Peperomias are part of the Piperaceae plant family which contains a number of delightful and popular houseplants. Commonly called “Radiator Plant”, there are more than 1500 species of Peperomia with most of them hailing from tropical Central and South America.
Don’t be afraid to give your plants some direct sun, as long as you are not placing your plant in direct sun for too long. Approximately 2-3 hours of morning or afternoon sunshine can be very beneficial for your plant, especially during wintertime.
Some species are more drought tolerant than others, and I review more details on soil moisture for specific species at the end of this post.
Of all the popular species grown indoors, just be careful with Peperomia caperata. This one is the least forgiving when its soil dries out completely (the plant will quickly droop). Most of the other Peperomia species are much more forgiving and can tolerate drying out completely, as long as it’s not for terribly long.
Like any plant, avoid any cold or hot drafts from any vents in your home, and stay away from any doors that are constantly opening and closing during cold weather.
Average indoor humidity will also suffice for most Peperomia plants, but it can be beneficial to increase humidity, especially if you have exceedingly dry indoor air which is typical of homes with forced air heat.
Peperomia do not have large, deep root systems so avoid over-potting your plants, otherwise, the large volume of soil can take too long to dry out and increase the risk of root rot, depending on your conditions.
If your plant is root-bound and needs a larger pot, only go up by one-pot size and no larger. For example, if you have a plant growing in a 4-inch diameter pot, go up to a 6-inch diameter pot only and no bigger.
There are many species of Peperomia you can purchase, but here are some of the most popular, along with some specific, helpful tips on each.
This species gets my vote for the easiest Peperomia to grow. It is native to Florida, Mexico, Central & South America. If you have never grown any Peperomia, this is a great one to start with.
They can dry out completely with no complaints, making them perfect for the slightly neglectful indoor gardener. This is a non-trailing Peperomia and has pretty stiff upright growth. It will ultimately get between 1-2 feet tall in good conditions.
It is easy to see why this Brazilian native is commonly called Watermelon Peperomia. The leaves look strikingly similar to the rind of watermelon, and the plant is clump-forming.
Try and be careful to not let this one dry out completely before watering again. The entire plant will start to droop and weaken. It is not a drought-tolerant Peperomia like the obtusifolia species.
Sometimes known as Peperomia puteolata, this delightful trailing Peperomia is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.
My own plant is growing in a hanging pot and has gotten over 6 feet long. If they get too long for your liking, you can cut them back and use the cuttings to propagate.
This stunning trailing plant has gorgeous red undersides on the leaves and can quickly trail to a few feet long.
Easily propagated with cuttings, it’s exceedingly easy and quick to make more plants.
This Ecuadorian native is another trailing species whose small, round foliage has markings that resemble turtle shells.
Allow, at most, the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out, but do not allow all of the potting mix to dry out for this species otherwise, it will quickly develop brown leaves and drop plenty of leaves.
This Brazilian rainforest native has beautiful, quilted, and rippled leaves. This compact, non-trailing Peperomia is great for smaller spaces.
Just be careful to not let this one dry out completely because the plant will quickly droop and collapse in a pretty dramatic fashion.
“This post about Peperomias is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”
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If you are not sure exactly how much sun your Pepperomia will get by your window, you might want to get an Android app called “Sun And Shade Analyzer”. It will accurately compute the average hours of direct sunlight a location will receive during any part of the year. The app is predictive: it knows the sun’s daily and seasonal movements, and uses your device’s camera to “see” all obstructions (trees, buildings, etc.) which would throw shade on your plant. It can even simulate foliage if necessary, to compensate for fallen leaves.