Peperomia obtusifolia, also called as Baby rubberplant, Pepper face is a perennial herb growing in clumps which reaching up to 30 cm tall...
Peperomia obtusifolia, also called as Baby rubberplant, Pepper face, Peperomia obtusifolia var. genuina, Piper obtusifolium, Rhynchophorum obtusifolium, is a species of the genus Peperomia. This species was described by Albert Gottfried Dietrich in 1831.
IDENTIFY PEPEROMIA OBTUSIFOLIA - BABY RUBBERPLANT - PEPPER FACE
Peperomia obtusifolia is native to Florida, West Indies, Mexico,
tropical South America. It is found growing usually on oaks, tropical
hammocks, cypress swamps at elevations of 0 - 1920 meters above sea
level.
Baby rubberplant is a perennial herb growing in clumps which reaching up to 30 cm tall under cultivation. The stems are erect or vine-like, often branched, with clear sap, rooting at nodes, glabrous, green or green with red spots. The leaves are 1 - 5 inches long, alternate, oval to narrowly spoon-shaped, shiny green, pale green below, coriaceous, often with red spots, base wedge-shaped, tip notched or rounded.
Pepper face usually flower in spring from a greenish-white to yellow, densely flowered spike that growing up to 13 cm long. The tiny white flowers are interesting but not particulary showy. Fruits basely attached, ellipsoid, verruculose, reddish brown or blackish.
PEPEROMIA OBTUSIFOLIA - BABY RUBBERPLANT - PEPPER FACE CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Peperomia obtusifolia need bright, indirect light from a west or east facing window. If you have a South facing window, keep it further away from the window. Insufficient light will result in less leaves production, leaf drop, color lost and the plant to stop growing all together. You may also place the plants under fluorescent lightng in an office situaton. Make sure you don’t keep the plant very close to the glass window, as it can intensify sun rays and burn the leaves.
If you place the plant somewhere it is getting insufficient light, it will tend to become leggy as it stretches towards the available light. If this happens, you can easily prune it back to retain the compact appearance of the plant. Just be sure to move the plant to a more appropriate location if this happens.
Temperature:
Baby rubberplant grow best at the temperature of 20 - 24 °C. The temperatures of below 12 °C and cold drafts from windows and doors will damage the plant leaves. Remember to keep plants away from heating and cooling systems, or open doors and windows, that can cause temperature fluctuations and drafts.
Humidity:
Pepper face can tolerate low humidity levels and infrequent watering. This makes them an ideal houseplant, where the humidity levels of many indoor spaces is relatively low.
Substrate and growing media:
Peperomia obtusifolia will thrive in moist, rich, organic soils or less fertile sandy soils and can be grow in a light houseplant soil mixture with perlite that is well-drained and provides ample oxygen to the root system. Their roots are very sensitive to water-logged soils which inhibit gas exchange within container media and limits the root oxygen levels. Plants under low root oxygen stress grow slowly and occasionally have a wilted appearance. Use only potting media with physical characteristics which provide good aeration. Pot should be well drained with multiple drainage holes. Water should not be withheld in the pot at all. Also, place some rocks in the pot first so they drain all the water well, without losing soil being drained from the holes
They love to be root bound, so it will thrive better with less repotting. It’s generally a good idea to repot the plants every 2-3 years to prevent the potting mix from becoming too compacted, which will reduce drainage over time. You can repot the plant in a similar sized pot, or one a little bigger if you wish.
Watering:
Baby rubberplant should be watered when the top soil goes absolutely dry which on average would be about once a week in room temperature if you have kept your peperomia indoors. Water thoroughly, until water is absorbed by the soil and runs out the bottom of the pot. DO NOT let this plant sit in water! The leaves of this plant will droop or you may also see crispy tips if they are underwatered, but will recover quickly after watering. Better to be on the side of under-watering than over-watering. Always water moderately and don't give any when temperatures are low.
Fertilizer:
Fertilizer the Pepper face every two weeks during the spring and summer months at 1/2 the recommended strength. The plants will thrive when it’s fertilized regularly with a 20-20-20 fertilizer containing equal parts of nitrogen, potassium and iron. Reduce the rate to once a month in the Fall and Winter months. Do not exceed recommended fertilizer levels unless considerable water is applied between fertilizer applications. Their roots are very fine and easily damaged by excessive salinity in the root zone. If high soluble salts are detected in the soils, leach to bring the salts within an acceptable range.
Pruning:
The plants can be pruned anywhere along the stem. New growth develops from the nodes just below the cut in the stem. Pinching back the stems will help maximize the plant's lush appearance by encouraging more branching. Remove the end of each stem and the first set of leaves; you can pinch them off with your fingers or snip them off with hand pruners.
Other than for cosmetic purposes, you should also take the opportunity to remove any dead growth and leaves that show signs of damage or disease. Detecting unhealthy foliage early, removing it and preventing recurrence of the problem is an important way to keep your plant healthy.
Rest period:
Peperomia obtusifolia don’t need a rest period. Always water moderately and don't give any when temperatures are low.
Pests and diseases:
Houseplant pests such as Mealy Bugs and Aphids can be a problem. Ringspot, a virus that marks the leaves with unsightly round marks, develops in high humidity. Since there is no good treatment for this plant disease, damaged leaves and even the entire infected plant may have to be thrown out. Keep peperomia leaves dry and provide good air circulation to prevent diseases.
Propagation:
Peperomia obtusifolia are best propagated from leaf cuttings. These leaf cuttings should in turn be cut into segments. The segments are then placed in a container filled with a mixture of peat and sharp sand or Perlite. Rooting and finishing 3-inch pots requires 3 to 5 weeks depending upon size of cuttings and season. Growth is considerably faster when temperature and light intensity are not limiting.
The variegated varieties should only be propagated from stem cuttings. If the plant is propagated by leaf cuttings it will not came true with its correct variegations and will revert to its non-variegated form. The stem cuttings should comprise a shoot or top section of stem showing a clear example of the plant's variegation. A shoot with leaves showing good variegation will enable the new plant to inherit the same colour and chraracteristics as those of its parent. The cutting should have at least two pairs of leaves and a growing tip. Rooting and finishing 3-inch pots requires 3 to 5 weeks depending upon size of cuttings and season. Growth is considerably faster when temperature and light intensity are not limiting. Potting media used for propagation should be very well drained and as pathogen-free as possible. Several peat-lite mixes with coarse particles, such as perlite, styrofoam or bark char are very satisfactory because they provide the necessary aeration.
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