You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!
Peperomia is arguably one of the most popular groups of plants, and for good reason! They’re easy to take care of and can be placed in many different places throughout an office or home, they’re widely pet safe, and they can even help clean your air!
Peperomia Rosso comes from the Piperaceae family which is, you guessed it, the Pepper family! It is a compact little houseplant that can grow to be about 8 inches wide and high in general. It has similar coloring to many other peperomia (but you definitely still need *all* the peperomia) with its red stems and green leaves with nearly-black dark green grooves. The leaves are textured, giving them a look that’s worth a double-take. The flowers of Peperomia Rosso, like other Peperomia, are more like long spikes than typical petal-bearing flowers. They are generally mostly white and can have some green on the tips of the 2-3 inch spikes.
Water Peperomia Rosso when the soil is mostly dry. You don’t want to let it dry out completely, but too much water can cause root rot to take hold of this plant. If you’re unsure of how moist the soil still is deep down in your pot, try a Moisture Meter. This handy and inexpensive little tool will read the moisture level in your soil to help you find out how wet or dry the bottom is without bothering or unsettling the plant’s roots. It’s also very handy if your plant is in a pot with no drainage. Use caution when watering using this type of pot, and if you add too much water, gently tip the pot to the side (but not so far that the soil or plant start to fall out) to drain as much as you can. With pots that have good drainage though, use the “drench and drain” method to water. Allow the plant to sit under running water for a bit, and then let it sit until all the water has run out of the bottom. You can then replace the plant in its container or on its saucer. Just be sure to never let the plant sit in water to avoid root rot.
As we mentioned previously, placement of Peperomia Rosso is pretty wide open. While they do need light to grow and flourish, fluorescent light will do to satisfy this need. Because it’s pet safe, there’s no need to worry about placing it out of a pet’s reach (unless you’re worried about said pet tipping over your pot!). You’ll want to keep it away from heating vents and doors to avoid drafts, but only where extreme heat or cold is a worry. Peperomia Rosso is happiest in temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. To add to its easy going nature, Peperomia Rosso doesn’t even have a strict humidity requirement – it can handle typical household humidity.
Because of its ease of care and simple requirements, we think this is a great plant for beginners. It’s also a great plant to gift to someone who may not be familiar with plant care, or have a lot of time to give to caring for the plant. Travelers and busy humans will love this plant!
