Peperomia ‘Napoli Nights’

Breeding, selection and natural origin of Peperomia ‘Napoli Nights’

Obed Jacob Smit bred ‘Napoli Nights’ in Sappemeer, the Netherlands, in 2013 by crossing an unnamed selection of Peperomia peruviana with an unnamed selection of Peperomia marmorata. He selected the cultivar in 2014 for its grey-green leaf pattern and pink-red lower surface.

Peperomia peruviana is found across the Andes from northwestern Venezuela to northwestern Argentina, while Peperomia marmorata is native to southeastern Brazil. ‘Napoli Nights’ is a cultivated hybrid of these two South American species.

Looking after Peperomia ‘Napoli Nights’

• Light: To keep the rosette broad and the silver-grey pattern clear, provide strong but indirect light. Intense midday or afternoon sun can mark the glossy leaf surface.
• Watering: Check both the compost and the weight of the pot. Once the upper mix has dried and the container feels lighter, water thoroughly and let it drain. Allow the mix to start drying again before the next watering.
• Humidity: Typical household humidity suits ‘Napoli Nights’. A little extra humidity is fine when there is good airflow.
• Potting mix: Choose an airy, slightly acidic mix that holds a little moisture but drains freely. Bark and perlite or pumice help keep the mix around the roots loose and airy.
• Temperature: Keep the plant in a consistently warm space, ideally 18–30 °C, without cold draughts or sudden drops.
• Feeding: While the rosette is making fresh leaves, use half-strength feed roughly every two weeks. Feed less often when active growth slows.
• Repotting: Repot after the roots fill the pot or start showing at the drainage holes. Move to a pot only slightly larger.
• Grooming: Remove yellowing or damaged leaves at the base and cut off spent flower spikes. The broad rosette needs little pruning.

Common problems and fixes for Peperomia ‘Napoli Nights’

• Yellowing leaves, soft leaf stalks or a collapsing rosette: The potting mix is likely staying wet for too long. Take the plant out of its pot if symptoms progress, remove rotten roots or stems with clean, disinfected tools, discard the rotten parts and repot in fresh, airy mix. Our root rot guide covers the next steps.
• Silver-grey areas bleach or develop dry brown patches: Too much direct sun is bleaching or scorching the leaf faces. Soften the strongest light or set the plant farther from the glass; new growth will gradually replace the damaged leaves.
• The flattened rosette starts growing loose and taller: Give the plant more bright indirect light in stages so new growth stays low and compact.
• Brown tips or narrow brown edges on otherwise firm leaves: Check water quality and feeding before changing the watering frequency. Fluoride in tap water or accumulated fertiliser salts can mark Peperomia foliage, so try filtered or rainwater and avoid overfeeding.
• White cottony material under leaves or around the crown: Check for mealybugs. Isolate the plant, remove visible pests and apply a suitable labelled treatment, repeating it at the interval stated on the label until no new insects appear. Our mealybug guide covers the full inspection and treatment process.

Peperomia ‘Napoli Nights’ 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.

About the name Peperomia

Peperomia combines Greek peperi, “pepper”, with homoios, “resembling”, and means “pepper-like”.

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