Ripple peperomia
Also called Emerald ripple, Peperomia Rosso.
| Light | medium light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 10 days in the growing season, every 18 in winter |
| Humidity | medium |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Height | Up to 20 cm (8 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats safe, dogs safe |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, Emerald Ripple Peperomia entry.
The surface of the leaf is the reason to grow it: deeply corrugated, almost quilted, in dark green or in the wine red of the form sold as Rosso. It is a small plant that stays small, and like all the peperomias it is semi succulent, so it wants a small pot, a gritty compost and considerably less water than its soft appearance suggests. Water at the rim rather than into the middle, because the crown sits low and rots if it stays wet. In summer it throws up thin upright flower spikes like pale mouse tails, which are not much to look at and are a good sign. It roots from a single leaf pushed into damp compost.
Ailments observed
| A soft or mushy base to the stem | Overwatering, particularly water sitting in the crown. Repot into gritty compost in a small pot and water from the rim. Leaf cuttings root easily if the parent is beyond saving. |
|---|---|
| Long bare stems and pale new leaves | Too little light, so the stalks lengthen and the ripples flatten. Move it to a brighter spot out of direct sun. The next leaves will come back corrugated. |
Filed underPlants that will not poison the cat, Plants that forgive a beginner, Plants for a balcony or a small space
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