Red Watermelon Peperomia

Red Watermelon Peperomia (Peperomia turboensis 'Red Watermelon') is a compact indoor plant with rounded, silver striped leaves backed in deep red. It stays around 250mm high and wide, so it holds a desk or a bathroom sill without ever needing a bigger pot, and it is non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Pattern on both sides of the leaf. Silver banding on top, wine red beneath, so it shows colour from any angle as the leaves turn.
• Not toxic to cats or dogs. Peperomias are recognised as safe around pets, so this one can sit at floor level or on a low shelf.
• It stays small. A mature plant is about 250mm each way, so there is no repotting cycle and nothing outgrows its spot.
• Forgiving of a missed watering. The thick leaves store moisture, so a week away does no harm, while constant wet mix will rot the stems.

Where it works best

Indoors. Bright indirect light on a shelf, desk or bathroom sill is ideal, and indoors your climate stops mattering with a plant this frost tender.

Pots and small spaces. A 150mm decorative pot is plenty. Grouped in threes it reads far better than as a single plant.

Balconies and courtyards. In tropical and subtropical gardens it lives outside year round in a sheltered, shaded position.

Growing red watermelon peperomia in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light or dappled shade. Direct sun bleaches the silver markings and scorches the leaf edges. Outdoors it needs a frost free climate, so south of the subtropics treat it as an indoor plant.

Soil. A light, free draining mix: premium potting mix with added perlite or orchid bark. Peperomias have fine, shallow roots that suffocate in heavy mix, and the pot needs a drainage hole.

Water and feed. Water when the top half of the mix is dry, roughly every ten to fourteen days in summer and every three weeks in winter, and tip the saucer out afterwards. A half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer is all it wants.

Pruning. Only tidying. Pinch back long stems to keep the mound compact and remove yellowing lower leaves at the base. The flower spikes are thin green tails with little ornamental value, and removing them pushes energy back into foliage.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in one size, 125mm pots in packs of ten, which suits a group planting, a shelf display, or splitting an order between rooms.

Plants arrive established and well rooted, though the succulent leaves can bruise in transit, which shows as a soft mark rather than a fault. Unpack immediately, let the mix dry a little, and expect little visible growth for a month, since this is a slow grower. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, plus our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read how to keep your indoor plants alive for light and watering basics.
• Browse indoor plants that are safe around pets.
• See more ideas in the best pet friendly plants for the home.
• Compare the full indoor plant range.

Common questions

Is it really safe for pets?

Yes. Peperomia species are recognised as non-toxic to cats and dogs, so a nibbled leaf is not a poisoning risk. Discouraging chewing is still sensible, as any plant material can upset a stomach.

Why are the leaves going soft and dropping?

Overwatering, almost every time. The roots are fine and shallow and rot quickly in wet mix. Let the top half of the pot dry out before the next drink and make sure the pot drains freely.

Can it live in a room with no window?

Not well. It tolerates lower light but the red and silver markings fade to plain green. A spot within a metre or two of a window, out of direct sun, keeps the colour.