How to Grow and Care for Watermelon Peperomia

Cori Sears is a writer with over a decade of experience, specializing in houseplants, gardening, and home decor. She writes about trending news, interior design, houseplants, and gardening for The Spruce. Her expertise in these areas has led her to contribute to other major publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Apartment Therapy.

Watermelon Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia)

Watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) is a stunning and super-trendy houseplant. It shows off beautiful tear-drop shaped green leaves with dramatic silver stripes. Red leaf stems (petioles) offer an attractive complement.

Native to areas of South America, this small houseplant is perfect for well-lit desks and tabletops. It only grows about 8 to 12 inches tall, so it’s also easy to feature on shelves and in large terrariums. Place watermelon peperomia in a spot where you can view it up close: in bright light, the silver variegation sparkles.

The variegated foliage looks great paired with other variegated plants (such as sterling silver scindapsus or polka dot begonia, as well as varieties with darker foliage like Raven® ZZ plant or flowering anthurium). Of course, it’s also a showpiece displayed as a focal point.

Note: Watermelon Peperomia was discontinued from the Trending Tropicals® collection in 2022.

Watermelon Peperomia Growing Instructions

Light
Grow your watermelon peperomia where it gets medium to bright light for best results. That means it should cast a medium to strong shadow much of the day in the spot where you grow it. Avoid direct afternoon sun through a window in hot climates, though, particularly in summer. It can suffer sunburn.
Tip: Watermelon peperomia does not need natural sunlight to thrive. It enjoys both natural and artificial light.

Water
Give watermelon peperomia some water as the top half or so of the potting mix dries to the touch. It is rather sensitive to overwatering, so if you’re in doubt about whether to give it a drink, it’s usually best to wait. Because watermelon peperomia has relatively thick leaves, it tends to hold up well if it gets a little too dry.

Humidity
Provide average relative humidity levels for your watermelon peperomia. It doesn’t require high humidity like many houseplants, but can suffer brown leaf edges in desert-dry air. If its growing space is especially dry, augment humidity by growing your plant in a group with other houseplants. Or place a small humidifier nearby. You can also grow it on a pebble tray.

Fertilizing
Fertilize in spring and summer, if you wish, with a fertilizer formulated for use on houseplants. Just be sure to follow the directions on the product packaging. Never apply more fertilizer than the instructions recommend.

Pruning
The only pruning that’s necessary is to remove old leaves as they fade.

• Water Medium water needs
• Light Indoors: High light Indoors: Medium light
• Colors Variegated
• Special Features Purifies the air

Complement your Watermelon Peperomia

Elephant’s Ear
Contrast watermelon peperomia with the big, bold foliage of an elephant’s ear.

Pilea
Pair your watermelon peperomia with a silver-variegated pilea (like Dark Mystery, Norfolk, or Silver Tree) for a stunning look.

Moonlight Scindapsus
Create a lovely silver-on-silver effect by pairing these two Trending Tropicals® varieties.

How to Grow and Care for Watermelon Peperomia

Cori Sears is a writer with over a decade of experience, specializing in houseplants, gardening, and home decor. She writes about trending news, interior design, houseplants, and gardening for The Spruce. Her expertise in these areas has led her to contribute to other major publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Apartment Therapy.

Barbara Gillette is a Master Gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals.

Watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) have exploded in popularity among houseplant lovers thanks to their stunning watermelon-patterned foliage. They have a compact growth habit, and their leaves are not only colorful but also have a shimmery appearance that is especially stunning when the sunlight catches them. Native to South America, watermelon peperomia are tropical plants that grow naturally in the rainforest understory, and adapt exceptionally well to indoor growing.

Light

Watermelon peperomia loves bright to medium indirect light, so place it in an area near a window but not in direct sunlight. They should not be exposed to prolonged periods of direct sunlight as their leaves are prone to burning. While they can survive in lower light conditions, their leaves will be smaller and the growth will be more leggy.

Soil

Watermelon peperomia do well in most standard potting mixes as long as they are well-draining, but can also hold some moisture. Avoid soil that is formulated for plants that prefer a dryer soil like cacti and succulents as it won’t absorb enough water to sustain the plant. A one to one mixture of peat moss and perlite will also work for watermelon peperomia.

Water

Allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out between watering and then water thoroughly. Watermelon peperomia are sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering and should not be allowed to dry out or be left sitting in water for an extended period of time.

Temperature and Humidity

Watermelon peperomia do well in warm, slightly humid conditions. Typical household temperatures and humidity levels are adequate for these tropical plants. Just ensure that your peperomia is kept away from vents or drafty windows that could dry out the air around the plant.

Fertilizer

Watermelon peperomia can benefit from regular fertilization during the growing period. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer every two to four weeks during spring and summer.

Propagating Watermelon Peperomia

Watermelon peperomia are very easy to propagate and are sometimes even affectionately referred to as “friendship plants” because of how easy it is to share your plant with a friend. Propagating should ideally be done during the growing season, either in spring or summer. Watermelon peperomia can be propagated two ways: by division and by leaf cuttings.

How to propagate watermelon peperomia by division:

1. First, remove the entire plant from the potting container so that you can examine the roots and carefully separate the offshoots.
2. Identify the offshoots that you want to separate from the plant (it is best to leave offshoots that are smaller than one inch in the original pot) and gently tease the roots from the main plant.
3. Plant the newly separated offshoot in its own pot and water the soil thoroughly.
4. Place the cutting in a location that receives medium to bright indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist for the first one to two weeks after separation.
5. After a couple of weeks you can resume a regular watering schedule.

Unlike leaf/stem propagating with other plants, watermelon peperomia do not branch at the location where the stem is cut, so once you cut a leaf off you are sacrificing that stem permanently. Keep this in mind before getting started.

How to propagate watermelon peperomia with leaf cuttings:

1. Identify the leaves that you want to use and cut the stem so that the separated leaf has two to three inches of stem remaining.
2. Take the separated leaf, and cut the leaf in half—separating the “top” and the “bottom” of the leaf. You will be left with two halves, one that has the stem still attached.
3. Prepare a container with regular potting soil and pre-moisten the soil before planting.
4. Take the top half of the leaf cutting and place it in the soil with the cut edge buried and the top half above the soil.
5. Next take the bottom half of the cutting and plant the stem in the soil, with the remainder of the leaf above the soil.
6. Then, place your freshly potted cuttings in a location that receives medium to bright indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.
7. After one to two months, you should notice new growth sprouting from the leaves or stems of the cuttings. Allow the new plants to establish for a couple of months before transplanting them to their own containers.

Potting and Repotting

Like other peperomia plants, watermelon peperomia prefers to be slightly potbound, so choose a plant pot that just fits its root ball and avoid repotting too early. You can repot watermelon peperomia in spring every two to three years, and they will benefit from repotting even if you just want to refresh the soil. You can either repot watermelon peperomia in their existing container if the roots still fit, or if the roots are beginning to look quite potbound, size up one pot size.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

These plants are susceptible to a number of common houseplant pests and diseases. Fungus gnats and sap-sucking pests such as mealybugs, scale, and aphids can all be problems for watermelon peperomia. These peperomia are also sensitive to overwatering and can develop root rot quickly if their watering is mismanaged.

Common Problems With Watermelon Peperomia

Problems with watermelon peperomia are usually a result of improper watering or pest damage. Otherwise, watermelon peperomia are relatively problem-free.

Curling Leaves

Curling leaves are usually an indication that your plant is drying out too much, or that the leaves are getting too much direct sunlight.

Drooping Leaves

Drooping leaves can indicate that your plant is thirsty and needs some water. Usually this is quickly fixed with a good watering.

Leaves Turning Brown

There are several reasons that your peperomia’s leaves may be turning brown, including new environmental stress or changes, pest damage, lack of humidity, and overwatering (if they are brown and mushy). Evaluate your plant’s environment and care to determine which might be the cause.

Leaves Turning Yellow

Overwatering is the most common cause of yellowing leaves on a watermelon peperomia. Ensure that you are allowing the soil to dry slightly between watering and that you have proper drainage to avoid overwatering. Pests can also result in yellowing leaves.

If you are looking to increase the humidity around your watermelon peperomia, a more effective method would be to place a humidifier nearby or put your plant on top of a pebble tray filled with water.

Why are the leaves on my watermelon peperomia small with long stems?

A happy watermelon peperomia is characterized by large leaves that give it a bushy appearance. A lack of light can result in leggy growth, which is characterized by long stems (that sometimes fall over) and small, lackluster leaves. Move your peperomia to a brighter spot to encourage strong, healthy growth.