Owl Eye Peperomia

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!

Another from the Plant Fan Favorite group, Peperomia, is the Owl Eye Peperomia, also known as Raindrop Peperomia. While many from the peperomia family (Piperaceae, the pepper family) grow to be around 8 inches tall and wide, Owl Eye Peperomia (Peperomia polybotrya) will make a slightly bigger statement with growth up to 12 to 15 inches tall and wide. Another difference can be found in the size and shape of the foliage of Owl Eye Peperomia. The heart shaped leaves are of a waxy texture and bright green color, and have a white “eye” (similar to Pilea Peperomioides) right where the stem meets the leaf. Like many Peperomia, the flowers of Owl Eye are long white spears rather than typical petal type flowers.

Most of the attributes shared by the Peperomia family are the same for Owl Eye Peperomia, which comes originally from Columbia and Peru. This plant is pet safe, cleans the air, likes bright, indirect light and will thrive in fluorescent light, should be allowed to mostly dry in between waterings, and as a result can be placed just about anywhere! It does like a bit of humidity, so a tray filled with pebbles and water for the plant pot to sit on top of, or a humidifier nearby, could be helpful to encourage the plant to thrive. Owl Eye Peperomia will do best with a well-draining soil, such as a peat-based compost or similar.

As with most of our houseplants, water by using the “Drench and Drain” method. When using a pot with good drainage (recommended), allow the pot to sit under streaming water and run through the holes at the bottom. Once you turn off the water, allow all of the excess water to drain out of the bottom of the pot. If your pot does not have good drainage, take proper precautions to not add so much water that the bottom of the plant is sitting in water. If you’re unsure, grab an inexpensive Moisture Meter and use it to determine the level of saturation at the bottom of the pot.

Keep Owl Eye Peperomia away from vents and doors where it will experience extreme heat or cold conditions, and dust the leaves every now and then to help the plant soak up as much light as it can, and to help keep it free of pests. Overall, this plant is very easy to care for and does not require much attention, so we feel it’s a great plant for beginners. It would also make a great gift for aspiring Plant Parents in your life, and for any plant lovers who travel often or don’t have a lot of time to devote to plant care.

Happy Plant Parenting!