Peperomia 'Quito'

From ‘Red Luna’ to ‘Quito’ in Denmark

‘Quito’ arose as a naturally occurring leaf mutation on a cultivated Peperomia caperata ‘Red Luna’. Per Christensen discovered it in Odense, Denmark, in 2015 and propagated it from leaf cuttings the following year.

Peperomia caperata is native to the wet tropical regions of southeastern Brazil. The name ‘Quito’ refers to the capital of Ecuador, but the cultivar itself originated in Denmark.

Care for textured Peperomia foliage and roots

• Water: Let the upper layer dry and wait until the pot feels lighter before watering thoroughly. Drain the pot and keep water from sitting in the centre of the rosette.
• Light: Place Peperomia ‘Quito’ in bright, indirect light to support compact growth and its warm leaf colour. After gradual adjustment, the plant can take mild early or late sun.
• Substrate and pot: Use houseplant mix opened with fine bark and perlite or pumice. A shallow or compact pot with drainage suits the fine roots; repot only when they fill it.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is adequate, with gentle airflow around the textured leaves.
• Feeding: Apply a diluted balanced fertiliser while the plant is producing leaves. Do not feed a plant whose mix remains wet or whose growth has paused.

Troubleshooting Peperomia ‘Quito’

• Warm colour fading or the crown opening: Increase the indirect light gradually and turn the pot so all sides receive light. Strong direct sun can bleach or scorch the textured leaves. Look for compact, undamaged new growth after adjusting the light.
• The centre softens rapidly and looks wet: Stop watering and inspect the crown and roots. Remove fully softened tissue and old saturated mix, retain a firm rooted section and restart it in a small airy pot. Keep the centre dry during recovery.
• Vein clearing, concentric rings or recurring distortion: Inspect the newest leaves for thrips, black specks and feeding scars. If no pest is present and the marks recur, keep the foliage dry, improve airflow and remove only leaves whose damage continues to spread.
• Corky marks beneath the leaves: These blisters often indicate oedema, caused when the plant takes up more water than its leaves can release. Heavy watering in cool, dim conditions with little airflow makes it more likely. Allow more drying and improve warmth, light and air movement; old scars will not disappear.
• Drooping while the mix remains wet: Waterlogged roots can lose oxygen, and root disease can cause the same outward symptom. Inspect the roots: allow firm roots to recover in an airy mix, but remove dark, soft roots and avoid an oversized replacement pot.
• Drooping over dry mix: Water the root ball thoroughly and let it drain. If water runs around a dry centre, soak until the entire root ball is evenly moist.

Peperomia ‘Quito’ 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, and what does the name mean?

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.