Peperomia caperata ‘Moonlight’

Breeding background of ‘Moonlight’

‘Moonlight’ was bred by Obed Jacob Smit for Eden Collection in Sappemeer, the Netherlands. It originated from a 2013 cross between two unnamed Peperomia caperata cultivars and was selected in 2014.

It was selected for its larger size and grey-green leaves with green furrowed veins. Peperomia caperata itself is native to south-eastern Brazil.

Care for ‘Moonlight’

• Light: Give the pale foliage bright indirect or filtered light. Harsh direct sun can bleach the grey-green surface and leave permanent tan patches.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is usually enough. If the air is persistently dry, raise the room humidity and keep some airflow around the broad leaves.
• Watering: Allow the upper part of the mix to dry and wait for the pot to feel lighter before watering again. Water thoroughly and let the excess drain.
• Substrate: Use an airy peat- or coir-based mix with perlite, pumice or fine bark that drains well.
• Temperature: Temperatures of about 18–30 °C suit ‘Moonlight’; keep it above roughly 10 °C. Keep it in stable warm conditions and protect a recently watered plant from cold draughts and sudden chilling.
• Feeding: Feed lightly with a complete houseplant fertiliser while the plant is actively making leaves. Reduce feeding when growth slows.
• Repotting: Repot when the roots are crowded or drainage has slowed. Increase pot size gradually.

Problems that may occur with ‘Moonlight’

• New leaves become consistently much smaller: Check whether the plant still receives strong indirect light and whether the roots are tightly filling the pot. Improve the light or repot if the roots are crowded before increasing fertiliser.
• Large leaves droop and the plant stays limp: Check the substrate before adding more water. If it is still damp, let it dry and check the roots if the plant stays limp or continues to decline.
• Pale leaves develop dry beige patches: Window-facing damage usually indicates direct sun or hot glass. Move the plant back into bright indirect light; the scorched areas will remain but later leaves should be unaffected.
• Tiny pale dots spread across the broad leaves: Isolate the plant and inspect the undersides for spider mites. Rinse or wipe away as many as possible; if they persist, use a treatment labelled for spider mites on indoor ornamentals and repeat only at the label interval.

Peperomia caperata ‘Moonlight’ is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

Who first published Peperomia caperata, and what does the name mean?

Peperomia combines Greek peperi, “pepper”, with homoios, “resembling”, and means “pepper-like”. Caperata comes from the Latin caperatus, meaning wrinkled or corrugated, and refers to the deeply folded leaf surface.

Hipólito Ruiz López and José Antonio Pavon established the genus Peperomia in 1794 in Flora Peruvianae et Chilensis Prodromus, page 8.

Truman George Yuncker first described Peperomia caperata in 1958 in Kew Bulletin, volume 12, page 421.