Peperomia Magnoliifolia: Ultimate Grow & Care Guide

Also known as Spoonleaf Peperomia, magnoliifolia is easy to take care of with beautiful spoon-like green foliage.

You mustn’t take their easygoing nature of them to avoid any leggy growth. Thus, read on to understand the optimal condition for Peperomia magnoliifolia.

Overview of Peperomia Magnoliifolia

Commonly known as a baby rubber plant or pepper face, Peperomia magnoliifolia is a compact plant.

True to their baby name, they appear as if they are stuffed in a pot.

Peperomia Magnoliifolia: Ultimate Grow & Care Guide

Peperomia magnoliifolia doesn’t need extreme care and looking after as other indoor plants.

If you fulfill the following conditions, you’ll get a healthy plant.

1. Sunlight & Temperature

The Peperomia magnoliifolia prefers bright sunlight with a warmth of about 65 to 80°F for optimal growth.

Sunburnt peperomia leaves often have yellowing, curling, brown spots and leaf tips.

Contrarily, low light or cold draft < 55°F can stress the plant resulting in droopy leaves and stunted, leggy growth. Moreover, it can hinder the flowering of the plant.

Some varieties of Peperomia magnoliifolia require relatively more sunlight, and they lose their variegation under low light.

Thus, keep your magnoliifolia a few feet away from the east or north window to give them a few hours of morning sunshine.

Moreover, aim for an incandescent lamp (10 to 12 hours) to facilitate light and heat. Also, use frost blankets or heat pads.

2. Water & Humidity

Peperomia magnoliifolia despises soggy soil but prefers a dewy, humid 40 to 60% environment.

However, reduce the watering to every fortnight during dormant winter to avoid overwatering issues.

Overwatered magnoliifolia exhibit signs like yellowing, wilting, rotting stalks and even roots rotting.

In contrast, the leaves will be floppy and soft to the touch if you underwater your plant. The leaf tips will start to turn brown.

Thus, utilize bottom watering aided with pebbles on a saucer to keep Peperomia magnoliifolia hydrated and humid.

Otherwise, gather your plants like Areca palm near your Peperomia plants to encourage natural humidity.

3. Soil & Fertilizer

Peperomia magnoliifolia thrives flawlessly in the organic-rich, well-aerated, loose soil of pH  6.1 to 6.6.

However, avoid fertilizing them in winter as they remain dormant with low nutrient uptake.

Overfertilization can result in salt accumulation on soil, causing chemical burns, curly leaf tips and brown spots.

That said, a lack of nutrition in the soil can halt plant growth and cause leggy, weak, yellowing plants.

Thus, give them an organic nutrient-rich soil made up of orchid bark, charcoal, worm compost, and coco coir. Otherwise, use commercial orchid mix, Ocean forest, or Burpee mix.

4. Potting and Repotting

Peperomia magnoliifolia prefers staying in a smaller pot and being root-bound most of the time.

You can start growing this plant in a pot 3 inches to 6 inches in size with multiple drain holes. If they do not, drill one.

Before repotting them to a pot one size bigger, soak the plant thoroughly the night before to reduce repot stress.

While at it, prune off the decaying, damaged roots using clippers and apply neem oil or fungicide.

Furthermore, ensure to use a fresh potting mix with moderate water retention.

5. Regular Pruning

Peperomia magnoliifolia demands regular pruning to maintain its alluring stature.

Similarly, deadheading flowers and pruning leaves can extend their flowering period and refocus their energy.

Pruning is a must when pests like mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats and scales invade the plant.

Meanwhile, the treatment of fungicides is crucial alongside pruning in case of leaf spots, stem rot and mosaic virus infection.

Remember, Peperomia magnoliifolia must not be pruned more than 1/3rd of its volume at once.

Also, if you have healthy cuttings, save them for later Peperomia magnoliifolia propagation purposes.

Peperomia Magnoliifolia: All About Growth

The leaves of Peperomia magnoliifolia are thick and juicy, which gives them a succulent look.

Under ideal care, you will be blessed with a beautiful mat of green leaves, despite the magnoliifolia plant’s compact size.

They actively unfurl new leaves in spring and summer but remain dormant the whole winter.

These plants grow vertically, and new growth emerges from the top of the plant.

This plant generally has two varieties.

• One with tricolor leaves in which the leaves have yellow or red edges.
• The variegated version has gold and green color on the leaves.

Peperomia magnoliifolia is usually famous for its foliage. It produces boring-looking, non-fragrant flowers.

The flowers are pale greenish or brown and packed in a conical spadix at stem tips or around leaf joints.

Blooming Peperomia magnoliifolia indoors is a rare occurrence. If they do, they bloom during the summer and spring seasons.

Upon successful pollination, those unshowy blooms will produce drupe-type insignificant fruit which bears seeds.

Toxicity of Peperomia Magnoliifolia

In addition to their aesthetic appearance, all plants belonging to the Piperaceae family are pet friendly.

According to the ASPCA, Peperomia magnoliifolia is non-toxic to dogs, cats and humans.

That said, minor stomach discomfort may arise under accidental ingestion. Also, your kids or pets may choke on the leaves.

Call these hotlines if you suspect your pets are taking nibbles out of the freshly fertilized Peperomia magnoliifolia.

• Poison Control Center: (800) 222-1222
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center : (888) 426-4435

Propagation Methods for Peperomia Magnoliifolia

Peperomia magnoliifolia can be propagated via the stem, leaf-cutting and root division.

But stem cutting is preferred the most due to its easy, simple, yet efficient, successful steps.

For optimal growth, aim to propagate your Peperomia magnoliifolia during its active growing spring and summer.

Before hopping on the propagation train, gather rooting hormone, sterilized pruners and fresh potting mix.

1. Propagate Via Stem Cuttings

Peperomia magnoliifolia can be propagated by rooting the stems in water and soil.

Choose a stem from the main healthy plant. Cut 6 inches of that stem. Make sure the stem has at least 3 or 4 leaves on it.

Now, remove any leaves from the bottom end of the stem.

In Soil Medium

• Fill the pot with the previously prepared potting mix in the pot with multiple drain holes.
• Plant the stem 3 inches deep into the pot, ensuring the leaves are not touching the soil.
• Dap the soil around the base of the plant with your thumb.
• Regularly water the plant, and don’t let the top layer of the soil dry out completely.
• Keep the plant pot in a bright indirect place with high humidity.
• Within a month, you are most likely to notice new root sprouts.

In Water Medium

• Place the previous stem cutting in the jar filled with chemical-free water and rooting hormone.
• Ensure at least one or two leave nodes are inside the water.
• Don’t submerge the whole stem cutting, as it won’t get the required oxygen.
• Keep replacing the water now and then to keep it clear.

Within  2 to 6 weeks, you can observe new root sprouts and then you may transplant them in the potting soil.

2. Propagate Via Leaf Cuttings

You can propagate variegated versions of Peperomia magnoliifolia by leaf cuttings too.

To do so, find a healthy leaf of the Peperomia magnoliifolia and cut it on the leaf joint connecting the plants’ stem.

• Dip the leaves into the soil and ensure they don’t fall off.
• Cut the leaves in half if they tend to fall.
• Create a mini-greenhouse by putting a large plastic bag on top of the plant
• Poke some holes in the bag to facilitate proper air circulation
• Place the cutting at room temperature with no direct sun to avoid sunburn.
• Remove the plastic after seeing some root growth at the base.

As Peperomia magnoliifolia hates repotting, wait for significant growth before transferring them.

3. Propagate Via Root Division

Root division is considered one of the easiest vegetative propagation methods.

This is one of the best propagation methods if your plant is overgrowing its pot. You can divide the roots and encourage new growth.

• Carefully take the Peperomia plant from the pot and brush off any soil around the root.
• Trim off all unhealthy, damaged roots without damaging the healthy root.
• You should divide the root ball into different sections ensuring each has at least 2-3 stems.
• Fill in a pot with fresh potting mix and plant the root section in it.
• Gently dab the soil around the root and water them thoroughly.

Then, as I mentioned above, you may proceed with regular Peperomia magnoliifolia care.

FAQs About Peperomia Magnoliifolia

Is Peperomia a good indoor plant?

Yes, Peperomia is an excellent indoor plant with very minimal care needs and is easy to take care of.

Water them twice a week while ensuring dry topsoil, then you are golden.

Is Peperomia good for beginners?

Due to their simple care needs with minor tolerance capability, Peperomia is a great option for beginner gardeners.

Does Peperomia need sunlight?

Peperomia thrives the most in bright but indirect sunlight with medium light intensity.

They suffer from direct sunlight, so sheer curtains must be used when kept in south windows.