Close-up of Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ showing rounded leaf backs and narrow folded new growth

Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ baby plant with thick, folded green leaves in a dark grey nursery pot

Three Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ baby plants in grey nursery pots with thick folded green leaves

Overhead view of Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ leaves with dark green stripes and pale margins

Side view of Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ showing a reddish upright stem and stacked green leaves

Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ with a cluster of narrow, folded leaves in an orange nursery pot

Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ stems covered in compact, folded green leaves with pale bands

Three Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ baby plants, with a smaller plant in the foreground

Peperomia dolabriformis ‘Fire Sparks’ baby plant with several leafy shoots in a grey nursery pot

Piperaceae

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

Radiator Plant

5 for 4Pet Friendly

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks' has thick folded green leaves with a translucent upper window edged in red to orange-red. Fleshy upright stems branch into a compact clump.

Read full guide to Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

€8,50

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Baby · XS Pot Ø 6 cm · approx. 10 cm tall

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

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Care at a glance

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

Light

Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~70–90% dry

Substrate

Airy + gritty • Fast-draining • Mineral-leaning • Medium

Temperature

Ideal: 18–28 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C

Humidity

Average 40–50%

Growth habit

Upright succulent herbaceous perennial.

Support

not needed

Growth speed

Slow

Cultivated size guide

Height: 30 cm • Spread: 25 cm

Toxicity & safety

Non-toxic

Origin & habitat

Cultivar of Peperomia dolabriformis; species native from Ecuador to Peru

Outdoor growing

Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks' forms a compact plant of thick, fleshy green leaves. Each blade folds lengthwise into a deep channel, with a translucent green strip running along the upper ridge.

The red to orange-red edging follows the upper ridge of each folded leaf. The leaves cluster around upright branching stems, while older lower growth can expose more of the stem over time.

Distinctive features of Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

Folded leaves: Thick leaves fold lengthwise into a canoe- or peapod-like shape.
Translucent window: A clear green strip runs along the upper ridge of each folded leaf.
Red-orange edging: A red to orange-red line frames the translucent strip.
Compact branching growth: Fleshy upright stems branch into a dense clump.
Older exposed stems: Lower leaves can drop with age, gradually revealing more of the stems.

Origin & background

Cultivated form and natural range of Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

'Fire Sparks' is a cultivated form of Peperomia dolabriformis with red to orange-red edging around the leaf windows.

Peperomia dolabriformis is native to Ecuador and Peru and is associated mainly with wet tropical habitat.

Plant care

How to care for Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

Water: Let most of the potting mix dry, then water thoroughly and allow the pot to drain.
Light: Give very bright indirect light. Gentle morning or late-afternoon sun can be useful after the plant has gradually adjusted to it, but protect it from intense midday heat behind glass.
Temperature: Keep ‘Fire Sparks’ within roughly 18–28 °C for routine growth, with protection from prolonged exposure below 15 °C.
Humidity: Humidity around 40–50% supports steady growth. Average household humidity is enough. In a humid room, keep some air moving around the stems and leaves.
Potting mix: Use a very open, fast-draining mix with plenty of pumice, perlite or fine grit and a smaller amount of organic potting mix.
Feeding: While the plant is growing, use a light feed with a balanced fertiliser.
Repotting: Replace mix that has compacted or stopped draining well. When the roots are crowded, choose a pot only slightly larger; an oversized pot stays wet for longer.
Propagation: Healthy stem cuttings can be rooted in loose, well-drained potting mix kept lightly moist.
Grooming: Remove fully dried lower leaves and damaged stems cleanly. Leave healthy leaf tips intact when shaping the plant.

Issues & solutions

Problems you may see on 'Fire Sparks'

Translucency spreads beyond the normal window: The narrow clear strip along the upper ridge is normal. If the rest of the leaf also becomes translucent, check recent watering and light conditions. If the leaf is still firm, monitor it for further change. If the tissue becomes soft, wet-looking, yellow or easy to detach, especially while the mix is wet, rot is more likely. Check the roots and stem base. Use a clean, disinfected tool and cut back until only firm, healthy tissue remains. Discard the rotten material and re-root only healthy growth in fresh, fast-draining mix.
Leaves become deeply wrinkled: Check the potting mix before watering. If the mix is dry and the roots look healthy, water thoroughly. If the mix is still damp and wrinkling continues, check the roots for damage.
New leaves scorch or stems stretch: Strong direct sun can cause pale dry patches, while insufficient light can make the stems long with wide leaf gaps. Check exposure and move the plant gradually to brighter filtered light, shielding it from hot glass.
White cottony clusters appear: Check leaf folds and stem joints for mealybugs. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects carefully and use a houseplant treatment labelled for mealybugs, repeating it at the interval stated on the label.

Safety

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks' — pet safety

Related ornamental Peperomia species are listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats and dogs; this named trade form has not been separately tested.
The available species evidence does not establish safety for people or for eating large amounts of foliage. Keep leaves away from children who may chew them.
Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if ingestion causes persistent symptoms.

Names & etymology

Why is it called Peperomia dolabriformis?

Peperomia combines Greek peperi, “pepper”, with homoios, “resembling”, and means “pepper-like”. Dolabriformis combines Latin dolabra, a hatchet, pickaxe or mattock, with -formis, meaning “shaped”.

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

Karl Sigismund Kunth first described Peperomia dolabriformis in 1816 in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum, volume 1, page 60.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.

Peperomia dolabriformis 'Fire Sparks'

€8,50