Peperomia obtusifolia 'Lemon Lime'

Peperomia obtusifolia is part of the Piperaceae family and its native range is Florida to Tropical America. Leaves are fleshy and succulent and round to ovate in shape, this cultivar has asymmetric splashes of dark green across the midrib. Leaves are typically rigid when the plant is hydrated and will shrivel and become flaccid when the plant requires watering. 

Genus name comes from the Greek ‘peperi’ meaning pepper and ‘homoios’ meaning one with or the same as - this is in reference to how similar the plant looks to Piper nigrum (Black Pepper). The specific epithet comes from the Latin ‘obtusus’ meaning blunt and ‘folia’ meaning leaved.

Pot: ø 15cm.

Height: Approximately 15cm from base of pot.

Light: Indirect light, this means allowing your plant to have a wide view of the sky, this kind of light is somewhere between 200-400 foot-candles.

Water: Peperomia prefer evenly moist soil, providing that the plant is receiving appropriate light, water when the top inch of mix has dried out. Before watering, aerate the potting mix with a few pokes of a skewer or blunt stick, pour water slowly over the top and allow the water to pass through the drainage holes.

Potting mix: A well draining mix composed of coco coir, perlite or vermiculite, orchid bark and worm castings. Swapping orchid bark for horticultural sand would also work too.

Fertilising: Feed your plant every other watering during the growing season or when you observe active growth. You can dilute fertiliser to half the recommended amount but never add more.

Temperature: 18-24°C.

Humidity: Peperomia obtusifolia prefer higher humidity but do well to adapt to average home humidity. You can increase humidity by placing the plant on a watered pebble tray, using a cloche or using a humidifier.

Peperomia is non-toxic.