How to Care for Peperomia Rana Verde

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Peperomia Rana Verde semi-succulent and a member of the Piperaceae family, within the Peperomia genus. The species name is Peperomia Albovittata and Rana Verde is the hybrid name. The plant is a tropical perennial plant, native to Peru and Ecuador in South America.

Peperomia Rana Verde is a small, compact plant with deep green leaves. The leaves are small and rounded, with deep venation and a matte finish. The leaves resemble small green frogs and the name Rana Verde translates from Spanish to “green frog” in English.

Peperomia Rana Verde flowers are small and insignificant, orange in color and bloom in the summer. However, the flowers are minimal and the plant is valued for its pretty foliage and evergreen leaves.

As a house plant, it is wonderfully easy to care for and provides all year color and texture to any interior space. It grows best in bright light or partial sun and requires very little maintenance to thrive. It is happy in most comfortable household conditions – it does not need excessively high heat or humidity so it does well in the same conditions you find comfortable in your home.

Peperomia Albovittata Rana Verde: Common Names and Synonyms

Despite originating from South America, Peperomia Rana Verde is sometimes referred to as the Rippled Chinese Money Plant or Chinese Rubber Plant. It is also sometimes called Rippled Peperomia or by its scientific name, Peperomia Albovittata.

How to Care for Peperomia Rana Verde

Peperomia Rana Verde is wonderfully easy to care for and requires very little ongoing maintenance to thrive.

As long as you have it in the right environment, where it is warm enough and has enough light, it will do just fine with only watering and occasional feeding.

The ideal environment for Peperomia Rana Verde

Location, Space, Light, Containers and Potting Mix

Peperomia Rana Verde is a small, compact, semi-succulent plant that grows less than 10cm in height and spreads between 10 and 20cm wide.

It needs lots of bright light and can tolerate a little direct sun, as long as it is not too hot and bright for too long. Early morning and late afternoon sun are fine but it will do best in bright, indirect light.

Space and Location

Kept indoors, it will do best in very bright, indirect light or near a window that gets a little direct sun. It does not need much space to grow as it is a small and compact plant. It works very well on tables or other raised surfaces, in a location that is warm and gets plenty of bright light.

Unlike many other indoor plants, Peperomia Rana Verde is not considered toxic to animals and humans, so keeping it out of reach of pets and children is not a major consideration when choosing a location. However, the leaves are quite delicate so placing the plant somewhere where it will be a little protected is a good idea.

Light Requirements

As a semi-succulent, Peperomia Rana Verde does best in partial shade to full sun, depending on how hot and harsh the climate is. Indoors it needs 6 to 8 hours of bright light, some of which can be direct sun. However, it is not a true succulent and will not tolerate very hot, full sun. Some sun in the morning or late afternoon will be fine but the majority of the light should be very bright indirect sun.

It will do well near a window, on a covered patio or in a very brightly lit room. It will tolerate and survive in medium to medium-low light conditions, but it won’t thrive unless it has a lot of bright light.

Temperature and Humidity Requirements

The best temperature range for Peperomia Rana Verde is between 18 C and 30 C but it can tolerate cooler temperatures (around 15 C) and higher temperatures (around 35 C). It is best to protect it from extremes and bring it indoors in very hot or very cold weather.

These plants do not need a particularly humid environment and will do just fine around 30% to 40% will be fine. They will not have a problem with higher humidity but you will need to cut your watering back a little if the humidity is very high.

If you are in an exceptionally dry climate or the air indoors is very dry from air conditioners, you can use a humidifier in the room or place the plant on a humidity/pebble tray to increase the humidity around the plant.

The Best Containers for Peperomia Rana Verde

Drainage is the most important factor to consider when choosing a pot for Peperomia Rana Verde. As a semi-succulent, Peperomia Rana Verde stores some water in the leaves and does not need the soil to be consistently damp to thrive. In fact, damp or wet roots will very quickly rot and die, so it is best to make sure that the container can drain rapidly and completely.

The size of the container will depend on the size of the plant but generally, a standard nursery pot or equivalent terracotta pot will work perfectly, as long as they drain well. Peperomia Rana Verde is a small and compact plant, which does not need a large or heavy pot to support it.

Terracotta pots allow for more moisture to escape through the unglazed clay, so they’re a particularly good choice for this type of plant as it needs to dry out between watering and should never sit in wet soil for too long.

The Best Potting Soil for Peperomia Rana Verde

Peperomia Rana Verde is semi-succulent so it needs very light well-draining soil. You can use a store-bought ‘succulent mix’ potting medium or you can mix your own, using two parts coarse sand, two parts potting soil, and one-part perlite or pumice. The pH level of the soil should be slightly acidic to neutral (6.1 to 7.3). You can also add coconut coir, pebbles, or bark, depending on the size of the container.

How to Care for Peperomia Rana Verde

Watering, Feeding and Pruning

The initial location and growing conditions are important for making ongoing care simple and ensuring plant health. Once you have your plant in the right location with appropriate light, temperature, drainage, and soil taken care of, the rest is very easy!

Water

Watering frequency will depend on the climate and how rapidly the soil dries out. In very hot and dry conditions, the soil will dry out more rapidly and the plant will need to be watered more frequently. It is best to test by sticking your finger into the pot (up to the second knuckle at least) to see if the soil is damp or dry. If it is dry, water and allow the water to drain away before you put the pot back on a saucer or into a cover pot.

It is important to note that these plants will tolerate a little drought much better than overwatering so it is best to let them dry out well between watering.

Feed

Peperomia Rana Verde can be fed regularly in the spring and summer (every second week is fine) using a balanced liquid fertilizer. Look for an organic liquid fertilizer or a synthetic liquid fertilizer with equal parts Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in a low dose (such as NPK 1-1-1) and dilute it to half the recommended strength.

Prune

Peperomia Rana Verde does not need to be pruned. However, you can clip away any old or dead leaves and stems to keep them looking neat and healthy. It is best to do this at the beginning of the growing season (early spring) so that the plant can regenerate during the growing season.

Use clean, sterilized clippers and avoid watering right after you clip away stems to prevent fungal infections in the wound site.

Clean and Dust the Leaves

Peperomia Rana Verde has deep venation on the leaves and the leaves are somewhat matte in texture, which means they’re particularly susceptible to collecting dust! A layer of dust not only looks unsightly but also hinders the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and generate energy from the light. Gently spraying the leaves with a hand-held spray bottle and (gently!) dabbing them dry with a clean towel or cloth will remove dust and keep your plant healthy, strong and looking good.

Frequently Asked Questions: Common Problems and How to Solve Them

Why are my Peperomia Rana Verde leaves curling?

Curling or drooping leaves are usually due to over or under-watering. As a semi-succulent, it will have to be very dehydrated for the leaves to curl or droop but if you haven’t watered it in quite some time or the weather has been especially hot and dry, that may be the cause.

If you have been watering it, it may be overwatering that is the problem. If the leaves and stems are drooping as well as curling, you may have root rot – lift the plant out of the pot and check the base. If it is wet and the roots have been sitting in soggy soil and water for some time, there may be root rot. Root rot is when the roots have been wet for too long and begin to rot. It can very quickly kill your plant so it is best to re-pot the plant if you suspect root rot. Clip away any dead or rotten roots and repot into a soil that drains very well and a pot with good drainage. Overwatering can also lead to nutrient deficiencies, which in turn can lead to curling leaves.

Why are my Peperomia Rana Verde leaves yellow?

Yellow leaves are most likely linked to overwatering. Make sure your plant is drying out properly between watering and check the soil with your finger before you water. Plants that have not been fertilized for a long time may also develop some yellowing, which usually indicates a lack of Nitrogen and other nutrients, like calcium. If you’re definitely not over watering and it doesn’t have root rot, fertilizer may be what’s missing.

Why are there black spots on my Peperomia Rana Verde?

Black or brown spots on the leaves indicate a fungal or bacterial infection. These spots may spread or weep, and require swift action to prevent the infection from spreading. It is best to remove the affected leaves and stems immediately. Dispose of them away from other plants and make sure to use sterile tools when cutting away infected leaves or stems. Once you have trimmed away the affected portions of the plant, treat it with a fungicide spray and repot in into fresh potting medium and a clean pot.

What are the most common pests on Peperomia Rana Verde?

Peperomia Rana Verde is generally quite resilient to pests and bugs but Spider mites, Mealybugs and Aphids are commonly found on semi-succulent plants and Rana Verde is no exception. The best way to treat these is by picking them off manually or treating the plant with natural remedies, such as Neem Oil. Spray the leaves and stems with the Neem Oil mixture and allow it to dry. Do not water the plant for a day or two after spraying. Some infestations may require repeated treatments to clear.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Peperomia Rana Verde is a stunning little plant that lends a soft tropical feel to any room. Its sweet little leaves are deep green, textured, and often have a matte-finish. These unusual leaves stand out from other small foliage plants.

It is very easy to care for and will thrive with minimal maintenance in the right setting. It is an evergreen plant and a semi-succulent that will do well in drier environments. It can withstand a little drought and is a great choice for anyone who is out about often and needs a low maintenance plant that can be left alone occasionally and be just fine! It is also one of the few indoor foliage plants that are not toxic to humans and animals, making it a good choice for homes with pets or small children.

It must be noted that in the wild, Peperomia Albovittata is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For this reason, it is important to ensure that plants are sourced from ethical growers who propagate their own plants and do not collect them from the wild.

Where to Buy Peperomia Rana Verde

The Peperomia Rana Verde is available for sale on Amazon and Etsy. Below is a list of sellers selling the plant. Check it out below:

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If you are interested in learning more about Peperomias, we have an article on the Peperomia Pink Lady.