How to grow and care for the ripple peperomia: methods and precautions
The ripple peperomia (Peperomia caperata) is a highly ornamental plant. Its leaves are very attractive, purple in color, and the leaf surface looks uneven, like wrinkles, but this is also very distinctive. This highly ornamental foliage plant is also fairly easy to grow. If you don't believe it, follow along with the editor to see its specific growing methods.
How to grow the ripple peperomia
When grown indoors in a pot, it can grow well in a semi-shady environment. In summer, avoid direct sunlight; in spring, autumn, and winter, it can receive a bit more sunlight. If the light is too strong, it easily causes scorching at the leaf margins and leaf tips; if the light is too weak for a long time, it easily loses its luster. The optimum growing temperature is 19-26°C, and the minimum winter temperature should be kept above 9°C; below 6°C, the leaves easily fall off. During the growing period, water adequately, but do not overwater, otherwise it easily causes root rot. A potting soil commonly made from leaf mold, garden soil, river sand, etc. is used to help drainage and aeration. Apply a dilute liquid fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer about once every half month. When winter temperatures are low, reduce watering and stop fertilizing.
Ripple peperomia growing methods and precautions
Growing methods
1. Potting soil
The ripple peperomia is not very picky about soil. Generally speaking, well-drained leaf mold is enough. Gardeners can also mix their own nutrient soil suitable for the ripple peperomia, for example, a loose potting soil made by mixing garden soil, leaf mold, river sand, etc., and a small amount of cake fertilizer can be added as a base fertilizer.
2. Fertilizing
Another thing that cannot be ignored during the growth period of the ripple peperomia is fertilizing. Generally speaking, fertilizing once a month during the growing season is enough. In terms of fertilizer choice, gardeners can use fully decomposed cake fertilizer water, dilute liquid fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer, and so on. When fertilizing, be sure to avoid contact with the leaf surface.
3. Watering
The ripple peperomia is a mesophytic flower, so it is best to keep the growing environment moist day and night. Watering should keep the potting soil moist. Although it is moist, also note that there must be no water accumulation; once water accumulates, root rot easily occurs.
In summer, when the temperature is high and the ripple peperomia grows vigorously, it is best to water once every 2-3 days, but in winter it is dry and the ripple peperomia grows slowly, so it is best to control the amount of water.
4. Light
The ripple peperomia is actually a semi-shade flower, so it is best to place the potted ripple peperomia in a semi-shady spot to receive diffused light. If the light is too strong, the leaves turn yellow; if the light is too weak, the leaves easily lose their luster. In winter, it can be placed in a sunny spot.
5. Pruning
The ripple peperomia does not always grow according to our wishes; sometimes it grows very chaotically, and at this time we should prune the ripple peperomia. The purpose of pruning is to make the ripple peperomia plant fuller with dense branches and leaves.
Pinching can be done in early summer. Pinching means pruning the tender leaves growing from the top center of the plant, which can inhibit the plant's growth and let new leaves grow out from below.
6. Repotting
For potted ripple peperomia, it is suitable to repot once every 2 years, so for lazy people, there is no need to repot every spring.
Precautions
1. It is a mesophytic flower, and watering should keep the potting soil moist, with no water accumulation.
2. The pot should be placed in a semi-shady spot. If the light is too strong, the leaves turn yellow; if the light is too weak, the leaves easily lose their luster. In winter, it can be placed in a sunny spot.
What is the market price of the ripple peperomia
The ripple peperomia likes partial sun or bright diffused light. The optimum growing temperature is 25-28°C. It likes a warm, humid environment and well-drained sandy loam, is not tolerant of water accumulation, but likes an environment with high air humidity. At present, different varieties have different prices, but its price fluctuates around 45 yuan.
The effects of the ripple peperomia
1. Reducing inflammation and promoting diuresis: Reducing inflammation and promoting diuresis is the main manifestation of the medicinal value of the ripple peperomia. It has an obvious therapeutic effect on human edema or difficult urination caused by nephritis. During treatment, the ripple peperomia can be decocted together with Chinese medicinal materials such as Jiupinghua root and Shanpitiao and taken as a decoction.
2. Dispersing blood stasis and dredging collaterals: The ripple peperomia can also disperse blood stasis and dredge collaterals. It can usually be used for the treatment of many common diseases such as human bruises, fractures, and rheumatoid arthritis. External use of the ripple peperomia can also relieve itching, and it can also obviously relieve skin itching caused by human rubella.
3. Ornamental effect: It is a beautiful foliage plant. The leaves of this plant are bright and green, elegant and distinctive, with particularly high ornamental value.
4. Purifying air: Greening the environment and purifying air are its main effects, and it can absorb carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the air, making indoor air fresher.
The ripple peperomia has multiple effects. In daily bruises, the medicines used contain ingredients of the ripple peperomia. Not only that, its main value is still purifying air and making the indoor environment fresher. It is a purely natural purifier. Such a plant that is both beautiful and able to purify air is also not expensive, and it is very suitable to place a pot at home.