Peperomia obtusifolia, also known as the baby rubber plant or pepper face, belongs to a species of flowering plants in the family Piperaceae. This plant is native to Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
It is an evergreen perennial which can grow up to 10 inches tall and has cupped leaves with a leathery texture. It grows long, white-colored flowers that appear like spikes. These flowers constitute the real value of the plant.
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Continue reading this article to know all about how to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia.
Everything You Need to Know on How to Propagate Peperomia Obtusifolia
We’ll cover everything from taking a cutting of your plant to planting it and the different methods of propagating Peperomia obtusifolia in the following text.
Quick Care Guide for Peperomia obtusifolia
Peperomia obtusifolia is an easy-going houseplant with its characteristic thick succulent-like leaves. The real reward is the spikey white flowers that grow once every year. Following are some tips and general guidelines on how to take care of your Peperomia obtusifolia.
- Peperomia thrives best in bright to moderate indirect sunlight. However, it can also survive dim lights.
- Avoid placing your plant anywhere with direct sunlight.
- This plant has thick juicy leaves that can store water. It would help if you watered your Peperomia obtusifolia once every 1-2 weeks. You can increase or decrease your watering frequency according to your climate conditions.
- Peperomia obtusifolia appreciates higher humidity.
- It can thrive at a normal room temperature of around 65°- 75°F.
- Avoid placing your plant near heating and cooling systems.
What is Propagation?
Propagation is the process through which plants grow and multiply their population. Propagation can be both sexual and asexual.
In sexual propagation, the plant usually propagates through pollination, seeds, or spores, whereas asexual propagation can easily be achieved with the help of seeds, cuttings of plants, and other plant parts.
Tools You Need for Propagation
The following guideline will help you learn how to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia. You’ll need the following simple items to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia.
- Sharp scissors or shears
- Rooting hormones
- Water
- Soil (Cactus or succulent mix)
- Jars
- Sphagnum moss
Methods of Propagating Peperomia obtusifolia
You can propagate your Peperomia obtusifolia using various methods. There are detailed instructions for each of these methods attached and a video tutorial on how to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia.
How to Take a Cutting for propagation?
Taking a Peperomia obtusifolia cutting is relatively easy. Take a sharp knife or scissors and cut the stem below the joint.
Cut between 5 to 8 inches of the stem with 2-5 healthy leaves on the tip and remove the lower leaves from the stem. Let us learn how to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia using various methods.
Method 1: Propagation Through Water
- Propagation in water is one of the easiest types of propagation.
- You have to take a sharp knife and take a cutting from the plant. It should be 5-8 inches of stem below the joint. It is best to remove the leaves so that the stem can easily grow its roots.
- Remove some bark of the stem cutting at the base and put it in the water.
- Place the jar somewhere with bright and indirect sunlight, such as a windowsill or patio table.
- You can change the water after a few days or a week if it starts to look slimy and replenish the water once it gets lower.
- It will take 2-3 weeks for roots to grow a few inches. As soon as the roots start to grow, transfer the cuttings into a regular pot and then continue to care for it as you normally would.
Method 2: Succulent Mix / Soil Propagation
- Another way to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia is using soil. You can also use a suitable potting mix for this plant.
- With a sharp knife or scissors, cut off a piece from the plant and make sure to include about 5-8 inches of stem below the joint. Use your fingers or pruning shears to remove all leaves from where you cut.
- It is best to apply some rooting hormone at the cutting base before putting it in the soil to boost its growth.
- Place the cutting in a pot, ensuring that the cut end remains below the potting mix. New roots will sprout from where the old stem is.
- Now get the cutting wet and keep moist. This plant prefers a wet environment.
- Their root network is shallow so a small pot will suffice.
- Place the plant in a shady area that is receiving bright indirect sunlight.
- Plant your baby rubber in a pot and take care of it as instructed.
- Tip: baby rubber plant has a very shallow and delicate root system, so be careful while repotting it and avoid using any heavy potting mix.
Method 3: Growing Peperomia From Leaf Cutting
- You can also propagate Peperomia obtusifolia through leaf cuttings.
- Cut a few healthy leaves with a little bit of stem.
- This method is the same as using stem cutting, but you’ll only take the leaves instead of taking a stem.
- Dip the leaves in some hormone powder to help them grow, and then plant the leaves in soil with good drainage.
- Water the cuttings and place them somewhere with bright light and high humidity.
- If you live in a dry area, you can attain your desired humidity level by using a fine mist sprayer or an air humidifier.
- It is a slow process, and it may take many weeks or even months for roots to establish, so be patient.
- Once your leaves have grown roots, plant them in a pot and continue taking care of them as instructed.
Important Tips to Know About Peperomia obtusifolia
- This plant is non-toxic, and therefore, it is not dangerous for your pet babies. Still, it is best to keep your curious pets away from your plants.
- If you’re using the water propagation method, make sure that the last 2 or 3 nodes are submerged in water and keep relacing the water as it may cause the growth of bacteria.
- Keep your cuttings away from direct sunlight as they will burn.
- Be gentle while planting the cuttings or repotting the plant about its shallow and delicate root system.
Conclusion
Peperomia obtusifolia has become quite a famous houseplant due to its easy-going nature and low maintenance. This article has elaborately covered your queries regarding how to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia properly.
You can use different methods to propagate Peperomia obtusifolia, but we suggest soil propagation for this one. As the growth rate of this plant could be slow, the leaf-cutting or water propagation can take up a lot more time than soil propagation.
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