- Botanical Name: Peperomia argyreia
- Common Name(s): Watermelon Peperomia, Watermelon Begonia,
- Description: Native to northern South America, including Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela. The plant is not closely related to either watermelons or begonias. These terms relate to the shape, markings and texture of the leaves. Growing to 20 cm tall. It is a perennial with asymmetrical oval green leaves, slightly fleshy, strikingly marked with curved silver stripes, and red stems. Tiny green flower spikes appear in summer.
- Care: Peperomia isn't picky when it comes to lighting needs. It prefers medium to bright, indirect sunlight, but it also tolerates lower light conditions and fluorescent lights. Too little light, however, can slow down its growth and makes this plant leggy. Intense direct sun, on the other hand, can make its colors fade.
As a semi-succulent plant, Peperomia Piccolo Banda is drought-tolerant and does not need frequent watering. Check the soil once per week and only water when the soil is dry to the touch. Water thoroughly and drain well after each watering.
The best soil for this plant is rich but well-drained, porous potting soil. A mixture of houseplant potting soil with perlite, peat, and compost is ideal for Peperomia Piccolo.
This plant grows best in normal room temperatures (between 65°F-80°F). This plant is not frost-tolerant and it does not grow well when the temperature drops below 50°F. Peperomia Hope thrives in normal indoor humidity (40-50%).
This plant should be fertilized once during the growing season (spring/summer) with diluted houseplant fertilizer.
