Peperomias

How to choose a peperomia

Choose by leaf. The baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) is the toughest, a 30cm bush of thick, glossy, rounded leaves on fleshy stems, and its variegated form carries cream margins. The coin leaf peperomia (Peperomia polybotrya) has heart-shaped, almost succulent leaves the size of a coaster and looks like a small pilea. Red Edge is an upright form with cream and green leaves edged in red. For pattern, the red watermelon peperomia has silver and dark green stripes like a watermelon rind on red stems, and Lilian is a ripple-leaved Peperomia caperata with deeply corrugated leaves and white flower spikes like rat tails.

Where peperomias work

Indoors in bright to medium indirect light: near an east window, a metre or two back from a north one, or on a south-facing sill. The variegated and striped forms want the brighter end; the plain green baby rubber plant copes with a dimmer desk. Keep them out of direct midday sun, which scorches the fleshy leaves. They suit bathrooms and kitchens, where the humidity helps, and they are small enough for terrariums when young. Peperomias are not toxic to cats or dogs, which puts them among the pet-friendly indoor plants, and they sit well with the rest of our indoor plants. Outdoors they are only for shaded, frost-free, humid spots in the subtropics and tropics.

Potting and repotting

Peperomias have small root systems and like a snug pot. Use a free-draining indoor mix with added perlite or orchid bark, in a 120mm to 150mm pot with drainage holes, and repot only every two to three years when roots show at the base. A pot that is too large stays wet and rots the stems. Our guide to choosing the right pot size explains the step-up rule.

Care basics

Water when the top half of the mix is dry, roughly every ten days in summer and every two to three weeks in winter, and let the pot drain. Overwatering is the one way to kill a peperomia; the leaves store water and the plant would rather be dry than wet. Feed monthly in spring and summer with a half-strength liquid fertiliser. Wipe the leaves occasionally and pinch leggy stems to keep the plant bushy; the pinched tips root easily in water or mix. Mealybugs in the leaf joints are the usual pest and are wiped away with a cotton bud and methylated spirits.

Common questions

Are peperomias safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Peperomias are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs, which makes them one of the safest small indoor plants to keep within reach.

Why are the leaves going soft and dropping?

Too much water. Let the mix dry out well, check the pot drains, and water less often, especially in winter.

How much light does a peperomia need?

Medium to bright indirect light. The patterned forms lose their markings in a dim corner; the green baby rubber plant tolerates it best.

Do peperomias flower?

Yes, with thin green or white spikes rather than showy flowers. They are a sign of a happy plant and can be left or snipped off.