Watermelon Peperomia- Your Complete Indoor Guide

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If you are a budding gardener searching for the perfect houseplant, you’ll first need to consider a few things. Do you want a plant that is the ideal desk ornament? Do you want a fragrant one? What about an indoor plant that has healing properties, like rosemary? There is so much more to a plant than just looking pretty or smelling nice. They require a lot of dedication and patience. Unlike what you may think, it is a living organism, just like you.

Every plant has different qualities; you must find a plant with the perfect attributes for you. Finding the space in your home is the beginning step. Some plants are oversized and, if you reside in a studio apartment, you might not have enough space to make it work. A small and compact plant makes for a great household plant. Smaller plants like the Watermelon Peperomia can also be more manageable for beginners. The smaller the plant, the less maintenance it requires.

You will need to find plants that do not require much direct light since they will be indoor plants. If you have curious pets or little ones, look for non-toxic plants. Many plants have poison sap in their leaves that can be fatal for pets and humans if ingested. If you ever have a poisonous plant in your home, place it on a high shelf and out of reach of little hands. So, to recap, the perfect indoor plant requires low light, is compact, non-toxic, and aesthetically pleasing. Does such a plant even exist? Welcome the Watermelon Peperomia, what could be the perfect indoor plant. Read on to learn all about Watermelon Peperomia indoor care requirements.

What is Watermelon Peperomia?

There are many species of the Peperomia plant. The Peperomia Obtusifolia, also known as the Baby Rubber Plant, the Peperomia Orba, also called the Teardrop Peperomia, and the Peperomia Rotundifolia, better known by its name, the Trailing Jade Peperomia. The best of the Peperomia species, though, is the Peperomia Argyrela. Also known as the Watermelon Peperomia, this is a unique and gorgeous plant. It originates from the jungles of South America. Standing approximately 12 inches tall and 8 inches wide. It is named because of the distinct pattern on its leaves, resembling a watermelon.

The Watermelon Peperomia plant often gets confused for a succulent when this plant is a perennial. Perennials grow every season, unlike annuals which last for one growing year. Watermelon peperomia will bloom every spring and summer. They are an indoor plant, but during the summer months, they will thrive outside if put in a shady area. These plants are use to a tropical climate, and they will not last in temperatures less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. They will do well in the shade because they are used to growing under a thick blanket of trees in their natural habitats. Remember to bring in your Watermelon Peperomia before the temperature drops.

The watermelon peperomia is a non-toxic plant and isn’t known to have any issues with pests, making this a great plant if you are a pet owner. The watermelon peperomia is very easy to care for indoors. They are a very low-maintenance plant. A great way to show this plant off in your home is to hang it from the ceiling. It is also great for gifting due to being the perfect little plant for desks and bedside tables. They are super trendy, commonly seen in a variety of magazines and television shows.

Watermelon Peperomia Indoor Care

The Watermelon Peperomia is a very easy to care for plant. It loves moisture, meaning it might not be the best choice for an indoor plant if you are a forgetful person. Just because this plant loves water doesn’t mean it should be saturated. The soil shouldn’t be dry. It also shouldn’t be soaked but, it should sit somewhere in the middle. The Watermelon Peperomia must be in a well-draining pot to ensure the soil does not become waterlogged. The number one problem that a gardener will face with this plant is overwatering. Be careful not to over-saturate the soil.

Watering A Watermelon Peperomia

Different ways to tell if a Watermelon Peperomia may be waterlogged is by checking the leaves. If the leaves are too dry, they will begin to droop and start drying out. The tips of the leaves will become very brittle and will start to lose their beautiful green color, turning brown. On the other end of the spectrum, if they have too much water, they will appear droopy but typically more yellow-tinged in color rather than brown and brittle. To test your assumptions from the leaves’ appearance, simply feel the soil and check to see if the soil is damp. If the top inch of the soil is wet, that means there is too much water. Do not worry if this happens. The plant can still be saved.

If your plant is too saturated, first check to make sure nothing is clogging the pot from draining, and if there is, remove it, creating more room for the water to drain. If a clog is not the problem, then you can replant the pot in new fresh soil. No matter what you do to remedy the situation, you must allow the soil to dry out a few inches beneath the surface before watering again.

Sunlight Requirements for the Watermelon Peperomia

The Watermelon Peperomia should be put in bright, indirect light. Avoid excessive direct sunlight as it can cause the color and pattern to fade from the leaves. Placing this plant in a window or on a tabletop that receives plenty of natural light is ideal. During the summer months, this plant can even be put outside in shady areas. The Watermelon Peperomia will do well in shaded areas because this plant is native to the forests of South America, where it the shadows of thick foliage. Once the summer months are over, though, make sure you bring this plant inside.

Temperature and Watermelon Peperomia

This plant thrives at room temperature. The temperature indoors should stay at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit up to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Watermelon Peperomia’s are from the tropics, so it does better in warmer temperatures. Any temperature less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit is dangerous territory for a Watermelon Peperomia. Watermelon Peperomia prefers humid conditions. Misting the plant, adding a humidity tray, or a humidifier in the room will allow the Peperomia to thrive.

Propagating a Watermelon Peperomia

Propagating a Watermelon Peperomia is an effortless task to accomplish. There are a few ways to go about this, but the easiest way is to cut the leaves. Cut a leaf in half, then place the divided leaves into the soil. Watermelon Peperomias do well when using peat moss and perlite soil mix. After the leaves are in the soil, cover with pot with a plastic bag, The reason for doing this is to create a humid environment. Next, place the pot in a sunny spot. Within 4 to 6 weeks, expect to see some progress. Within 8 to 10 weeks, you should begin to see tiny sprouts forming in the soil. Once the plants are rooted and growing, they can be transferred into individual pots.

Conclusion

A Peperomia plant should be repotted every three years, but other than that, there is very little else it needs aside from watering and indirect sunlight. The Watermelon Peperomia is safe to have around pets and children. There are so many reasons why the Watermelon Peperomia is the perfect indoor plant. With this guide to watermelon peperomia indoor care, you have all the basic instructions needed for this beautiful little plant to thrive. 

FAQ






Absolutely, Watermelon Peperomias are simple plants to propagate. All you need is a pot, a few cuts of developed plant leaves and stems, and fresh new soil.

The Watermelon Peperomia likes to have moisture in the air. You can achieve this at home by adding a humidity tray beneath the pot, placing a humidifier into the air, or misting the leaves periodically.

In their natural environment, these plants are typically covered by other trees and plants. They receive light in filtered bursts through other leaves. When caring for a Peperomia indoors, it needs to replicate its natural environment somewhat. It craves bright indirect sunlight, preferably in the early morning hours when the sun rays are not as harsh.

These cute, vibrant desk plants like water but do not like to be overly saturated. They do well with the soil slightly moist yet dry to the surface touch. You can water your plant when the top layer of soil is dry, and a couple of inches beneath it is very lightly moist.

Watermelon Peperomia’s like soil that is a mixture of peat moss and perlite. The soil itself will release water to keep the plant from becoming waterlogged, while the moss will retain moisture if the plant needs it. In other words, well-draining soil but adding peat moss in to help with water retention.

Published at Fri, 31 Dec 2021 04:38:05 -0800

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