Peperomia 'Pepperspot'

Care for trailing Peperomia stems and roots

• Light: Bright, indirect light keeps the growth compact and the red stems well coloured. Gentle early or late sun is suitable, but protect the small leaves from strong midday rays.
• Water: Water when the surface has dried and the pot is lighter. Aim for a dry surface with a little moisture remaining deeper in the small root ball.
• Humidity: Moderate indoor humidity is suitable if the dense stems receive airflow.
• Feeding: Feed lightly with a balanced fertiliser while new stems are extending. Stop when growth pauses.
• Leaf care, watering and root care: Pinch or trim long stems above a leaf joint to encourage side shoots. Root short sections with several leaf joints in water or lightly moist substrate.

When Peperomia ‘Pepperspot’ Develops Problems

• Fine stems collapsing at the substrate: Lift the trails and inspect every point touching the mix. Remove black or soft sections, replace compact wet substrate and root only firm red stems with healthy leaf joints. Discard the plant if softness continues to move along apparently healthy stems.
• Crisp, curling leaves: The small root ball may have dried throughout or may be shedding water around a dry centre. Soak it evenly and let it drain; prune trails back to living leaf joints if sections have dried beyond recovery.
• Loose growth with long spaces between leaves: Give the plant a brighter filtered position, increasing the light over several days. Pinch healthy tips once new growth begins. Older stretched sections will remain open.
• Patchy loss inside the pot: Check if loose stems have roots. Press firm leaf joints against lightly moist substrate until they anchor, without burying the fine stems or keeping the surface continuously wet.
• Bleached, tan or black local patches: Check if the marks appeared after direct sun, contact with cold glass, a spray or crushing. Remove the cause and keep undamaged tissue; isolate the plant if a wet-looking spot continues to expand; changing light alone will not stop it.
• Fine stippling, webbing or bronzed tips: Examine the undersides with a hand lens. Webbing and moving dots point to spider mites, while distorted new leaves without webbing can involve other mites. Isolate the plant and choose an indoor-use treatment that lists the pest found.
• Silvery scars or black specks on new leaves: Search the growing tips for thrips. Remove heavily affected tips, isolate the plant and choose a product approved for indoor thrips control. Follow its timing and take care with the small leaves.

Peperomia ‘Pepperspot’ 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.

The meaning and history of 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.