How to Propagate Peperomia: 5 Effective Ways!

Peperomia comes in over a hundred cultivated species with different leaf colors, making it a perfect houseplant to propagate and add color to your interior! Whether you are starting an ornamental plant business or just doing this for recreational purposes, I have three words for you: I got you.

Peperomia can be propagated effectively through 1) stem cutting, 2) rooting in water, 3) rooting in soil, 4) leaf cuttings, and 5) seed germination. In the process of propagation, it is essential to consider lighting, soil, water, temperature, humidity, and fertilizer.

Can you grow peperomia plants through their stems? How about their leaves? Looking for any other ways to propagate them? If you are looking for the final guide, this might be it so read on!

1. Stem Cutting

Peperomia is commonly propagated using stem cuttings. It involves cutting a portion of the peperomia stem, letting it grow over a growing medium until it roots, and then transferring it to a bigger pot.

To propagate peperomia plants using stem cutting, you will need the following materials:

1. Healthy peperomia mother plant
2. Sanitized scissors
3. 6 to 10 inches pot
4. Growing medium
5. Rooting hormone (optional)
6. Plastic bag

The procedure for propagating peperomia cuttings goes as follows:

1. Choose a Stem to Cut

Prepare a stem cutting with at least four leaves from a healthy mother peperomia plant. Then, pinch out the two leaves at the bottom of the cutting.

2. Prepare the Growing Medium

Fill the pot with growing medium (e.g. coco coir, garden soil, or potting mix) up to an inch below the rim. Afterward, wet the growing medium thoroughly.

Make a few-inch-deep hole in the ground with a pencil or your finger.

3. Apply Rooting Hormone (Optional, but Suggested)

Apply some rooting hormones like this on Amazon to the bottom end of your cuttings. Each brand has its own amount recommendations, however, powdered rooting hormones can just be applied by dipping the end of the cuttings until there is powder on the cut part.

4. Plant the Cuttings

Plant the lowest nodes of the cutting (nodes of the removed leaves) below the soil line. Gently pat down the soil around the stems to keep the cuttings in place.

5. Monitor Humidity and Temperature

Place a plastic bag over the pot to create a humid environment for your cutting. Make sure it does not come into touch with the plant. It can cause pathogen development!

Keep the cuttings warm but away from direct sunlight. The best condition for peperomia cuttings to propagate is in a bright, indirect light environment—in an east or south-facing windowsill or on a porch.

Just remember to remove the bag for a few minutes every now and then. This will enable the cutting to air out and keep the soil wet.

6. Remove the Plastic Bag and Transplant

Remove the bag whenever you observe new growth. Once the cutting has developed numerous new leaves, you may pot it in bigger containers and care for the plant as usual.

2. Rooting in Water

Rooting in water is also an easy and fast way to propagate peperomia. It comes with advantages such as ease in monitoring the water quality and root growth and identifying possible problems like pathogen development.

Let us start by enumerating the materials needed for rotting peperomias in water.

1. Healthy peperomia mother plant
2. Sanitized scissors
3. At least 100 mL cup, jar, or any container
4. Distilled water
5. Rooting hormone (optional)
6. Transparent plastic bag

To propagate peperomia by rooting it in water, you can follow the steps detailed below.

1. Choose a healthy parent plant and cut a stem using sanitized scissors.
2. Fill an opaque cup, jar, or another container halfway with distilled water. You can also use a transparent jar, but there is a higher chance of algae bloom. So you’ll need to change the water frequently with a transparent jar.
3. Dip the end of the stem in a rooting hormone. Again, this is optional but is suggested.
4. Place a transparent plastic bag over the jar to increase relative humidity.
5. Allow several weeks for roots to develop. Make sure that the cut parts are submerged at all times to ensure root growth.

3. Rooting in Soil

A conventional way to propagate peperomias is through directly rooting in soil. One could use a pure garden soil or a mixture of different growing mediums. Rooting in soil is done directly in the pot. Thus, transplanting is not needed.

To have peperomias rooting in soil, you will need the following materials:

1. Healthy peperomia mother plant
2. Sanitized scissors
3. 6 to 10 inches pot
4. Rooting hormone (optional)
5. Garden soil
6. Water

Rooting peperomias in soil is done by following these steps:

1. Choose a healthy parent plant and cut a stem using sanitized scissors.
2. Fill a pot with garden soil up to 1 inch below the rim.
3. Dip the end of the stem in a rooting hormone. This is optional but is suggested.
4. Using your finger, create a hole in the garden soil where the stem cutting will be placed.
5. Mist the setup with water.
6. Cover the pot with a transparent plastic bag to promote humidity.
7. Let the peperomia grow in the pot.

For this propagation method, you can also use the following soil combinations

• 1 part potting soil : 1 part succulent & cactus mix
• 1 part potting soil : 1 part coco coir
• 1 part succulent & cactus mix : 1 part coco coir
• 1 part potting soil : 1 part perlite
• 1 part potting soil : 1 part pumice
• 1 part potting soil : 1 part coco coir : 1 part perlite/ pumice

   We can help you decide by going to our article on which is the best growing medium?  

4. Leaf Cuttings

Peperomia can be propagated using leaf cuttings. However, this is only effective for solid and non-variegated varieties such as watermelon peperomia, emerald ripple peperomia, and ivy-leaf peperomia.

To propagate peperomia using leaf cuttings, the first step is to prepare the following materials:

1. Healthy leaves from mother plant
2. 6-inch pot
3. Potting soil
4. Plastic wrap
5. Water

You can follow the steps below to grow peperomia using leaf cuttings.

1. Take a leaf from the mother plant and at least 1 inch of its stalk.
2. Let the leaf cutting stand in a small pot of potting soil.
3. Put it in an area with bright, indirect light.
4. Cover it with plastic wrap to help it maintain moisture.
5. Keep the soil moist at all times and never let it dry out.
6. Within a few weeks, roots will start to emerge. Once your cutting outgrows its initial container, you can transplant it into a larger one.

Peperomia Leaf Propagation

5. Seed Germination

Propagating peperomia through seed germination is similar to how most other plants are cultivated. It is done by simply sowing the seeds in a soilless potting mix or garden soil in a seedling tray and watering them.

When seedlings already emerge, one must transplant the plants into bigger pots and locate them in a site with bright, indirect light.

To learn more about the factors to consider in peperomia propagation, read forward!

5 Factors to Consider in Peperomia Propagation

When propagating peperomia, one must consider light, soil, water, combined effect of temperature and humidity, and fertilizer.

1. Light

Bright, indirect natural light is the ideal light quality for peperomia seedlings. This environment will allow peperomia to grow with vibrant colors. If natural light is not available, artificial lighting should be considered.

You might ask, what will happen if peperomia is given less or extreme light intensity? I have the answer for you!

Less light could result in lesser number of leaves, dull leaf color, and leaf falling in peperomia. On the other hand, extreme light could lead to leaf burn.

2. Soil

Peperomia plants grow well in a chunky, loose, and acidic soil, which is critical for optimum growth. Thus, it is important to use a potting mix with good aeration and drainage.

Drainage must be considered highly when growing peperomias. Remember that it is the foundation of your plant, thus, it is vital to give it sufficient air space that it can use to hold both water and air.

When your soil has no drainage, you are also placing your plants at the risk of developing plant pathogens that can devastate your plants!

3. Water

A good watering schedule for peperomia is every 1 to 2 weeks. This is because the succulent leaves of the Peperomia are already packed with water, thus less water is needed.

If peperomias are overwatered, there is a high risk of developing root rot. When there is root rot, your roots will find it difficult to absorb water and air from the soil. Therefore, it can further cause leaf yellowing, browning, and eventual wilting.

4. Combined Effect of Temperature and Humidity

Propagating peperomias under warm, humid conditions is optimum for its growth and development. It is recommended to maintain a relative humidity of at least 40–50% and a temperature of 65–85°F.

A very low relative humidity and cold temperature can cause drooping of leaves and eventual falling.

In order to prevent this, elevate your relative humidity by using a small humidifier or a tray of wet pebbles. You can also improve humidity by placing your peperomia plant near other indoor plants.

5. Fertilizer

Peperomia plants do not need excessive fertilization. However, it is recommended to use a diluted liquid fertilizer for peperomias only once every 2 to 4 weeks.

Overfertilization in peperomias can cause eventual browning, thereby stripping away its vibrant foliage colors. We do not want that!

   Learn more about leaf browning in our article on calathea brown leaves. 

How to Transplant Peperomia (5 Steps With Tips!)

Having a loose soil potting mix and a sufficient size of pot are two factors to consider when transplanting peperomia plants.

In replanting, we need to make sure that we are also giving our peperomia plants with the proper conditions to grow and reproduce once more. Thus, high drainage and sufficient growing space must be provided.

High drainage can be achieved by using a loose potting soil mix. You can do it through combining soil amendments such as perlite or pumice with a compact soil.

The sufficient pot size must be at the range of 6 inches to 12 inches, depending on the size of the transplant.

In order to do transplant peperomias, follow the easy steps below.

1. Loosen the plant’s root balls.
2. Prepare a new pot by sanitizing it using a diluted bleach or detergent.
3. Place the root ball into the center of the new pot.
4. Fill the pot with a new potting mix up to 1 inch below the pot rim.
5. Water the transplanted peperomia.

Repotting Peperomias: What You Need To Know & The Mix They Like Best / Joy Us garden

Here are 4 golden tips for successfully transplanting peperomia plants

1. Make sure that the size of the pot is appropriate, one that can house the root ball with enough space. The root ball must be able to grow more in this area, thus there must be an allowance of 2 to 4 inches from the pot walls.
2. Choose a potting mix with good drainage. You can use a mixture of soil and amendments such as perlite.
3. Be careful during transplanting. You do not want to damage the roots because scars will serve as entry points for diseases.
4. Sanitize all the materials to be used in transplanting—from the pot to the garden tools.

7 Reasons Why Your Peperomia Plants are Not Propagating

Peperomia plants might fail to propagate as a result of wrong lighting, lack of humidity, overwatering, nutrient deficiency, high temperature, excessive pruning, and plant diseases.

1. Wrong Lighting

Without proper lighting, the growth of peperomia will either slow down or stop. To prevent this, it is best to place peperomia plants on an east or south-facing windowsill or on a porch.

How to know if your peperomia is not getting enough light? Look for yellowing, withering leaves, and poor development! These are symptoms that your plant is not getting enough sunshine.

Once any sign of insufficient lighting is observed, relocate your peperomia plants immediately.

2. Lack of Humidity

Low humidity exposure will result in a gradual decrease in plant growth and development.

Even though houses naturally have a humidity between 20% and 25%, it is still recommended to install a humidity meter to have a real-time approximation of the humidity levels.

3. Overwatering

When peperomias are overwatered, the plant’s leaves become mushy, turn yellow, and develop root rot.

To prevent this, touch the top 2 inches of the soil before watering. Water the peperomia plants only when the top portion of the potting mix is dry.

4. Nutrient Deficiency

If peperomia leaves begin to droop and turn yellow, it might be experiencing nutrient deficiency.

When this happens, the plant will not grow and develop at its best. Spraying diluted liquid fertilizers on such peperomias is the best way to counter such effects.

5. High Temperature

Temperature fluctuations in both extremes, too cold and too hot, will slow down or even stop the development of peperomia plants.

Thus, it is important to choose the best location for peperomia plants. Keep them away from air conditioners and heating vents.

6. Excessive Pruning

Peperomias are slow-growing plants, thus it is not advisable to trim them more than once a year.

Excessive pruning could also result in wounding on the stems, which can be a pathway for dangerous plant diseases.

   Discover pruning tools in our article on 2 best pruning shears.  

7. Plant Diseases

Plant pathogens such as fungi and bacteria can harm peperomia plants.

Here are practical ways to avoid theinfestation of plant diseases:

1. Use a fungicide if there is fungal growth (white hairy structures)
2. Repot if root rot is observed
3. Cut off the infected roots or plant parts (leaves)

FAQs

Why should I propagate my peperomia plant?

Peperomia plants are found to have air purifying ability, thus a valuable plant to add in an indoor garden. It is also a low maintenance and easy-care houseplant.

When should I propagate my peperomia plant?

Peperomia plants are best propagated when they have already reached maturity. The best season to start propagating them is summer or spring. This is because peperomia plants get their maximum aesthetic value during these periods.

How long does it take to propagate peperomia in water?

When peperomia is propagated in water, it normally takes about 6 weeks before one can observe the appearance of long roots before moving it to a potting mix.

How do you root peperomia?

Rooting of peperomia is done by simply cutting off a stalk with several leaves from a mother plant and submerging it in a cup of water. Wait for white roots to grow before transplanting it.

Is it better to propagate peperomia in water?

Propagating peperomia in water is better because it is low maintenance, simple, and beginner-friendly. It only entails observation until their rooting and transplanting when roots are already extensive.

Summary of How to Propagate Peperomia

Peperomia can be propagated through stem cuttings, rooting in water, rooting in soil, leaf cuttings, and seed germination. During propagation, it is important to consider the lighting, soil, water, temperature, humidity, and fertilizer.

Transplanting peperomia can be done by loosening the root ball, transferring the plant to a sufficient-sized pot, filling the pot spaces with a new potting mix, and watering the peperomia transplant.

Wrong lighting, lack of humidity, overwatering, nutrient deficiency, high temperature, excessive pruning, and plant diseases are factors that may be the reason why peperomia plants are not propagating.

Sources

• “Cultivate Peperomia, the House Plant of the Year” in University of Minnesota Extension
• “Peperomia: The Plant, not the Pizza” in University of Missouri
• “Peperomia obtusifolia” in North Carolina State University
• “Peperomia” by Klingaman, G. in University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• “Peperomia Production Guide” by Henley, R.W., L.S. Osborne and A.R. Chase in University of Florida
• “Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth and eye diseases: A review on phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology” by Ho, K.L. et al. in Journal of Integrative Medicine