If you ’re on the Leigh Hunt for a fuss - loose , simple to care for but oh - so - pretty houseplant , you might wish to render peperomias .
These petty tropic beauties are semi - lush , and they do n’t wish pile of Lord’s Day . In other actor’s line , they are perfect for growing in an indoor environs .
But if you ’ve front into peperomia at all already , you ’ve probably noticed that there are a ton of unlike ones out there .
Photo via Alamy.
Peperomias belong to the pepper family . In fact , that ’s what their botanic name means . Peper translates to “ pelt , ” and omia stand for “ same . ” In other words : similar to pepper .
We join to vendors to aid you find relevant products . If you grease one’s palms from one of our linkup , we may earn a direction .
There are hundreds ofPeperomiaspecies , but only a few dozen are commonly grown as houseplants or in home gardens .
Many areepiphytes , which mean they do n’t acquire in soil in nature , but rather , on the short pants and offset of other plants .
Do n’t concern , they grow just fine in soil as houseplants , so long as you do n’t smother the roots in arduous corpse or by adding too much water .
In this guide , we ’ll cover 17 of the most common species to farm as houseplants so you may get to love these plants a little better . Here ’s what you may expect :
17 Peperomia Species to Grow as Houseplants
Without further flurry , lease ’s meet some peperomia !
1. Alata
With its coloured green foliage extending off of graceful stems , it ’s no admiration the winged peperomia ( P. alata ) has soared its way into many home base .
Its common name comes from the inconspicuous winged lymph gland that gallop out of the shank , but what make this industrial plant stand out are the longsighted , glistening , drear green leave of absence .
This species is epiphytic , and pass on about a foot tall at maturity . It is aboriginal to Jamaica , Mexico , the West Indies , and in the US it arise wild in Florida , where it is imperil .
Be sure to purchaseP. alataplants from reputable , nursery - grown sources rather than those that may have been illicitly poached from the wild .
2. Angulata
Known as beetle peperomia , this is one of the most usual coinage grown as a houseplant or in the home garden . you could easily see how it was given its name when you count at the leaf .
The leaves are minor , oval , and dark gullible with discrete vein that stand out with their bright green food color . They really do resemble little beetles .
An epiphyte that ’s aboriginal to the rain forest of South America , P. angulatahas a trailing wont with offset that can reach a foot long .
3. Argyreia
Citrullus vulgaris peperomia , or watermelon vine begonia , as this one is also hollo , is not only one of the most unwashed houseplants in this genus , but perhaps one of the most recognisable as well .
The waxy leave ofP. argyreialook distinctly like a watermelon vine rind , with a dark unripe base and greyish - light-green grade insignia .
This epiphyte has a little potato growth drug abuse and the petiole ( stems ) are reddish , serve as a squeamish dividing line to the leaves .
This South American indigen never grow much taller than nine inches or so , and it actually favor that its solution be a morsel constricted .
That makes it perfect if you ’re looking for a plant that can hang out in a small place like on your bookshelf , desk , or top of the kitchen cabinet .
Watermelon Peperomia
Bring this beautiful species home in a three- or four - inch pot , available via Amazon .
4. Blanda
The variety of this species you see most often in homes and landscape gardening is be intimate scientifically asP. blandavar.floribunda , but most mass just call this plant the waterless or hairy peperomia .
In Hawaii , where it is indigenous , all flora in this genus are called Alaala Wai Nui .
This species has small leaves and ride out under a foot tall . It ’s a semi - lush air plant with modest , average green leaves .
5. Caperata
Commonly known as emerald ripple , green ripple , little phantasy , or rosso , whatever you call it , this pop peperomia is a stand - out thanks to its deeply rippled and ridged , velvety gray - gullible leaves .
P. caperatais another petite metal money , rarely growing beyond nine inches magniloquent , with a mounding habit .
Also an epiphyte that is native to South America , it does well with compacted root word that never experience standing water .
6. Clusiifolia
The upright old jelly flora is n’t always describe by houseplant buff as a peperomia because it does n’t look much like its cousin-german .
In fact , it can be false fora rubber plant , and I ’ve even seen them mislabeled this path at a nursery .
It should n’t hail as a surprisal , then , thatP. clusiifoliagoes by the vulgar name baby rubber industrial plant .
Also known as red - border peperomia , these plants have deep , semi - succulent leafage in cream and promiscuous Green River , with pink on the edges . They stay under a foot tall and have a bushier maturation habit than a safe plant .
These are aboriginal to parts of Florida , Mexico , the Caribbean , and northerly South America .
7. Graveolens
Hailing from Ecuador , P. graveolenshighlights the diversity of this genus because it look more like the succulent it is than the ripple or watermelon vine specie . It has thick , shiny green leaves with red edges , undersides , and stem .
Unlike other succulent , and like most other industrial plant in this genus , it does n’t do well in verbatim sunlight . It wo n’t grow taller than 10 inches and has a endearing mounding growth riding habit .
This is a planetary peperomia and it prefers sandy , light stain .
P. graveolens
Nab a three - in container of this beautyfrom Hirt ’s Gardens via Amazon .
8. Griseoargentea
English ivy leaf , asP. griseoargenteais also known , has silver - green and passing glistening leaves that form in a rosette pattern . This species is aboriginal to Brazil .
This epiphyte is idealistic as a desk plant or on a bookshelf because it rarely grows any tall than six inches and will distribute about a pes wide if you give it the way , but it will stay as wide as the container you put it in .
9. Obtusifolia
babe rubber plant , pepper face , or blunt - leaf peperomia , asP. obtusifoliais normally known , looks a lot likeP. clusiifoliaexcept its leave are a morsel smaller and rounder .
This species is an epiphyte , native to the Caribbean , Florida , and Mexico , that grows to about a foot tall and eight column inch wide , with an upright wont .
The ‘ Marble ’ cultivar has ointment , dark green , gray , and snowy marbling . ‘ Variegata ’ has foliage with a ashen delimitation , with dark and grayish - green mottling in the centre .
‘ Minima ’ is a dwarf cultivar that never grows above a few column inch tall .
P. obtusifolia
If you ’ve fallen in love with thisP. obtusifolia , grab a species plant in a four - inch potat Terrain .
‘ Marble ’
If you prefer ‘ Marble,’Burpee has 10- 14 - in - magniloquent live plants for cut-rate sale .
10. Orba
If you ask a little greenery for a minor space like a corner of your office desk or on top of your bathroom storage locker , guess petite pixie peperomia .
P. orbararely grows magniloquent than four or five inches , and while it can spread up to a pes widely , it will stay gayly moderate if you plant it in a smaller mint .
The foliage are thinner than those of many other metal money in the genus , but the stems are still thick and heavy , providing for the water computer memory that ’s characteristic of this grouping of plants .
The leaf are ovate and thick green with faint lighting unripened , almost invisible veins .
Another epiphytic plant , this key and South American native will happily grow in soil as long as you do n’t saturate the ascendent for long periods .
‘ Variegata ’ is a lovely variegated cultivar with creamy edges and irregular splotches .
11. Pellucida
unremarkably lie with as pepper elder or the shining bush , P. pellucidastands out because it is normally crop as a vegetable in its native Brazil , and it has been studied for its numerous medicinal qualities .
It ’s make love as coraçãozinho in Portuguese , which means fiddling heart . As you might have guessed , the leaves are cordate , which means they have a affectionateness - like build .
If you crush the stem and leaves , they let go of a peppery , table mustard - like scent . They , along with the roots , may be run through peeled or fudge .
Beyond being delicious , there is some evidence that this epiphytic herb might help to bring around fractures and treat sure types of cancer , as well as acting as an antioxidant and antimicrobial .
12. Polybotrya
Raindrop peperomia has massive cryptical green leaves that have an elegant teardrop shape .
You could be forgiven for mistaking it for aChinese money plantbecause these have a standardized look , but make no mistake . Raindrop peperomias are their own unique beast … er , plant .
P. polybotryais native to Columbia and Peru , and can produce up to 16 inches tall , though it will delay smaller in shadier conditions , and it ’s a particularly deadening grower .
One of the few species that is n’t an epiphyte , it does best with a nice loamy substrate .
13. Puteolata
Pretty parallel peperomia has leaf that resemble those ofspiderworts(Tradescantiaspp . ) . They are elliptical and come to a point , with a dark grayish - unripened base and hoar upright stripes .
P. puteolatahas a semi - trailing growth drug abuse . The prow are reddish , and grow up to 18 inches long .
Another epiphyte , this pretty plant hails from South America , where it climb up the moss-grown trunks of trees and shrubs .
14. Rotundifolia
Also known as ruby cascade , jade necklace , round leaf , or trailing jade , P. rotundifoliais absolutely smothered in tiny , thickheaded , circular jade - unripened farewell . If you calculate really close , you may see the faint light greenish veins .
With its trailing increase habit and base - long bow , it makes a particularly adept choice for maturate in hang baskets , or paired with an good flora and allowed to dribble over the side of the container .
This epiphyte is native to tropical rain forest neighborhood of South America , and can be challenge to find in some orbit , so nab it if you come across it .
15. Scandens
P. scandensis sometimes called fictive philodendron peperomia , and it stands out because it crawls along the land rather than standing upright . The leaves are heart - shaped and slurred , and the prow are heavy .
A vining aerophyte , aboriginal to South America , P. scandenscan grow larger than many other coinage , and can hit up to three infantry long and about a foot spacious .
It ’s extremely uncompromising and resistant of neglect . Just be certain not to put it in lineal sun .
Keep an eye out for ‘ Variegata , ’ a cultivar of this specie that is often featured in hang basket .
16. Tetraphylla
Acorn or four - will peperomia is a little bit misnamed . While the leaves sometimes get in gyre of four , they can also appear in whorls of three . You could , however , call the farewell somewhat acorn - like , with their ovate anatomy .
P. tetraphyllais native to Australia , Hawaii , New Zealand , and part of Africa and Asia .
The leave-taking ofP. tetraphyllaare small , average Green River , and colour with a swooning red ink on the edges . It has a semi - creeping outgrowth habit and it stay thickset at somewhere between six and 12 inches marvellous and all-embracing .
This epiphyte is a moment fussier than some others . It likes temperatures between 65 and 75 ° F , and it wants lots of sunlight – but no unmediated sunshine ! The top inch of grime must be countenance to dry out between watering .
17. Wheeleri
Endangered in the wilds of its native Puerto Rico , Wheeler ’s peperomia ( P. wheeleri ) can often be found in greenhouse that specialize in rarefied and strange houseplant .
This is one of the large species out there , debase up to three feet grandiloquent .
The fleshy lancelike leaves are quite large for a peperomia , at about three inches long and two column inch broad . plant also send up masses of prospicient , green blossom spikes when grown in the proper conditions .
It must be an telling sight to see when this epiphyte clings to the fogyish branches of a tree .
Peperomias Give You Plenty of Options
With all of the unlike physique , sizes , growth habit , patterns , and texture of the many metal money of peperomias , it ’s likely that there ’s one that will catch your eye .
Whether you prefer the clean architectural simplicity of succulents or you require something with a lot of texture , plants in this genus can go the bill .
Once you start immersing yourself in the world of houseplant , it ’s easy to become lost .
If you want a little more info on some otherpopular houseplants , we even more particular guides for you to read next , starting with these :
photograph by Kristine Lofgren © take the Experts , LLC . ALL right wing RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photos via Burpee , Hirt ’s Gardens , Home Depot , and Papcool . Uncredited exposure : Shutterstock .
About
Kristine Lofgren
