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Cupid Peperomia

Peperomia serpens (pep-er-ROH-mee-uh SUR-penz)

Family: Piperaceae Non-native Vine (vertical)

The Vining Peperomia is a semi-succulent, creeping, climbing, trailing, perennial from tropical Central and South America and is a member of the Piperaceae or pepper family. It has small, bright green, glossy, heart-shaped leaves that resemble the foliage of a Pothos. The stems are thick and light pink. The flowers of this plant are spikes of white or green. The plant will grow to 1 to 2 feet in length and up to 6 inches in height. This plant thrives in bright, indirect sunlight. It requires moist, well-drained soil and does not tolerate overwatering. It may require a trellis or pole as it continues to grow. Avoid cold drafts and maintain a moderate temperature and humidity. The beautiful foliage and ease of care make the Vining Peperomia a wonderful houseplant for beginning houseplant enthusiasts, Consider using this plant in a hanging basket or terrarium. Quick ID Hints: epiphytic, creeping, climbing, trailing, semi-succulent herbaceous perennial stem slightly pubescent small, bright green, glossy, fleshy, heart-shaped leaves resembling the foliage of a pothos flowers are white or greenish spikes Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : Monitor mealybugs, spider mites, aphids, scale, fungus gnats, and whiteflies. Root rot can occur from overwatering. Avoid wetting the leaves and provide good air circulation to prevent leaf spots. More information on Peperomia .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 36 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 6 - Vine (vertical)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Aspidistra elatior Dendrobium gracilicaule Strobilanthes alternata 'Exotica'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Epiphyte; Herbaceous Perennial; Houseplant; Vine
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Creeping; Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Cordate
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are bright green, glossy, slightly wrinkly, and heart-shaped.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Spike
Flower detail
The flowers are small spikes of green or white. Houseplants rarely produce flowers.
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Stem color
Pink
Stem detail
The stems are thick, pink, and have tiny hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southern Mexico to Tropical America
Distribution
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuelan Antilles, and Windward Islands
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Hanging Baskets; Houseplants
Garden tags
#easy to grow #houseplant #herbaceous perennial #epiphytic #drought tolerant #tropical #humidity tolerant #hanging baskets #well-drained soil #evergreen #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #perennial #low maintenance #pet friendly
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Humidity
Propagation
Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.