Baby Rubber Plant

Baby Rubber Plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) is the indoor plant to choose when the pot has to sit somewhere small and there is a cat or a dog in the house. It stays around 30cm tall and 30cm wide, with thick glossy spoon shaped leaves that store their own water, and it is not toxic to pets. Slow, compact and forgiving, it suits a desk, a shelf or a bathroom windowsill.

Why you'll love it

• Safe around cats and dogs. A genuinely pet friendly indoor plant, so it can sit at floor level without worry.
• It stays small. About 30cm each way, so the plant you buy is close to the plant you keep.
• Succulent leaves forgive a missed watering. The thick foliage holds moisture, so a fortnight away does not end badly.
• Happy in indirect light. It performs in the moderate light most rooms actually have, and a single leaf pushed into damp mix will root.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender. Desks, shelves and bathrooms all suit it, and bathroom humidity is a bonus.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Keep it in a pot only slightly wider than its root ball, because peperomias have small root systems and sulk in an oversized container where the mix stays wet. In tropical and subtropical gardens it can live outdoors in a sheltered shaded spot. Everywhere else it comes inside for winter.

Growing Baby Rubber Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light or partial shade indoors, since direct sun through glass scorches the leaves. Outdoors it belongs only in frost free tropical and subtropical gardens, in shade, because one cold night will damage it.

Soil. A free draining indoor potting mix opened up with perlite or coarse bark, in a pot with a drainage hole. More of these plants are lost to soggy mix than anything else.

Water and feed. Water thoroughly, empty the saucer, then wait until the top half of the mix is dry: about every ten to fourteen days in warm months, every three weeks in winter. Feed at half strength monthly in spring and summer.

Pruning. Pinch the growing tips to keep it bushy and remove yellowing lower leaves at the base. Repot every two or three years, into the next size up and no larger.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes: 140mm pots in packs of ten, 175mm in packs of six, 200mm in packs of six and 250mm in packs of three. The 140mm plants are the value option; the 200mm and 250mm plants are established specimens that go straight into a decorative pot. The 175mm size is currently on backorder.

Thick leaves travel well, so this is one of the better indoor plants to send. A little leaf drop on arrival is normal. Leave it somewhere bright and indirect for a week before the first water, and expect little visible growth for a couple of months. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse pet friendly indoor plants
• Shop the full indoor plant range
• Choosing the right pot size

Common questions

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. This peperomia is not toxic to cats or dogs, which makes it one of the few genuinely pet friendly indoor plants with glossy foliage like this. Chewed leaves may still cause mild stomach upset, as any plant matter can.

Why are the leaves going soft and yellow?

Almost always overwatering. The thick leaves already hold a reserve of water, so the mix needs to dry down between drinks. Let the top half of the pot dry out and never leave it standing in a full saucer.

Can I grow it outside?

Only in frost free tropical and subtropical gardens, in a shaded sheltered spot. In every other climate it is an indoor plant, or a pot that spends summer on a shady balcony.