Peperomia 'Hope'

Two Trailing Species Brought Together in the Netherlands

Dutch breeder Josephus M. van der Velden created ‘Hope’ in Sint-Oedenrode in 2007 by crossing Peperomia deppeana with Peperomia quadrifolia.

Peperomia deppeana is native from Mexico to Central America, while Peperomia quadrifolia ranges from Mexico through tropical America. Both species can grow on trees or rocks in wet tropical forests. ‘Hope’ originated in cultivation in the Netherlands and does not occur as a wild plant.

Root care for trailing Peperomia ‘Hope’

• Light: Give Peperomia ‘Hope’ bright, indirect light. A little gentle sun keeps the spaces between leaves shorter, while harsh midday sun can mark the fleshy leaves.
• Water: Allow roughly the upper third of the mix to dry, then soak it evenly and drain the pot. Do not leave the small root system completely dry for a prolonged period.
• Humidity: Average household humidity is sufficient when air can move around the trailing stems.
• Feeding: Use a weak balanced fertiliser during active growth. Feed only while the plant is using water and extending its stems.

Troubleshooting Peperomia ‘Hope’

• Yellow leaves accompany soft stems at the mix: Unpot the plant and check if the roots are firm or decayed. Firm roots usually recover once the substrate dries further. Remove soft roots and stem sections, then root only healthy firm trailing tips in clean airy mix.
• Leaves folding or losing firmness: A dry, light pot needs a complete watering. If the substrate is still damp, inspect the roots instead, because damaged roots can leave the leaves dehydrated even when water is present.
• Wide gaps between leaves: Shift it toward a brighter filtered position over several days. Trim long stems above healthy leaf joints after conditions improve; new branches can be denser, but stretched sections will not shorten.
• Bare sections on healthy trails: Check that the stems are still firm and alive. Pin healthy leaf joints against lightly moist substrate to root them, or cut back to an active leaf joint and return rooted tips to the pot.
• Dry brown or black patches: Strong sun, cold glass, a draught, bruising or spray injury can produce local damage. Check if the mark faces strong sun or cold glass, or appeared after a spray. It should stop spreading after that cause is removed.
• Cottony clusters or sticky residue: Mealybugs often shelter where the paired leaves meet the stem. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects and follow the directions for an indoor-use mealybug product. Keep checking the leaf joints after treatment.
• Scarred, stippled or distorted tips: Examine the tips with a hand lens for slender thrips and black specks, or mites and fine webbing. Treat only after identifying the pest, and test any spray treatment on a small section of the fleshy foliage first.

Peperomia ‘Hope’ 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.

Where does the name Peperomia come from?

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.