Top 5 Peperomia Varieties to Buy

What are the best peperomia varieties?

1. Peperomia Obtusifolia
2. Peperomia Puteolata
3. Peperomia Ripple Red Caperata
4. Peperomia Tetraphylla
5. Peperomia Watermelon

If you’re on the hunt for fuss-free but oh-so-pretty houseplants, then you might be interested in a peperomia plant. These little tropical beauties are a popular choice for indoor spaces and are easy-going enough for beginners to handle.

But, if you’ve looked into this plant family at all, then you might also know that there are hundreds of different kinds out there. So which one should you pick? To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve rounded up the best peperomia varieties for your home: 

Peperomia Obtusifolia

The Peperomia obtusifolia is a small, bushy, and succulent-like peperomia variety. It has small, round leaves that grow in a slight zigzag pattern up their stems. Its foliage is shiny and smooth and is speckled in shades of light to dark green.

Also called the baby rubber plant, pepper face, and blunt-leaf peperomia, this variety is a wonderful beginner’s choice. All it needs is a lot of bright, indirect light to maintain its vibrant green hues. This is also important if you choose variegations of this type, which may have colors like light green, silver, yellow, or white.

Aside from the lighting conditions, it can tolerate and adapt to almost any living condition. It would prefer to not have soggy living conditions, though, so try not to overwater this plant. And, it doesn’t need to be repotted frequently, so you can leave it in its nursery pot.

Peperomia Puteolata

Also known as parallel peperomia, this variety sports leaves that resemble those of spiderworts plants. They are oval and slightly pointed, with crisp, alternating thin stripes of green and off-white.

However, despite its almost severe and clean-cut appearance, this plant is not a fussy one at all. It does prefer warm, humid environments, but grows well without. It also likes plenty of bright, indirect light, but can tolerate medium light conditions too. 

This plant has an upright and trailing growing habit, and can spout stems long enough to topple the whole thing over — so we recommend pruning it occasionally! It’s an attractive plant when its foliage is short and manicured, as this encourages bushier foliage. Otherwise, it’s also a good idea to keep this as a hanging plant. 

Peperomia Ripple Red Caperata

Also known as little fantasy and rosso, this peperomia variety will stand out in any indoor space. This is thanks to its deeply rippled, velvety, dark red leaves. These are large and heart-shaped, and are the perfect addition to any room that needs a little pop of color! 

This peperomia plant is pretty hardy — with its darker-colored leaves, it can thrive even in lower light conditions. It also rarely grows bigger than nine inches tall and has a mounding growth habit. So, it can easily fit in smaller spaces in your home.

Like many peperomia varieties, the Peperomia Ripple Red Caperata loves environments that mimic the tropics — so anywhere on the warmer, more humid side is a good place to keep this plant. And, it prefers having slightly compacted roots, so you don’t have to worry about repotting it frequently. 

Peperomia Tetraphylla

Also called the acorn peperomia, this plant is somewhat misnamed. Rather than an acorn-like shape, these plants grow leaves that are more on the oval and sharp side. They can grow in whorls of three or four, as its scientific name implies.

Their leaves are small, green, and tinged with a red highlight around their edges. They grow in an interesting growth habit. It grows fuzzy, semi-creeping stems that sprout new leaves, and the occasional spiky flower. And, despite their creeping, trailing habit, this plant stays relatively compact — rarely do they reach more than 12 inches tall and wide. 

This peperomia variety is a bit fussier than others on this list. It prefers slightly cooler temperatures than most peperomias do — ranging from 18 to 25°C. And, it wants lots of direct sunlight, but absolutely no direct light. Otherwise, it quickly browns and wilts. Other than that, this plant doesn’t need intensive care, and no frequent pruning or repotting. 

Peperomia Watermelon

Peperomia Watermelon, known formally as Peperomia Argyreia, is perhaps the most popular variety on this list. It has a lot of appeal — with glossy green leaves and off-center silver veins, they have foliage that looks distinctly like watermelon rinds! This, added with their red stems, makes a plant that’s delightfully evocative of their common namesake.

This bestselling Peperomia variety is also pretty easy to take care of. All you have to pay close attention to is how often you’re watering it. Its leaves are similar to succulents in that they store water. So, it’s best to water them every other week, or whenever the top two inches of their soil are completely dry.

Aside from that, they prefer much of the same growing conditions as the other peperomia varieties we cover. This means bright, indirect light, and rooms that are on the warmer side. It will also appreciate some humidity but does just fine without. It’s also a pretty compact grower, so it’s perfect for that space on your bookshelf, desk, or cabinet.

Key Takeaway

Peperomias are a great plant to add to your collection — especially if you’re looking for a plant that’s beautiful, but isn’t a lot of work. With our list of the best peperomia varieties you can buy, you’ll be sure to find one that draws you in! 

If you want a little more information on peperomias and how to take care of them, we’d be happy to help! Message the Unbeleafable team through our official website, or take a look at our peperomia care guide here!