That’s what we do here in Los Angeles. If you take proper care of your baby rubber plant, you’ll soon realize it likes to grow. And, do water on a regular basis to keep the soil moist. You will not need to repot or pot up a size very often as this plant has a small root system. To limit its size and control its shape. It is a bushy, upright plant with thick stems and fleshy, glossy, cupped leaves. Its growth habit is bushy in with glossy green leaves. This is key if you want it to look full and vibrant. In all other zones, gardeners grow the plant indoors in shallow pans, hanging baskets or decorative containers, as long as they have drainage holes in the bottom. It needs that extra light to keep its colorful patterns vibrant. If you find yourself in this situation, grab a pair of chopsticks or hotdog sticks. Get rid of dead, old, diseased, discolored foliage. A healthy peperomia obtusifolia plant is pest and disease resistant. Although, the top side of the plant grows fairly fast (especially during summertime), the roots don’t do so proportionally. To ensure proper growth, place your rubber plant in a commercially available potting soil. This helps keep its leaves clean while giving it a good “drink”. Glossy pelate leaves with petioles grow close to the main stems that are partly rounded and grow a few centimeters in length. It isn’t frost hardy. As with a lot of houseplants, you can water less when its in a cooler spot with lower light. While temporary (they feel better after they throw up or poop wet), it’s very visible that those moments cause them distress. No feeding is required from autumn to spring. Also, when you pot or repot your baby rubber plant, don’t pack the soil in too densely. Your email address will not be published. Plant rubber plants in Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix. A good rule of thumb is to water your rubber plant … Most will grow up to 25 - 30 cm (9"-12") in … PEPEROMIA ASPERULA IN 4” POT, LIVE PLANT, #1533. Allow the top soil to dry out completely and then water thoroughly. Native to South America, the Peperomia obtusifolia is a perennial flowering epiphyte plant species. As such, the best spots for your peperomia obtusifolia are either an east, west or south facing windows. Thus, pruning is a must. Do use the frequencies above as a guide. A peat based soil is best used that drains well. There are a number of cultivars including the dark green leaved, variegated and the Peperomia obtusifolia 'Albomarginata' that displays yellowy gold and green patched leaves. The only exception to this is if you have a young plant. Although, it is not to be confused nor is it related to the rubber tree or plant. Baby rubber plants are non-toxic for pets, but it is a good idea to keep houseplants in a safe area. Besides it botanical name, the plant is also commonly called baby rubber plant. Ideally you want a stem with at least 2 to 3 leaves. Here’s a list of why and when. Leaves have a fleshy succulent look and feel about them and the thin stems are non woody. And, when it is less active, give it a lot less water (once every 2-3 weeks) because it doesn’t use up water as much. This leaves your plant with wet feet, and running the risk of root rot. Otherwise, too much fertilizer residue can “burn” the roots. As such, when you water, there will be a lot of excess moisture. Let the stem end dry. And, don’t worry if you can’t find a spot near the window. Temperature is an important factor for growth and varies from species to species. This fairly fast growing plant usually grows a lot during the summer. Remove a tip (petiole) with about 5 - 8 cm of tip with one or two leaves on it. Place the stem cutting into a small pot with soil. Shallow pots are a good option for Peperomias. Let the top few inches of the soil dry in between waterings to make sure you don’t overwater. The peperomia obtusifolia is one of over 1,000 peperomia varieties around. To avoid over-soaking, use pots that drain. This is why it is important always give your plant a thorough inspection. Thus, its smaller root system is more susceptible to overwater and thus, root rot. This means you want to choose soil that easily allows air to circulate and water to drain. Although, the stems are also prone to grow upwards causing the pot to become imbalances and topple. That’s because trimming it back helps encourage new growth. As long as you don’t live up in the hills where the night time temp can drop quite a bit, you’ll be fine. Cover the new plant with a plastic bag to increase humidity. Your email address will not be published. This aerates the soil and breaks it up a bit. In part, it is because they get bigger faster. To get them looking their best, try and grow and prune them to display a bushy appearance. Peperomia obtusifolia is commonly known as the American rubber plant, baby rubber plant and pepper face plant that's from a large genus of over a 1000 species and many cultivars of the Peperomia. Baby rubber plant, American rubber plant, Pepper face plant (common). Windowsills, greenhouses and conservatories are ideal places to display this plant. If you still need to cut back a leggy rubber plant after the air layering process, cut off the remaining bare stem about 5 inches above the soil line, and add some fresh soil … Popular. So you want to use the lower ones instead of those in the day time as a gauge. Once you have everything you need for repotting your rubber plant, it’s time to change pots. Rubber trees do not require much light, but flourish in bright, indirect light. Do note that you can propagate in water as well then move it into a pot after it roots. And, in the spring and summer months (its growing season), you want to apply a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer once a month (diluted to 50% strength). You do not want to over water this plant and allow the soil to become waterlogged....so it might be best to lean towards less rather than too much when you first start growing Peperomias, as less harm can be caused compared to overwatering. And, hopefully it won’t. The Baby Ruber Plant is native to the South American rain forests. You should only water the plant as often as the soil partly dries. Skip winter as well before starting over again next spring. The holes also allow for better penetration of air, water and fertilizer. That’s because it has succulent-like characteristics including thick, fleshy leaves and stems, both of which store water like succulents do. If the leaves are dark green in color it's best not to provide direct sun as it will harm them, but the variegated types may lose variegation if enough light is not provided. Flowers: The baby rubber plant can flower that are non-showy. Plus, they are easy to care for. Always use night time temperature as a gauge to be conservative. The perlite helps keep the soil light and allows water to drain well. Mar 30, 2019 - Peperomia obtusifolia care - Tips on growing, light, soil and watering the dark green baby rubber plant [DETAILS] Submit your house plant to the new forum and ask others for identification. Rubber Tree Plant Care Sun. However, the bulk of rubber made naturally comes from Hevea brasiliensis. And, the soil will take a long time to dry. Anything blowing, be it natural or artificial bothers the peperomia obtusifolia. Foliage and shoots die back and the entire plant soon dies. Water thoroughly. Learn how to care for most varieties of Rubber Tree! However, do take the time the change the top soil once a year, preferably early in the spring. If stems and leaves begin overgrowing you can pinch out the top of certain stems to stop growth, otherwise they begin to grow spindly and out of shape in appearance. Thus, you’ll need to prepare to prune it every once in a while. It likewise grows the fasted when given these conditions. Most will grow up to 25 - 30 cm in height and must be pinched out at the tips to direct, stop and encourage growth. By trimming them back, you save it the effort and allow it to focus on fresh, new growth instead. Allow the top soil to dry out completely and then water thoroughly. It may take one to two weeks for the plants to acclimate to your environment. Rubber plant is a hardy species that tolerates dry soil quite … It appears that your plant is growing in a rather clayey soil mix, which is … As far as soil goes, rich, well draining soil that’s light and airy are best for your peperomia obtusifolia. Again, this is in part due to its epiphytic nature. Altogether, this means that you want to water regularly (around once a week) during the summer to give it enough hydration to support its growth phase. Being tropical in nature, your baby rubber plant will tolerated higher temperatures better than it does lower ones. To do that, I hold my plant up by the plastic pot and wiggle it, to help drain excess water out through the drainage holes. House Plant Expert suggests, in particular, that a “well-draining and well-aerated potting soil is needed. Other mixes will work well, but the main point is for the medium to drain well and be well aerated. Then place the plant somewhere it gets bright sunlight and temperature that’s between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting the plant on top of a dish with water and pebbles allows the water to increase humidity around the plant when the water evaporates. The plant is commonly known as the baby rubber plant. Often, you won’t find it grow past 12 inches high. Thus, if you live in dry areas like the desert. Light is an important factor to consider when finding a spot indoors to grow a Peperomia obtusifolia. Just make sure the pebbles are high enough to keep the pot away from the water. Keeping their foliage wet for long periods of time make them susceptible to fungal disease. When the first chill of fall arrives, it’s a sign to stop feeding your peperomia obtusifolia. Ideally, you want to top 2 inches of soil to dry before watering. You can even let its soil dry out completely between waterings and it will be fine. If you happen to live elsewhere, summer would be the ideal time to bring it outside if you want. However, it is likewise worth noting that you can expand that range a little bit up and down, with the extreme ranges going to 55 degrees downward and up to 85 degrees upward. Make it fuller. Alternatively, you can likewise use a pebble tray, which is something I love to do. Thus, it’s a sign you’re not giving it enough water. Then, slows down considerably in the fall and winter. $34.99. The Peperomia Obtusifolia (or Peperomia Green) is characterized by its thick upright stems with glossy, oversized leaves. Plus, you can see how the root is growing through the water. Here, you’ll be using the leaf instead of the stem. Peperomia Variegata is an attractive, variegated version of the Baby Rubber Plant, with all of the same cherished characteristics, plus an added advantage: multiple shades of dark green, olive green and a lovely creamy white. As such, keep it away from open doors or windows that tend to experience cool drafts. Ficus elastica is a species of evergreen tropical tree native to southern China, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia.