves.

Is peperomia poisonous or not?

No, it's not poisonous.

Features of peperomia

Peperomia is a subshrub, as well as evergreen perennial and annual herbs. This plant has thick stems, with opposite dense, leathery leaf plates growing along their entire length. Peperomia is grown as an ornamental foliage plant, despite the fact that during flowering it produces small flowers. It is grown at home, but it can also decorate a garden plot if you create suitable conditions for it. Some species are distinguished not only by spectacular foliage, but also by decorative flowering, but they bloom only during short daylight hours. Some species are cultivated as hanging plants. Peperomia is often used to create flower arrangements.

How to care for Peperomia at home

It is important to properly care for any plant, since most often diseases appear due to improper care. Here's what you need to do to make your Peperomia feel healthy and happy:

What to do after purchase

The first step is to inspect the flower, if you have not done this in the store. Inspection is carried out for signs of diseases and pests. If the plant is healthy, and you are sure that your existing green pets are also healthy, you can add a new resident to them for permanent residence. If you notice signs of diseases, then move below to the diseases and pests section - it describes in detail how to deal with them.

Usually flowers are replanted immediately after purchase, since store-bought soil, as a rule, does not provide the new green resident with the required amount of nutrients.

However, with peperomia it depends on the time of year: you cannot replant in winter, since replanting is stress that the plant may not tolerate. In the fall it is replanted if it becomes cramped in the pot. The ideal time for transplantation is spring.

Lighting

Abundant, scattered. If you place it on a south window, it is advisable to slightly shade it with a curtain or place it behind another plant.

The flower needs eight to ten hours of sunlight daily, so from mid-autumn to the end of winter it is necessary to turn on ultraviolet lamps in the evenings.

Temperature

In summer and spring – +20-22⁰С, in winter the temperature can be reduced to 18⁰С. In general, peperomia is not capricious; it begins to feel bad only at temperatures below 15⁰C or above 27⁰C. However, 18-22⁰C is optimal for it.

It is important that the substrate is also warm (17-22⁰C), since hypothermia leads to freezing or rotting of the roots. In order for the substrate to retain heat better, it is advisable to use plastic rather than ceramic pots, since ceramics cool more easily.

Humidity

It is not critical, but no plant likes excessive dryness, so placing it near heating devices is still not recommended.

If you have a variety with velvety, fleecy leaves, you do not need to spray it, because moisture will be retained in the hairs. If the leaves are glossy and smooth, then you can spray them a couple of times a week.

How to water peperomia

With settled or boiled water (it is softer than just tap water and does not contain harmful elements), the water should be warm, but not hot (20-30⁰С, for the human hand this feels like “cool”). It is not recommended to use store-bought water.

In summer

From March to September, watering is done abundantly, since the substrate dries out quickly.

in winter

And from October to February it is moderate, because the substrate dries out more slowly. You should be guided by the top layer of soil: if it is dry and feels like crust to the touch, it means it’s time to water.

Fertilizer and feeding

It is not necessary to use them; it is easy to overdo it, and this leads to negative consequences for the plant. If you use it, then take a complex fertilizer for ornamental plants and apply it, halving the norms recommended on the packages.

Growing and care

Conditions for favorable growth

Basically, caring for the plant, even at home, is quite simple.

The very conditions that relate to light for a flower depend, in particular, on the type of plant itself.

Light

For example, plants that have a dark green color should grow on northern windows; the variegated variety very often needs very bright light, but not in the sense of direct sunlight, especially in the summer; absolutely all types of Peperomia should be protected in such a hot moment .

With a lack of light, the leaves on the plant will grow small in shape with a less saturated color.

Warm

As you already know, Peperomia is considered a tropical plant, that is, it does not tolerate various kinds of drafts quite well and tolerates heat very well.

In spring and summer, the most optimal temperature threshold for peperomia will be from twenty to twenty-two degrees, and in winter the temperature threshold should not fall below sixteen. In winter, Peperomia simply will not grow on a cold windowsill.

The temperature of the substrate must be exactly seventeen degrees and should not fall below this mark.

Humidity

Air humidity plays virtually no role for this plant. In tropical natural conditions, the plant lives in very high humidity, but dry air in the city is not dangerous for this plant.

The most demanding in terms of air humidity can only be the Peperomia variety with tender leaves, while species with fleshy leaves can tolerate dry air flow.

Spraying in the summer is very useful for the flower, but plants with pubescent or folded leaves should not be sprayed.

Peperomia is not afraid of drying out. This is mainly due to the leaves and stems, because in most species they are fleshy and are able to accumulate a sufficient amount of moisture.

The biggest danger is overwatering. If peperomia is over-watered, the stems and root system will begin to rot.

Watering

This plant must be watered with settled water, just a couple of degrees warmer than the air in your room.

In summer, watering should be moderate, and in winter, the plant should be watered extremely rarely, until the soil cover is completely dry. And insufficient watering can lead to the falling leaves of the lower area.

Fertilizer

Feeding during the period of intensive growth in spring and summer involves the use of a simple complex fertilizer for standard ornamental deciduous plants only a couple of times every thirty days.

In winter, this procedure should be reduced to once every thirty days.

Transfer

Peperomia is transplanted mainly as needed, approximately once every two years or even less often. You can use a fairly small pot, because the roots of the flower are not very developed.

The presence of a sufficiently strong drainage layer (up to six centimeters) in the pot is a must. Peperomia grows quite slowly, but if, according to external signs, the plant has simply stopped growing, then you should pay attention to see if your root system is peeking out from under the ground.

The plant needs loose soil. You can use a special mixture of humus, sand, peat and deciduous soil in the ratio (two to one to one to one), or a mixture of peat, foliage and sand in equal parts.

Very dense soil can also lead to rotting of the root system. The earth should be neutral or slightly acidic.

Reproduction

The leaf is propagated using leaf or stem cuttings or by dividing the bush during the transplantation procedure.

The cutting must have nodes (about three). It is best to root in the composition of leaf and turf soil and sand. With all this, the plant should prefer increased air humidity.

The substrate must be kept moist, but do not completely wet it. Wrinkled peperomia, as well as other types of bush flowers, can be propagated by leaf cuttings.

Reproduction of peperomia at home

Typically, to propagate a plant, you will need to cut off part of it. This is done with a sharp tool (scissors, pliers, pruning shears, a knife - whatever is convenient) so that you can cut off part of the plant in one movement, without the need to saw it off or break it off, since such a “ragged” wound will take longer to heal and is more likely to become infected.

The sections must be sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. This is also done for disinfection, as well as to speed up the healing of the cut.

The cuts are made diagonally, at an angle of 45 degrees, to make it easier for the mother plant to grow a new leaf or cutting to replace the one you took for the new plant.

Leaf

It's very simple: cut off a large, healthy leaf and transplant it into a small pot. The soil can be the same as the mother plant, or you can use seed soil (half leaf soil, half coarse river sand).

It is advisable to place the pot with the leaf in a warmer place than the mother plant - this will speed up growth. It is necessary to water periodically so that the soil does not dry out. Rooting will occur in three to four weeks.

Cuttings

Everything is the same as for rooting with a leaf, but instead of one leaf, a cutting is taken - a part of the stem with a pair of leaves and at least one node. These methods of reproduction are no different.

Growing from seeds

This is a more complex method. As a rule, propagation by seeds is used by professionals, because this method allows you to grow many flowers at once. Here's what you need to do:

Buy seeds or wait for the flower you already have to bloom and collect the berries left after flowering. Planting is carried out immediately after collecting the seeds, since the “fresh” they are, the higher the germination rate.

Plant the seeds in containers. There are many seeds, they are small, so they are planted in furrows at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other.

Composition of soil for seeds: half leaf soil, half coarse sand.

After planting, it is necessary to water the seeds with warm, settled water and cover with polyethylene or glass. Place in a sunny room with an air temperature of at least 25⁰C.

When the seed has hatched, it has two independent leaves - it is planted in a separate small container (an ordinary plastic cup will do) and placed in a sunny place. The composition of the soil is not changed, it is left the same (coarse sand and leaf soil). They are transplanted into mature soil when several pairs of leaves appear and the seedling gets stronger.

Biological description of the genus Peperomia

Peperomia is a genus of tropical perennial plants in the Pepper family (Piperaceae). Representatives of this genus are epiphytes, that is, their roots absorb moisture and nutrients from the air, which accumulate in the leaves and stems of the flower. The genus name comes from the Greek "peperi", meaning "pepper", and "homoios", meaning "similar".

Photo of one of the Peperomia species in the Berlin Botanical Garden

Since the genus was first described by Ruiz and Pavon in 1794, 1,668 accepted names for Peperomia have been published (1,497 species and 171 varieties and forms as of November 2022).

Peperomia are evergreen deciduous crops native to the forests of Central and South America, where they thrive in the warm, humid conditions of tropical forests. A small number of species grow in Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Most of them are compact perennials with decorative foliage. It is this lush green foliage that makes Peperomia attractive houseplants.

At home, Peperomia does not grow more than 30 cm in height (only some species can grow up to 60 cm). Compact varieties can grow no more than 15 cm. There are also varieties with hanging stems, which make attractive hanging flowers.

There are huge differences in leaf shape and color among different varieties and varieties of Peperomia. Some species have heart-shaped or spear-shaped leaves, while others have oval leaves. They may be smooth, wavy or wrinkled, and may also have a marbled, spotted or striped pattern on the surface of the leaf blade.

But all Peperomia are united by the shape and color of the flowers. They appear as nondescript white or greenish spikes at the end of long stems. Peperomia rarely bloom at home.

Should Peperomia be considered a succulent?

Despite the fact that most of the species of this genus have succulent, fleshy leaves and shoots, some gardeners do not consider Peperomia a succulent crop due to the fact that this flower prefers high humidity and requires more water than ordinary succulents.

But they still have certain organs (primarily leaves) that accumulate and retain moisture, reducing dependence on moisture in the ground. This feature is the main characteristic feature of succulent crops.

We will not dwell on this controversial issue, but want to talk about the features of Peperomia and the conditions it requires as a houseplant.

Interesting facts, signs and superstitions about the domestic flower Peperomia

• According to a NASA study, one of the unique aspects of this flower is that it purifies the air. An additional study showed that Peperomia reduced indoor formaldehyde levels by 47%.
• Peperomia is considered a symbol of good luck in Brazil. There it is often given as a flower that brings good luck and prosperity.
• There are superstitions that emphasize that the presence of Peperomia in the house has a beneficial effect on making important decisions in the lives of residents and pacifies negative energy.
• It is not easy to achieve flowering of Peperomia; in this regard, it is a capricious plant. But if it blossoms, it means there is goodness in the house.
• It is believed that Peperomia is one of the friendliest plants for its owners; it can accumulate all the best emotions and give them to its owners.
• According to Feng Shui, homemade Peperomia with round or oval leaves will have a positive effect on the residents of the house.
• According to the advice of Feng Shui experts, the optimal placement in the room will be the place where the maximum negative energy will accumulate.
• According to superstitions, Peperomia can be compared to the Money Tree, as a flower that brings wealth and peace.

Transplanting Peperomia at home

You should prepare for the transplant in advance. You will need to prepare the soil (see composition below) and disinfect it: bake it in the oven at a temperature of at least 100⁰C (this is necessary to kill all possible pests), and then leave it for ten to fifteen days in a room that is well ventilated so that healthy microorganisms were restored there.

The procedure for transplantation is very simple:

• Place a new one next to the old peperomia pot.
• Fill it 6-8 cm with drainage - expanded clay, pebbles, broken bricks.
• Sprinkle new soil on top (2-3 cm).
• Remove the flower from the old pot. Inspect the root system: are there any rotten parts, does it look healthy.
• If everything is in order, then place the plant in the center of the new pot and fill in the remaining soil.
• If there are rotten parts, it’s good that you noticed in time, just remove them with scissors and sprinkle the cuts with ground crushed coal, and only then transplant them into a new pot.
• After 3-4 days, water.

When to replant

The optimal time of year for transplantation is spring and summer. Transplantation in winter and autumn is extremely undesirable, since the plant may not withstand stress. A young plant (up to 4 years old) is replanted annually, after 4 years - as necessary.

Reasons for transplantation:

• Most often, they are replanted because the peperomia has grown out of its pot. This can be determined by the roots: if they look out of the pot, it means it’s time to replant.
• Also, replanting is often carried out to save the plant from disease or pests, because often it is the soil that harms it: infested with pests or waterlogged, oversaturated with fertilizers.

Priming

You can buy ready-made soil for peperomia or make it yourself: three parts of leaf soil, one part each of peat, compost and coarse sand. You will also need drainage, because the flower does not tolerate waterlogging.

Pot

A plastic pot is desirable; it retains heat better, which reduces the risk of overcooling the soil.

The pot size is tall and narrow to accommodate the thick layer of drainage and root system of the peperomia. If you are replanting a peperomia because it has outgrown the previous pot, the new pot should be about a third or half larger in diameter than the previous one.

Peperomia transplantation, containers and substrate

The substrate for peperomia is very important. This plant is so afraid of dampness that only high-quality loose, air- and water-permeable soil mixtures with a light structure are suitable for it. The optimal soil is based on leaf soil with half the amount of sand, peat and humus added, or ready-made mixtures for decorative leafy crops and succulents.

Transplantation for all representatives of the peperomia genus is carried out “on demand”: only when the roots have completely mastered the previous earthen lump and begin to appear in the drainage holes. Annual replanting is carried out very rarely for them, most often the plants are replanted once every 2 years. The procedure itself is standard: the plant is transferred, trying to injure the roots as little as possible and placing very high drainage at the bottom of the container.

Containers for peperomia should be classic, with a greater height compared to the diameter. Since high drainage is provided for the plant (up to 1/3 of the capacity), the living space will actually correspond to the shape of the rhizome. These crops do not like too much free soil. Containers for peperomia can only be increased by a few centimeters.

Peperomia can be grown hydroponically.

Peperomia in the interior. © floradania

Peperomia diseases with photos and their treatment

They often say not “plant diseases”, but “leaf diseases”, but strictly speaking, this is wrong, because if the leaves turn yellow, are deformed, curled, or become covered with spots, this means that something is wrong in the plant itself, but on the leaves it's just reflected. Plants often get sick due to improper care. In the case of peperomia, this happens as follows:

• Sunburn of leaves . It appears in the form of brown spots on them. Everything is simple here: you need to move the peperomia into the shade or at least organize a barrier between it and the sun (for example, in the form of a curtain). The plant will recover on its own.

• Excess fertilizer . It manifests itself as yellowing of the leaves and the appearance of brown spots on them. What to do with this: remove the fertilizer, let the plant digest what it already has; in particularly advanced cases, replanting is required, since the fertilizer is absorbed into the soil.

• The plant suffers from heat or, conversely, from cold, or from lack of moisture . Because of this, the leaves dry out, wrinkle and fall off. If this happens, then analyze the conditions in which it is contained and eliminate deviations from the norm.

• A sharp drop of leaves while outwardly appearing absolutely healthy indicates hypothermia.

• Overmoistening . It is manifested by the appearance of bubbles on the leaves. What to do: Reduce watering by half until the peperomia returns to normal.

• Root rot . Appears due to waterlogging of the soil. What needs to be done: replant the plant, during replanting, wash the roots and remove rotten parts.

As you can see, there are few diseases, most of them appear due to care errors. This is good, it means that the peperomia plant itself is healthy and will not wither away for no reason. The main thing is to care for it properly.

Peperomia – photo

Peperomia are so diverse that no photo gallery will fit all possible types and varieties. But still, we have collected the most beautiful and interesting of them!

Photo: pholder.com Photo: mkdou19.ru Photo: botanika35.ru Photo: flo.discus-club.ru

Photo: sdelai-lestnicu.ru

Photo: oasis-yp.com Photo: indoorgardenook.com Photo: domashniecvety.ru Photo: instagram.com

Photo: sunnyside-gardens.com Photo: pinterest.com.mx Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Photo: houseplants.studleys.com Photo: plantsam.com Photo: violet-bryansk.ru Photo: commons.m.wikimedia.org

Photo: pinterest.ru

Photo: fi.pinterest.com Photo: gardeningpool.com Photo: threadbaresupply.com

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Peperomia indoor pests

Peperomia pests are quite standard; many indoor plants suffer from them. It is important to know the following:

Firstly, if peperomia diseases, as a rule, begin due to improper care (for example, waterlogging or too much fertilizer), then pests often appear because you are simply unlucky. For example, you may accidentally pick up an insect on your shoes when returning from the street.

Therefore, it is important to periodically inspect your indoor plant for insects in order to immediately take measures to eliminate them before they have time to cause significant harm to the peperomia. Do not forget also that not only the ground parts need to be inspected, but also the soil in which the flower grows, since some pests hide there.

Secondly, pests most often appear in dry and hot microclimates, and they also love dust. Therefore, try to maintain order in the room where peperomia grows, periodically wipe the windowsill and window so that there is not a lot of dust around the flower. This is especially true for plants that live near heating devices.

Thirdly, most often pests adapt to the conditions in which they live and, sadly, do not even become susceptible to poison. Therefore, in order to remove pests, especially if they have already multiplied and are seriously harming the plant, you will have to use several means and alternate them.

So, what pests do peperomia have:

• Thrips

Symptoms: beige specks of dead tissue on the leaves, then the leaves become covered with a sticky silvery coating and die.

What to do: treat with several types of insecticide (two weeks between treatments), this will help get rid of the larvae. If adults have already appeared, you will have to hang fly tape around the flower and catch them.

Prevention: periodically water the peperomia with hot water and spray it with an infusion of fragrant herbs (for example, dill, parsley) to repel thrips.

• Mealybug

Symptoms: white lumpy coating, similar to cotton wool, then deformation and drooping of the leaves.

Reason for appearance: unlike other pests, mealybugs love moisture and cold, so they often appear as a result of excessive watering and low temperatures. Another reason is contaminated soil; here you could simply be unlucky in the store. Accordingly, prevention is careful adherence to the rules of plant care.

What to do: replant the peperomia, because if there are mealybugs, it means that the soil is most likely also contaminated. During transplantation, you need to wash the roots and inspect them; if there are rotten parts, remove them. After transplantation, it is necessary to treat with two types of insecticides (the break between treatments is ten days).

• Spider mite

Symptoms: a characteristic coating resembling very thin threads of cobwebs, usually on the lower parts of the plant. Then the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the plant becomes deformed and looks weak.

What to do: it is necessary to create high humidity conditions for peperomia, since this is what spider mites are most afraid of. This can be done as follows: first, the peperomia take a shower with soap to wash off all the insects and all the cobwebs, and then cover it with plastic film or glass, creating a greenhouse.

If this does not help and the ticks survive, then insecticide treatment is carried out.

Prevention: spraying, since spider mites like dryness and do not like moisture.

• Nematodes

Symptoms: brownish, vaguely shaped spots on the leaves, followed by wilting and death, as well as deformation and swelling of the roots.

What to do: place in a bathtub filled with hot water for half an hour. If this does not help, then the plant will have to be thrown away.

Preventive measures: once a week, irradiate the flower with a quartz lamp.

• Shchitovka

Symptoms: leaves turn yellow, brown growths appear on them, then the leaves fall off.

What to do: thoroughly wipe the indoor flower with cotton pads or a soft cloth soaked in a thick soap solution, then rinse under a hot shower. This is necessary in order to wash away the adults. Then you need to make a greenhouse - cover the flower with a plastic bag or glass.

If this does not help, then start treating with different types of insecticides, constantly alternating and changing them, since the scale insect is dangerous precisely because, thanks to the shield on its back, it is almost impervious to chemical drugs.

Prevention: regularly inspect peperomia, because the sooner you find the scale insect, the easier it will be to remove it.

Plant diseases and pests

If the air is very dry, a pest such as spider mites .

A cobweb appears between the nodes on the stems, and the leaves in that zone become sluggish and may already fall off.

To get rid of this pest, the flower must be wiped with a soapy cloth or sponge, and then washed under a warm shower. We recommend spraying the plant with water in a timely manner.

If the flower is very seriously damaged by parasites, you need to spray it with an Actellik solution (zero point fifteen percent) from one to two milliliters per liter of water.

Thrips appears due to high temperatures or low air humidity, especially in apartments with central heating.

On the lower part of the leaf, thrips will lay some colonies, and on the upper part there will be dots of a light shade, eventually the upper side of the leaf will be covered with a brown with a gray tint, as well as a shiny sheen.

On variegated varieties of the plant, thrips are not so noticeable. Affected Peperomia is in great need of spraying with insecticides.

Mealybugs can also settle on plants . The fight against this parasite involves wiping the leaves with cotton wool or a cotton pad soaked in alcohol.

Plant diseases such as root rot , as well as root collar rot, are considered the result of various types of fungal infections . Such infections appear when the soil is heavily compacted or waterlogged.

You can correct this situation by transplanting Peperomia into new soil, while also reducing watering.

The plant may also be infected with a virus that causes dwarfism. Such flowers must be removed urgently to avoid infecting the entire plant.

Popular types of Peperomia with names and photos

As already mentioned, there are more than a thousand varieties of peperomia. Here are some of them.

Bush-like

These are terrestrial varieties, that is, they do not creep, but stand upright. They cannot be used for hanging pots, but they look great on a windowsill.

Shriveled or caperata

A common feature of all “wrinkled” varieties is deep grooves on the leaves, because of which they really appear wrinkled and ribbed.

The most popular varieties:

Rosso is a small, lush, rounded bush of a large rosette of dark green leaves with silvery wide lines, slightly pointed. The bush looks like a large, lush, green rose.

Lilian is one of the few varieties that are decorative not only with their leaves, but also during flowering. They bloom in a small bush of a dozen thin, white, fragile bell-shaped flowers.

Shumi Red is distinguished by its colors: black and purple, even a little scary, and will fit perfectly into a Gothic-style interior.

Silver or watermelon

The leaves of this variety really are very reminiscent of a round, juicy watermelon with neat, longitudinal stripes dividing the leaf plate into peculiar even slices.

Gray-haired (peperomia incana)

There are no longer ribbed leaves - on the contrary, they are smooth, round, dark green in color with a noble silvery coating. Fleecy variety, velvety to the touch.

Magnolifolia

One of the most popular varieties with very bright, glossy, elastic leaves that you just want to touch - they are so bright, cheerful, making you remember summer even in winter.

Clusielifolia

The most popular varieties of clusielifolia peperomia:

Jelly is an unusual variety, quite miniature; even a relatively small pot is enough for it. The leaves grow in different directions straight from the ground, they are bright green in the middle, but edged with an uneven yellow stripe, and their very edges become pink.

Red Margin is a more reserved variety with a small number of shoots, but they are large, deep, noble dark green in color with a pinkish border along the edge.

Multicarpal or polybothria, raindrop

The peculiarity of this variety: it has rather long stems for a peperomia, there are several of them, and on each there is a small rosette of perfectly round malachite-green leaves. The result is an unusual composition.

Tupolifolia

The most popular peperomia of this type:

Green Gold is a variegated variety with a green core and a wide bright yellow border.

Pixie lime - distinguished by graceful, oval, slightly pointed leaves of a delicate golden-green hue, glossy, without patterns.

pitted

It is similar to the “watermelon” variety, but the leaf plates are smaller, but more abundant, and the stripes dividing the plate into slices are thinner, and the slices themselves are smaller.

Marble

Another variety “from the same opera”. The difference between this and the previous one is larger, rounded leaves, wider silvery stripes, which is why the variety appears not green, but white-green.

Spotted

This variety has few leaf blades, but they are very large, rich green in color, covered with a waxy coating, glossy, with thin white veins.

Metallica Colombiana

This variety has many leaves, they are smaller than other varieties, the color is black and burgundy with a silvery core.

Piccolo Gang

A variety that grows as a miniature bush. Similar to watermelon, it will look great on your desktop - casual, elegant, not too bright, but lifting your mood.

Ampelnaya

Ampelous varieties of peperomia are creeping ones, which are most often used for hanging pots for summer decoration of a cottage or balcony. It looks really nice.

Creeping

This variety has many small, rounded leaves that emerge from the pot like green foam. If you look closely, you will notice that the leaves are decorated with a white pattern.

Head or glabella

This variety is not as abundant, but has a beautiful, bright green shade of small, glossy, rounded leaves.

Round-leaved or rotundifolia, coinifolia

This variety can be grown as a bush at first, because the young plant will grow straight, but with age it will turn into a real green waterfall, beyond which you can’t even see the pot.

Climbing or skandance variegata

This variety has small, rounded green leaves with golden edges. Looks like a green and gold mane running down the pot.

Pereskilifolia or small-leaved

The most popular varieties:

Angulata looks great both in the country and in the office, since this variety grows less abundantly, more restrainedly, not with such a lush mane as the previous ones, but its leaves are larger, elongated, built-up, with barely noticeable lines.

Rubella is an unusual variety: the outer surface of the leaves is soft green, but the underside is dark pink, almost red.

Creeping or prostrate

The bush is very low, grows purely downwards, so it can even reach the floor or furniture. The leaves are a delicate light green shade. Perfect for light-colored interiors.

Succulent

These varieties tend to have thicker and more elongated leaves, although they resemble succulents, although peperomia is not actually one of them.

Chisel-shaped

It looks quite unusual: a lush bright green rosette growing in all directions with many long, sharp shoots similar to empty pea pods. The most common:

Happy Bean is a small but lush dark green bush that looks great in the office or on the balcony.

At first glance, it is difficult to mistake Nivalis for a peperomia: it grows in a spikelet studded with small soft green thick leaves.

Graveolens

The variety is distinguished by many thin, sharp-shaped shoots with a dark core and rich burgundy edging.

Columella

A creeping variety, but instead of a bush there are many spikelets, studded with strong small leaves tightly adjacent to each other.

Whorled

A miniature variety with a long stem and rounded leaves around it, all this together forms an unusual composition.

Types and varieties of peperomia

There are many varieties and types of peperomia Types of peperomia
As we noted earlier, the peperomia houseplant has many varieties. Thanks to such a wide range, every gardener will be able to choose a flower that ideally matches his aesthetic tastes and the stylistic design of the room. In order to make the right choice, you need to take a closer look at the description of the most common types. Let's get started!

Peperomia obtufolia

It is a herbaceous perennial, which is characterized by thick, powerful shoots reaching 40 centimeters in height.

Peperomia obtufolia has smooth, oval-shaped petiolate leaves.

A peculiarity of this species is its unusual petiolate leaves with a cut off top, alternately located on the stem. They can be ovoid or oval in shape. The color of the foliage largely depends on the chosen variety. As a rule, it is colored dark green, milky white or silvery green. Dull-leaved peperomia is a flowering plant, but the spike-shaped peduncle often goes unnoticed, since it practically does not differ from the young shoot.

Peperomia magnoliafolia

Magnolia leaf peperomia will certainly appeal to lovers of compact indoor flowers, because the height of an adult plant does not exceed 25 centimeters. This perennial has fleshy, densely branched, erect shoots of brown-green color with rather large light nodes. The stems are abundantly covered with dense, short-petioled, rounded leaves of a rich green hue. Tight inflorescences are shaped like spikelets and consist of small pistachio flowers. Also in flower shops you can find varieties whose leaves have a pale yellow or light green color, exotic inclusions, malachite stripes or shapeless spots.

Peperomia magnoliafolia has branching leaves

Peperomia corrugata (wrinkled)

Wrinkled peperomia is a rather miniature ornamental plant (up to 10 cm in height), which is often used to decorate window sills or small indoor greenhouses. A characteristic feature of this species is an unusual leaf plate with many veins resembling wrinkles. The leaves are colored green, and the convex veins are brown. In the summer, wrinkled peperomia will delight you with snow-white spikelet flowers that rise majestically above a bright bush. Interestingly, the plant does not have a natural dormant period, so with proper care it will grow throughout the year.

Peperomia corrugata has a veiny leaf structure

Peperomia clusifolia

This representative of the Pepperaceae family is a rather large (up to 40 cm in height), bushy, perennial plant. Its stems are abundantly covered with thick, petiolate leaves of a dark green color. The leaf blade can reach 15 centimeters in length and have a slight reddish tint. The base of the leaf is wedge-shaped, the apex is usually obtuse, and the edges are purple. Clusielifolia peperomia is widely used in decorating rooms, balconies and making flower arrangements.

Peperomia clusifolia has a reddish tint at the edges

Peperomia Lilian

Caperata (the second name of the variety) is a small evergreen shrub, densely covered with rich green, heart-shaped, rounded leaves. Peperomia Lilian got its name thanks to its snow-white inflorescences that resemble beautiful lily buds. At the end of flowering, small dry berries appear at the tops of the inflorescences. An adult plant can reach up to 32 centimeters in height and width. There are many varieties of this strange flower, which differ in the shape of the leaves, the color of the shoots and foliage. Most often, this type is used in the design of hanging compositions and epiphytic trunks.

Peperomia Lilian is so called because of its beautiful lily inflorescences and perfectly complements the interiors of houses

Peperomia Rosso

This is another unusual representative of the Pepper family, which is famous for its decorative properties. It has become widespread due to its oblong, fleshy, brown-green leaves, located in bunches on the stem. The bright foliage is often mistaken for flowers. In fact, peperomia Rosso blooms quite rarely, and it cannot boast of beautiful buds. Its inconspicuous spike-shaped inflorescences consist of tiny, unisexual flowers. The variegated bush has the shape of a star flower, so it looks very impressive. Despite such an exotic appearance, the plant is unpretentious and is able to quickly adapt to new living conditions.

The leaves of Peperomia Rosso have a green-brown tint.

Peperomia rotundifolia (monetolifolia)

Round-leaved peperomia is an ampelous species. It is a miniature creeping plant that is perfect for decorating a veranda, balcony or window opening. Thin reddish shoots are densely covered with tiny (up to 1 cm in length), round leaves of light green color, sitting on short petioles. Placed in hanging vases, they look like voluminous openwork balls. With their help, you can refresh the interior and fill the room with bright colors. In addition, coin-leaved peperomia does not have a pronounced dormant period, so it will delight you with its beauty throughout the year.

Peperomia roundifolia has many green round leaves.

Peperomia whorled

It is a bush consisting of many powerful, erect succulent shoots. Dense, short-petioled leaves are placed in whorls of 4-5 pieces. They have a reverse ovoid shape and a rounded tip. 3 arcuate veins are clearly visible on the leaf blade. The stems and foliage are abundantly covered with soft grayish-white hairs. The size of the leaves, pubescence and appearance of the plant largely depend on the microclimatic conditions of its maintenance. Whorled peperomia, which develops in a humid room, has rather large leaves, sparse whorls and mild pubescence. If it lacks moisture, the leaves will be small, the whorls will be close together, and the pubescence will be quite dense.

Peperomia whorled has strong trunks and leaves arranged in whorls.

Peperomia silver

This miniature species is rightfully considered one of the most spectacular. Silvery peperomia has a short-sexed stem, on which there are long petioles with leaves twisted into rosettes. By the way, it is the unusual color of the leaves that attracts attention to the bush-like plant. They have a round shape and reach up to 12 centimeters in diameter. The silvery color of the leaf blade alternates with the bright green color of the veins, forming a unique pattern. The plant looks as if it was deliberately doused with silver paint, so it is often mistaken for artificial. By the way, due to its original coloring, this species was popularly called watermelon peperomia.

Peperomia silver has silvery leaves with green veins.

Peperomia variegata

Variegata is a species of clusielifolia peperomia. Thanks to its variegated, original foliage, painted in three colors, this variety has gained popularity among gardeners. Near the vein, the leaf blade has a dark green color, which changes to pale yellow closer to the center, and the reddish border gives the leaf even more expressiveness. Variegated peperomia is a miniature indoor plant that will fit perfectly into any interior. Also, with its help, you can create a huge number of flower arrangements. It is noteworthy that the variegated variety is not found in nature.

Peperomia variegata has a multi-colored pattern on the leaves

Peperomia reddish

This species is a herbaceous perennial with many branched red stems. Each shoot has 4 opposite leaves. The upper part of the leaf blade is colored rich green, and the underside is brown-red. Small oblong oval-shaped leaves abundantly cover the stems, making the bush quite voluminous and lush. Reddish peperomia is often used to create hanging decorative compositions. The plant is easy to care for, so even a novice gardener can grow it. The main thing is to create optimal microclimatic conditions, water and fertilize on time.

Peperomia reddish has a red tint on the inside of the leaf and along the stem; on the outside the leaves remain green

Peperomia ampelous

It is a herbaceous tree. A distinctive feature of this species is the specific shape and color of small leaves. Ampelous peperomia has elongated shoots reaching up to 1.5 meters in length. As a rule, the plant is placed in a hanging pot, from which its stems fall beautifully, abundantly covered with bright foliage. There are many varieties of ampelous peperomia, so the shape, color and order of the leaves on the stem directly depend on the variety you choose. Creeping vine is often used to decorate arches, balconies and window openings; it is also used to create indoor hanging gardens.

Some types of peperomia are excellent for hanging, for example, round-leaved

Peperomia pereskifolia

Pereskolea Peperomia is a relatively large representative of the Pepperaceae species. It has oblong ascending shoots, which after several years bend down and take root. The elliptical leaves are slightly pointed at the tip, dark green in color, and reach up to 5 centimeters in length. The whorl contains 3 to 5 leathery leaves; 3 arcuate veins are clearly visible on the leaf plate. It is advisable to place the pot with the plant in partial shade, since when exposed to direct sunlight, the leaves of peperomia turn pale, losing their rich color and decorative properties.

The leaves of Peperomia pereskifolia have pointed tips.

Peperomia capita

It is an ampelous variety with dense, wide leaves growing on creeping stems. The shoots can reach up to 25 centimeters in length, so take care of support for the lush bush in advance or place it in a hanging pot. Headed peperomia can adapt to almost any conditions, but experts recommend placing it in dark places and avoiding frequent watering. The color of leaves, stems and petioles directly depends on this. In partial shade they will have a bright color, and in well-lit places the plant will fade and lose its former attractiveness.

Peperomia capita has dense green leaves

Peperomia ferreira

It is a succulent epiphytic representative of the flora, which has unusual leaves that seem to be bent in half. They are colored light green, and the veins are dark green. Peperomia ferreira has an erect stem on which foliage grows profusely, forming a star. The height of the stem does not exceed 30 centimeters, and the leaves reach 7-8 centimeters in length. Peperomia has a very unusual appearance, so it will certainly appeal to lovers of exotic plants. It is unpretentious in care, the main thing is to humidify the air in time and water the flower itself. It is best to use well-drained soil for growing this species.

Peperomia Ferreira has sharp, slightly curved and long leaves.

Peperomia pitata

One of the largest representatives of the species, reaching up to 50 centimeters in height. Pit peperomia is a powerful upright shrub-like plant with smooth red-brown stems on which petioleless leaves are collected in rosettes. The lanceolate leaf blade has a bizarre coloring: the dark green surface is decorated with pronounced milky-white stripes. Such an unusual color ensured that this variety became widespread. The plant looks exotic and can significantly transform the interior, but you won’t need much time to care for it.

Peperomia pitata has green leaves with a striped white pattern.

Peperomia dolabriformis (chisel-shaped)

It is a low-growing succulent plant that can grow up to 60 centimeters at home. Chisel-shaped peperomia has unusual leaves that resemble slightly open pea pods. The bush consists of several powerful stems, on which sessile fleshy leaves, up to 6 centimeters long and 0.5 centimeters thick, are alternately located. The leaf blade is somewhat compressed in the vertical plane and is colored light green. Peperomia dolabriformis was also called Happy Bob due to the similarity of its leaves to the pods of leguminous plants.

Peperomia chisel leaves are shaped like pea pods.

Peperomia rotundifolia

Compact shrub with many creeping stems up to 30 centimeters long. It has alternate rounded leaves (up to 2 cm in diameter). A characteristic feature of young leaves is an almost invisible network of brown veins; adult shoots, in turn, are painted bright green. Rotundifolia blooms in autumn. During the flowering period, fragile purple peduncles with inconspicuous whitish inflorescences appear on the bush. Representatives of this species are used as decorative foliage and hanging plants.

Peperomia rotundifolia has round small leaves

Peperomia repens

It is an epiphytic variety with erect shoots growing in different directions or falling from a hanging flowerpot. The oval green leaves have a cream edging, and their length is usually 5-6 centimeters. Creeping peperomia does not require bright lighting and frequent watering, so it is suitable even for those who do not have enough time to constantly care for indoor plants. Note that there are also varieties on the market with hanging and recumbent shoots.

Peperomia creeping perfectly complements various arboretums and terrariums

Peperomia graveolens

Peru and Ecuador are considered the birthplace of this succulent. This tropical wonder is loved by many gardeners due to the original color of the foliage. The upper part of the leaf blade is light green, and the lower part is ruby ​​in color. This unusual combination of colors gives Peperomia graveolens a very attractive and exotic look. The peculiarity of this variety is that the oblong leaves, curled at the edges, are attached directly to the erect brown-red stem. During the flowering period, the bush produces thin spikelets with pale yellow inflorescences. The height of the plant does not exceed 25 centimeters.

Peperomia graveolens has dense leaves that are reddish below.

Peperomia climbing

This ampel type can easily be called one of the most popular. It adapts perfectly to indoor conditions and does not require specific care. Climbing peperomia is a succulent; its stems and leaves are able to accumulate and store water for a long time, so it tolerates even prolonged drought. Such an unpretentious plant is suitable for travelers or people who often have to go on business trips, because climbing peperomia will not lose its decorative properties. Young leaves are round in shape and beige in color; after some time they become oblong and pointed, their color changes to pale cream with specific green markings. The stems of an adult plant can reach up to 1.5 meters in length. Peperomia grows best in partial shade, so experts recommend placing it on a north-facing window.

The leaves of climbing peperomia have a darker color to class=”aligncenter” width=”1024″ height=”1024″[/img]

This is only a small list of existing varieties. Velvety, small-leaved and marbled peperomia are no less popular. Also, recently, peperomia mix, which is a set of several miniature varieties planted in one container, has become increasingly widespread.

What does the peperomia flower bring into the house: benefits and harms

The main benefit of this plant for the home is air purification. Peperomia has large, bright green leaves that disinfect the air, absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful fumes, and in return produce pure oxygen. Therefore, it is recommended to plant this home flower for people who suffer from respiratory diseases, often get colds or often have headaches - the purified air around them usually has a positive effect on their well-being.

As for superstitions, here are the reviews about peperomia as follows:

• Peperomia has bright, positive energy. They say that it purifies not only the air from harmful fumes, but also the thoughts from anger and irritation. In a house where peperomia grows, family members show more warmth and tenderness towards each other.
• The exception is the varieties of peperomia with pointed tips of the leaves (the owners of this shape are rare types of wrinkled peperomia), the opinion about them is the opposite: it is believed that they attract evil, negative energy.
• They say that peperomia attracts change. For the better, of course.
• The plant is also said to help make the right decisions. This phenomenon may also have a completely medical, scientific explanation: peperomia purifies the air, and when a person breathes clean air, he thinks easier and more clearly. Well, from the point of view of superstition, one might think that peperomia inspires the owner with the right thoughts and attracts positive energy to him.
• From the point of view of Feng Shui teachings, peperomia is a plant full of feminine soft passive energy “Yin”. This means that it helps to soften a harsh character, extinguishes quarrels, and encourages people to be more diplomatic and gentle towards each other.
• However, this also means that peperomia extinguishes the love fervor of the spouses, making their married life cold and apathetic. Therefore, it is advisable not to place such plants in the bedroom, but the living room or kitchen is perfect.

Similar plants

Of the similar ones, it is worth mentioning first of all other varieties of peperomia:

• Peperomia is bush-like - it is a little lower and the stems do not spread as much - rather, due to the leaves, they rise like a cap. The flowers are also in the form of spikelets.
• Peperomia wrinkled - despite such a dissonant name, it is very beautiful: corrugated dark green leaves rise up in a small, neat cap. For two months a year it blooms with snow-white spikelets.
• Peperomia ampelous has the longest shoots, they reach half a meter. They fit into any interior, bringing sophistication and comfort to it.
• Peperomia creeping in the wild grows in swamps, conveniently anchored with its roots on the trunks of large trees. In city apartments, it feels great in hanging flowerpots.
• The small, delicate peperomia rotundifolia is very good - neat coins of leaves will appeal to lovers of flower terrariums. It, like peperomia capita, is important to water moderately and protect from direct sunlight.

As you can see, caring for Peperomia golovata is not difficult. By following these simple rules, you can create beautiful compositions of flowers, in which this beauty will be, if not the main, then certainly not a secondary heroine.

Peperomia in the interior: photo

Description of the plant

This unpretentious home flower comes from the South American tropics. It is distinguished by a huge variety of forms, so it is almost impossible to characterize it with general characteristics. They are united only by the fleshiness of the shoots and the waxy coating on the leaves, which protects them from active sunlight and prevents moisture loss.

Peperomia in natural conditions

Peperomia leaves of different types can be small and large, round and oblong, smooth and corrugated, plain and variegated. And the plant itself has the appearance of a shrub, subshrub or hanging plant.

Different types of peperomia

The plant is valued precisely for this variety and decorativeness of its leaves. It blooms quite modestly, its inconspicuous small white flowers are collected in a dense spadix and resemble plantain inflorescences on a dark petiole. Although there are also species with rather decorative funnel-shaped flowers.

Blooming peperomia

Note. The plant can bloom all year round if you provide it with sufficient nutrition and lighting and regularly remove faded shoots.

Similar flowers

There are 5 types of peperomia, which are similar to Rosso, but have different shades:

1. Peperomia Watermelon. The leaves are colored green and red, characteristic of watermelon.
2. Peperomia Marble is distinguished by the presence of burgundy rims and veins on the leaves.
3. Tricolor has foliage with a white border.
4. Peperomia Wrinkled is distinguished by its bright colors and glossy leaf surface.
5. Caperata Lilian has a unique shape - its flowers look like lilies.

Peperomia Rosso is a beautiful exotic indoor plant that does not require special care. It is enough to follow a few simple rules, and the flower will decorate your home for a long time.

Erect

This group includes plants of varying heights with thick, fleshy shoots.

Variety with solid green leaves

• Peperomia obtufolia has oval, ovate leaves. In the wild, it can grow not only on the ground, but also on tree trunks. The color of the leaves depends on the variety and can be white, cream or dark green, plain or variegated. The inflorescences that appear in spring and summer resemble a small cylinder.

Variegated variety

• Peperomia magnoliafolia grows only up to 30-35 cm. Its dense, glossy leaves also have a rounded shape. The stems are green with red or brown thickenings. The inflorescences are rather inconspicuous - thin and long green spikelets.

Peperomia magnoliafolia

• Peperomia pereskifolia is a small-leaved plant, the length of its very hard leaves does not exceed 5 cm. In their shape, they resemble rhombuses or ellipses, collected several times in whorls.

Peperomia pereskifolia

• Peperomia Ferreira is classified as a succulent, as it has the ability to store water in its leaves and stems, and also as an epiphyte, as it requires support in the form of another plant. It is distinguished by unusual long leaves folded in half. They are located around an erect stem and, when viewed from above, resemble a star or a snowflake.

Peperomia ferreira

Note. Ferreira loves moist soil, but does not tolerate stagnant water. Therefore, you need to water it moderately.

• Peperomia graveolens is another succulent that is very similar to sea corals. Its twisted, fleshy leaves are light green above and red, scarlet, burgundy or ruby ​​below. The inflorescences in the form of light yellow spikelets are also quite beautiful.

Peperomia graveolens

• From afar, watermelon peperomia really looks like a bunch of small watermelons. This impression is created due to the unusual color of the leaves of alternating light and dark green stripes. The reddish petioles, no more than 12 cm long, also give the plant its originality. Under natural growing conditions, it is a ground cover, so when growing at home, it is often planted with larger plants to fill the void in a flower pot.

Peperomia watermelon

• Peperomia chisel is a succulent with very thick and succulent leaves that resemble a circle folded in half. The stems, succulent in youth, become woody over time and stretch up to 60 cm in length.

Peperomia chisel

• Peperomia clusifolia is a large plant up to 50 cm high with very decorative variegated leaves on short petioles. Their main decoration is purple edging.

Peperomia clusifolia

Ampelous

Like other species, ampelous plants have leaves of different sizes, shapes and colors. But the stems reach one and a half meters in length. Hanging from a pot, they greatly decorate the interior.

• Peperomia repens is an epiphyte that naturally grows on large trees. Valued by flower growers for the decorative appearance of small green or variegated leaves arranged in tiers on reddish stems.

Peperomia repens

• Peperomia roundifolia is an elegant and delicate plant with thin shoots strewn with small and round coin-like leaves. They do not like direct contact with water and sunlight.

Peperomia roundifolia

• Peperomia capita. Someone decided that its leaves were shaped like a human head, hence the name. They are small, broadly oval, and usually green in color. The plant looks interesting in flower arrangements.

Peperomia capita