Illustrated Guide to Propagating Peperomia obtusifolia by Cuttings, with Every Step Explained

Once the Chinese New Year is over, spring arrives, so those of you who love taking cuttings can get started. There are many plants at home that can be propagated from cuttings, and there are many cutting methods too. Today I will share with you a group of plants that can be rooted from just a single leaf, basically without any special treatment, as the leaf will root just by being placed in a pot. See if there is one you like?

Peperomia obtusifolia, of the genus Peperomia in the family Piperaceae, has fleshy leaves that stay green all year round. Many people now place it beside their computer, and when work gets tiring they look at it to relieve eye strain. It can be grown as a small potted plant, commonly cultivated in white plastic pots or white porcelain pots, and placed on a coffee table, display cabinet, curio shelf or office desk, where it looks very beautiful. Alternatively, let the branches spread and hang down, suspended in front of an indoor window or in a bathroom, and it is also very fresh and pleasing to the eye.

Peperomia obtusifolia is also called the “computer baby”; out of 10 office workers, 8 are sure to have one on their desk. Peperomia obtusifolia can be grown in water: simply cut a stem short and place it in water, and in about two weeks it will grow fuzzy fine roots. However, Peperomia obtusifolia can actually also be propagated by leaf cuttings!

Leaf cutting steps:

1. Choose a relatively strong leaf from the middle-lower part of a Peperomia obtusifolia stem, pinch the base of the leaf stalk, rock it left and right, and slowly separate the leaf together with its stalk from the stem.

2. Place the removed leaf in a ventilated place to dry for half a day, then insert the leaf stalk at a 45° angle into a pot filled with sand.

3. Spray water on the sand to keep it moist.

4. If the temperature is above 20 degrees, roots can grow in about 20 days.

5. The process of growing shoots is relatively long, possibly 1 month or possibly half a year, so wait patiently; once 3 leaves have grown, it can be potted up for normal care.

Propagating Peperomia obtusifolia by cuttings is relatively simple, but you must choose relatively strong leaves from the middle-lower part; after removing them, leave them in a ventilated place to dry before inserting them into a sand medium to root, which will be faster.