Scientific Name
Peperomia dolabriformis Kunth
Common Names
Prayer Pepper
Scientific Classification
Family: Piperaceae
Genus: Peperomia
Description
Peperomia dolabriformis is a curious shrubby perennial succulent, with stems becoming woody with age. The leaves are succulent, purse-shaped, light-green, up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, up to 0.5 inch (1.2 cm) broad. The 2 halves of each leaf are fused and folded upward along the dark green margins with darker-green windows along their curved upper surface. It may be either rosette-forming, or erect laxly branched up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. The inflorescence is a green, up to 16 inches (40 cm) long. The small flowers are green-white in color.
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How to Grow and Care
Peperomia are not particularly hard plants to grow, and their small size and delicate leaves make them perfect for desktops and dish gardens. They will rarely overtake their neighbors or shade them out. In short, they are perfectly mannered and attractive little plants. The biggest problem facing Peperomia are usually related to watering. They like steadily moist soil, but can be very sensitive to overwatering. Overwatered Peperomia tend to wilt (paradoxically) or have raised, scab-like protrusions on their leaves. Don't be alarmed if your plant loses a few bottom leaves, but massive leaf-drop is usually due to a temperature change or fertilizer problem. Lastly, Peperomia are susceptible to mealybugs, so keep an eye out for cottony white masses on the stems or undersides of leaves. Peperomia thrives when slightly pot-bound, so don't over pot them.
Repot plants in spring, especially to refresh the existing soil, but place either back into the same size container after root-pruning or go up only one pot size. The largest Peperomia remain relatively small, so they will never grow into large specimen plants… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Peperomia.
Origin
Native to the warm valleys of northern Peru.
Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids
Peperomia dolabriformis var. glaucescens
Links
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