I read your column about a lady palm recommendation for a low-maintenance houseplant but do not like how it looks. Is there another option for an easy-to-grow houseplant?
— Jaimie Patino, Waukegan
I became enamored with houseplants while I was in elementary school, and I remember filling the living room with all kinds of plants, of which some quickly failed and others performed okay. For me, choosing a houseplant that’s easy to grow is very important, and I would suggest you consider a peperomia for something different from a Boston fern or lady palm. The genus Peperomia includes many different species and cultivars, and plants in this group look very different from one another, which means you have plenty of options to choose from. Peperomia houseplants are grown for their foliage rather than their flowers. Their leaves can be smooth or textured in green, red, purple, or grey solid leaf colors or patterns. They also have different habits; the leaves range from large to small, with shapes ranging from pointed to round to heart-shaped. Peperomias are also easy to source.
So overall, peperomias are a great choice because they’re low-maintenance and there’s a diversity of plants to choose from; you should be able to find something you’ll enjoy at home. They can tolerate most lighting conditions, but they’ll do best in bright, indirect light, like near an east- or west-facing window. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight. If the light in your location isn’t enough, peperomia will have fewer leaves, they’ll drop their leaves, and the leaf color will be muted. Some of the varieties with larger and thicker leaves will tolerate more sun, while many of the smaller-leaf varieties will tolerate lower light. They will lean toward a light source, so you’ll want to rotate your plant occasionally.
Peperomia are slow-growing and can live for a long time in a relatively small container since they prefer being somewhat root-bound. Just make sure your pot has a drainage hole or holes in the bottom, and when you do repot your plant, the new container should be no more than two inches larger. Use a lightweight, well-drained growing medium, like one designed for growing orchids.
You’ll be more likely to overwater versus underwater your peperomia; let the growing medium dry out a little between watering. Personally, I maintain most of my houseplants on the dry side. Yellowing leaves are a sign of overwatering. If leaves start falling off, though, it could be due to overwatering, underwatering, or not enough light — so you’ll have to do some detective work if your plant ends up with this problem.
Fertilize once a month or so during the growing season with a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer, following instructions on the label. In winter, you can skip the fertilizer. It’s best to avoid misting the leaves or using tap water that’s high in fluoride. If your plant gets leggy, it’s okay to prune it back, ideally in spring for more aggressive pruning. Enjoy!
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
