How to Grow and Care for Peperomia

This houseplant is not only low-maintenance, but also versatile and attractive.

Place peperomia in indirect light, either bright or low light conditions.
Repot peperomia in Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix, which is formulated for indoor tropical plants.
Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Fertilize regularly with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food.
Prune sparingly to trim back leggy, leafless stems.

Any plant that has a "belly button" variety has to be a charmer. And indeed, peperomia, across its many forms, is a lovable little houseplant. You just can't help but fall for its go-with-the-flow attitude, which allows it to thrive in almost any indoor setting. This means peperomia care is pretty easy, but it also means this houseplant stays pretty even-keeled while growing. You'll rarely see it bloom, but you're not missing much: peperomia's "flowers" are simply long green stalks. It's the foliage that's the real show-stopper here, and with leaves this cool, you won't be disappointed.

There are what seems like countless kinds of peperomia, so scout the garden center for the perfect leaf pattern, color, texture, and size. In addition to the navel-named option, others include baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia), watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia), and emerald ripple peperomia (Peperomia caperata). Depending on the variety, your peperomia may grow anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet tall, and up to 18 inches wide. Check the plant tag to get a sense of what to expect for any peperomia that captures your heart.

Where to Grow Peperomia

The only way to upset this low-key plant is to put it right in front of a sunny window. Peperomia hails from tropical climates, so it will appreciate the warmth of your home and grow well in everything from bright, indirect light to low light. While not totally necessary, peperomia does like it when it's humid—if you have a bathroom that could use a touch of green, this is a good spot. Sometimes called "radiator plants", peperomias also might actually like a bit of a warm draft from your vents. Another option is to take advantage of its capacity for low light: put it in a hanging basket to liven up a darker corner of your home.

How to Repot Peperomia

Planting peperomias is pretty straightforward. Settle it into Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix, which is formulated with lava rock to provide the drainage that tropical plants need. Look for a container that the plant fits nicely in at the time of purchase. Avoid a pot that appears too large, as peperomias tend to grow slowly.

Select a pot with a drainage hole that's not much bigger than your plant's current pot.
Fill it about ⅓ full with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix.
Gently remove your peperomia from its current container, place it in the new pot so that the top of the root ball sits about an inch below the rim. Fill in with more mix.
Water and let drain. Place a saucer under the pot and move your peperomia to its new home.

How to Water Peperomia

Forgetful gardeners, rejoice: peperomia only needs to be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch. Just stick your finger about 1 inch into the soil to know. Too much H2O can annoy your plant, especially if you've placed yours in an area without much light. So, water regularly, but the frequency should depend on the humidity levels in your home and how much light your plant receives. You'll also want to remove any excess water in the saucer about a half hour after watering your plant. Misting your peperomia is a great way to make it feel welcome in your home. These plants are used to humid, tropical conditions, so a little extra moisture on the plant helps it stay happy.

How to Feed Peperomia

Unlike fussier houseplants, this easy-to-please plant doesn't need a lot of fertilizer. If your peperomia starts to look kind of sad, chances are it's too much water or not enough light. But that's not to say it won't benefit from a boost of nutrition from time to time. Give your peperomia Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food once a week. Simply add 4 pumps of plant food into a quart of water, and water as normal—the nitrogen in this mix will help keep your peperomia's leaves looking ultra-lush!

How to Prune and Propagate Peperomia

You don't need to do a full pruning on peperomia, but leggy, leafless stems could benefit from a good trim every now and then. (We all feel better with some pampering from time to time.) Simply snip with clean scissors or pinch between your fingers to keep your plant looking fresh.

When you’re done pruning, those cuttings can be used to grow more peperomia plants. Like many other low maintenance houseplants, propagating peperomia is easy! Make sure you have a stem with at least 2 nodes on it. Place it in a glass jar filled with water. If you prefer, your cuttings can also be planted in a small container filled with Miracle-Gro® Seed Starting Potting Mix. Put them in a well-lit spot, and new roots will develop in just a few weeks. If you’re propagating your cuttings in water, give your baby plants about another month before transplanting them to a container with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with Peperomia

Most issues with peperomia plants occur due to overwatering or lack of humidity, so it's pretty easy to adjust your plant care to get your peperomia back on track.

Brown leaf tips: These can indicate that your peperomia needs more humidity. Mist your plant regularly or add a humidifier near your plants to gently add moisture to the air around your plant.
Scabs: Also called edema, scabs or raised bumps under peperomia's leaves can happen as a result of over-watering. Wait a while before watering again, and prune back damaged leaves. Make sure you're letting the top inch of soil dry out before you water your peperomia.
Shriveling leaves: This is often the result of too much salt in the soil where your peperomia is growing. You can remove the container tray and gently flush the soil, allowing a good amount of water to go through the soil and come out of the drain hole. This is best done in an empty sink to prevent a mess. Another option is to gently remove your peperomia plant from its container, carefully remove as much soil as possible without damaging the roots, rinse out the container, and repot your peperomia with fresh potting mix. Then wait to see if the leaves stop shriveling.

Peperomias are a beginning (or just a forgetful) gardener's dream! They're incredibly forgiving, and their interesting foliage will look fantastic year-round in almost every spot in your home. Pot one up today, then kick back and admire your beautiful, fuss-free houseplant. It really is as easy as that.