Watermelon Peperomia (also called Peperomia Argyreia or Watermelon Leaf) is an easy-to-grow houseplant that’s great for beginners.
The leaves inspired this tropical plant’s name. Each variegated leaf features a beautiful glossy pattern that resembles a watermelon rind.
Sometimes called Watermelon Begonia, it is not a Begonia but rather a Peperomia. And like most peperomia plants, it is an easy-going and low-maintenance indoor plant.
So, how do you care for Watermelon Peperomia?
Watermelon Peperomia Plant Care
Here are the basics of caring for a Watermelon Peperomia, which we will detail in this article.
- Soil: Peat-based soil that drains well
- Pot: Small pot with drainage holes
- Light: Bright to medium indirect light
- Water: Frequent watering when the top level of the soil is dry
- Humidity: Average indoor humidity
- Pruning: As needed to maintain the desired look
Soil
The best soil for Watermelon Peperomia is a well-draining and aerated potting mix. While this plant doesn’t like too much water, they enjoy somewhat damp soil as a tropical plant. It’s all about balance.
To make it easy on yourself, you can purchase any soil labeled “indoor potting soil” or “succulent potting soil” at your local garden center or big box store.
Adding in peat moss, perlite, sand, or all of those will help to lighten up your soil and allow it to drain better. Getting the soil just right and with the correct drainage helps balance over and under-watering.
We recommend combining organic potting mix with peat moss perlite. This combination will encourage root growth and increase your plant’s strength.
- Perlite. Perlite helps with drainage and with water retention at the same time. Use equal parts regular potting soil and perlite. We recommend adding perlite into the soil of many different houseplants.
- Peat moss. Peat moss is the decomposed organic material that helps protect plants by providing acidity, water retention, and air circulation. It can hold moisture longer than sand or other types of soil.
Our favorite Watermelon Peperomia Potting Mix Recipe:
1 Part Organic Potting Mix
1 Part Peat Moss
1 Part Perlite
This article provides a very detailed overview of making your own potting soil.
Fertilizer
Watermelon Peperomia, like all members of the Peperomia family, is a slow grower. To keep your plant healthy and happy, use a diluted liquid fertilizer once or twice a year. Fertilize in the spring or the summer, not in the fall or winter.
Pot
Plant your watermelon leaf plant in a small pot with good drainage. A 4 to 6-inch pot should work well because they are slow growers. You probably won’t have to go bigger than that for at least a year.
Pro Tip: Choose a pot that’s only slightly bigger than your plant’s root ball. The Watermelon Peperomia plant grows best when it’s somewhat root-bound.
How to Repot Watermelon Peperomia
You will not need to repot your watermelon plant very often since it prefers a snug fit in its container. It might be as long as three years before you need to move up in pot size. Always repot in the spring.
You may still want to give your plant fresh soil, even if you keep it in the same pot. One of the few things that always harms Peperomias is soggy soil, leading to root rot. If you believe your plant may have root rot, gently remove it from its container and look at the roots. If the roots are firm and white, repot right away in fresh potting mix.
Sun/Light Requirements
Native to South America, Watermelon Peperomia is a tropical plant that grows naturally in the rainforest under a canopy of trees. They do not like direct sunlight. Because of this, they prefer indirect light inside your home. Direct, intense sunlight will burn the leaves.
This plant can survive in rooms with low light. The plants are known for growing even in a room with no windows as long as they get enough artificial fluorescent light during the day.
How Much Light Does a Watermelon Peperomia Need?
Watermelon peperomia should receive at least five hours of indirect light but no direct sunlight.
Where Do You Put Watermelon Peperomia?
Find a place for your plant where it can get enough bright, indirect light but not direct sunlight which can damage it. Bright, indirect let will encourage the watermelon-like leaves to grow healthy and vibrant. The best indoor location for watermelon peperomias is in an east- or west-facing room.
Bright, indirect light is bright enough to cast a fuzzy shadow. It’s light that is bright enough to read by. If you have a bright and sunny window, try putting a sheer curtain on it to create indirect light.
Also, consider temperature when placing your Watermelon Peperomia. They do not like the cold at all, so you’ll want to keep them away from drafty doors or windows.
These plants look really lovely placed next to other plants with similar care needs. Since the watermelon leaf plant is so tiny, they look even more attractive in a group.
How Do You Increase Variegation in Watermelon Peperomia?
Plenty of light helps the variegated leaves to keep their watermelon-like appearance. Growing in a well-lit room encourages healthy growth and vibrant foliage. However, it’s essential to maintain indirect light. Direct sunlight can cause the leaves to turn yellow and lose their beautiful color.
Even too much indirect light can cause the dark green veins to fade. If you notice the color fading on your plant’s leaves, try a different location with slightly less light and keep watching the leaves for further color changes.
Leggy Watermelon Peperomia
The right light is important because, without enough light, your watermelon plant will be leggy. Leggy refers to your plant’s appearance when its stem and petioles (the parts that connect the leaves to the stem) become unusually long. Not only does this not look good, but your plant may become weak and not be able to hold up its own new growth.
How to Water Watermelon Peperomia
Water your watermelon leaf plant when the top two inches of soil are dried out. Then, water thoroughly. Overwatering is the number one cause of issues in this plant, so make it a habit to check the soil before watering every single time.
Water until liquid flows through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. If needed, discard any water that accumulates in the bottom of the saucer. You do not want to let your plant sit in water. We recommend watering your plant in the sink and allowing the water to drain through completely.
How Often Should I Water my Watermelon Peperomia?
Your plant will probably need to be watered once a week. Start there but always check the soil as mentioned above.
Water less often in the winter and more in the summer. The more humidity you have surrounding your plants, the less you will need to water.
Again, always stick your fingers into the soil or use a soil moisture sensor to check how dry your soil is before watering.
Humidity
Does Watermelon Peperomia like humidity? While Peperomia Watermelon prefers slightly higher air humidity than the typical household has, it should grow just fine in average indoor humidity levels.
The ideal humidity for watermelon peperomia is anywhere between 40-50%. If your plant’s leaves begin to develop brown tips, curl or droop, you may have a low humidity problem.
The best way to add humidity to your houseplants is a plant humidifier.
We have two fantastic articles detailing humidifiers for plants:
Pro Tip: An inexpensive hygrometer is a wise investment in testing the humidity level in your home and adjusting it accordingly for your plants.
Temperature
The Watermelon Peperomia’s will do just fine in the temperature of an average home. This plant’s ideal temperature range is 65 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remember, this is a tropical plant, so it does not like the cold at all. They will not survive at any temperature below 50 degrees.
Pruning
Prune dead leaves as you see them. You can also prune leaves to maintain the desired shape of the plant or remove leggy leaves.
When leaves die, they take nutrients from the healthy parts, meaning the plant must work harder to survive. Removing any dead leaves allows the plant to focus on providing nutrients to the healthy leaves and helps maintain your plant’s overall health. Pruning dead leaves also help to prevent pests.
How to Make Watermelon Peperomia Bushy
If you want your watermelon leaf plant to be bushier, you need to give it more light. Leggy stems are typically caused by a lack of light. When you improve lighting conditions, new growth will be fuller and bushier. The leggy parts of your plant may need to be pruned off to achieve the look you’re going for.
Once a plant gets older, you should remove any shoots that don’t have leaves or flowering.
Should I cut off Watermelon Peperomia flowers?
Most indoor plant enthusiasts find Watermelon Peperomia flowers much less attractive than the beautiful glossy, green variegated leaves. Because of this, they usually trim off the flowers. The flowers rob your plant of energy that the plant could use for growing new leaves.
Common Issues With Watermelon Peperomia
The watermelon leaf plant is easy to keep happy and thriving. But every once and a while, you may see signs of trouble. When you do see signs, act quickly, and your plant should be fine.
Curling Leaves
Why are my Watermelon Peperomia leaves curling? Underwatering is the most common reason for a Watermelon Peperomia plant’s leaves to curl. Underwatering causes the leaves to turn inwards. Water your plant thoroughly, and you should see the leaves flatten out in a day or two.
Dropping Leaves
Overwatering is the most common cause of dropping leaves because it damages roots. When roots are damaged, they can’t pull up the essential nutrients for your plant. Peperomia leaves may also drop due to pests, plant diseases, or extreme temperatures.
If the temperature in your home is too low, place your Peperomia in the warmest room you have that will also allow for bright/indirect light. Keep your plant away from drafty windows and doors.
Peperomia leaves also fall off as they become old. This dropping is expected, so don’t worry too much.
Dying
Why is my Watermelon Peperomia dying? There are many reasons your watermelon leaf could be dying/drooping. Try to diagnose the issue by going through the following one by one:
- Is the soil too moist?
- Is the soil too dry?
- Is the plant cold or next to a drafty window/door?
The most common issue that will cause a plant to droop is a lack of water. Once you water your plant, you should notice the leaves bouncing back and looking healthier.
FAQ’s: Watermelon Peperomia
How Fast Does Watermelon Peperomia Grow?
Like most Peperomia, your Watermelon plant is slow-growing and small in size.
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, this plant typically grows about 9 inches tall and 6 inches wide.
Is Watermelon Peperomia a Trailing Plant?
While some Peperomia plants are trailing, Watermelon Peperomia is not. Instead, it is a Peperomia plant that is more compact and bushy.
Is Watermelon Peperomia Rare?
Watermelon Peperomia isn’t a rare plant, but there is something rare about it. The leaves of this plant are peltate. Instead of the stem being attached at the bottom of the leaf like in most houseplants, the stem attaches to the leaf in the middle of the leaf.
Peltate: Having a centrally attached stalk or petiole like an umbrella.
Peltate leaves combined with the unique watermelon rind pattern make this a special plant but not necessarily hard to find.
Always take caution when a seller promotes a plant as “rare.”
Is Watermelon Peperomia Toxic?
According to the ASPCA, Watermelon Peperomis is not toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets.
Can Watermelon Peperomia Live Outside?
Your Watermelon plant will do best indoors as a house plant. However, you can generally take them outside for the spring and summer if you have a nice shady spot for them.
A shady spot is crucial because too much direct sunlight will cause the leaves to lose their cute pattern or even burn.
If you live in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12, you can potentially keep your Watermelon plant outside year-round.
Their compact size and ease of care make them great indoor plants.
Is Watermelon Peperomia a Succulent?
This plant has thick leaves like a succulent, but it is not a succulent. Watermelon Peperomia is a tropical plant that likes different things than a succulent one. Tropical plants need greater humidity, less intense light, and more frequent waterings than succulents.
Is Watermelon Peperomia a Hanging Plant?
Watermelon peperomia will look lovely in hanging baskets. Drainage is critical, so make sure whatever container you use has drainage holes in the bottom.
However, they are not a trailing plant, so they will not spill over the sides of your hanging basket like other Peperomia plants.
Is Watermelon Peperomia a Lucky Plant?
The ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui uses plants with rounded leaves to bring good luck and fortune to the home.
Other Peperomia Varieties to Love
Watermelon Peperomia, also known by its scientific name Peperomia argyreia or the common name Watermelon begonia, is a member of the Peperomia plant family. There are more than 1,000 different Peperomia plants.
String of Turtles
The Peperomia Prostrata is an easy-care houseplant known for leaves that resemble turtle shells gently hanging from long vines, thus inspiring the name String of Turtles. The String of Turtles is a great indoor plant for beginners mainly because it prefers a bit of neglect and is somewhat forgiving.
Read our complete String of Turtles Care Guide.
Where to Buy Watermelon Peperomia
Watermelon Peperomia might be available at your local nursery or garden center. We know that it is widely available through online retailers.
Sometimes you may see a plant labeled “Watermelon Begonia.” This plant may or may not be the plant you are looking for. Watermelon Peperomia is not a member of the Begonia family. However, it is sometimes labeled as such because it looks similar to a Begonia.
Confusing this even further, there is a different plant called Watermelon Begonia, which is a begonia.
It’s an important distinction because Begonias are generally more challenging to grow indoors than Peperomia.
If you’re considering purchasing a plant labeled Watermelon Begonia and you’re unsure if it’s a real begonia or peperomia, check the tag. Look at the scientific name on it. Watermelon Peperomia will be labeled “Peperomia argyreia” or “Peperomia sandersii.”
Final Thoughts on Watermelon Peperomia
If you’re looking for a plant that is impressive looking but easy to care for, this is it!
Some items we discussed that will help you care for this unique plant and keep it growing strong:
Good luck growing your Watermelon Peperomia and making it part of your cozy, fresh, and green home!
