Peperomia Dolabriformis Care Guide - How to Grow Prayer Peperomia

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Peperomia Dolabriformis is also known as the Prayer Peperomia. The plant is best known for its unique looks which makes people mistaken it for succulent.

That said, the plant is not a succulent but a peperomia. Still, its leaves store moisture allowing it to tolerate drought.

These leaves also look unique as they are light green and shaped like pods with folds in the middle. These folds are designed to help it regulate the amount of sunshine it receives form the sun.

The Peperomia Dolabriformis is native to South America, particularly Peru. Thus, it has a preference for warm, tropical weather.

How do you care for Peperomia Dolabriformis? Keep the plant in medium to bright light that is filtered. It cannot tolerate direct sunlight. Outdoors, partial shade is the best location for the plant.

In addition to enjoying warm, balmy weather, it also has low tolerance for the cold. When watering, allow the soil to dry between waterings.

For optimal growth, give it fertilizer during its growing season.

Table of Contents

Peperomia Dolabriformis Plant Care

Light Requirements

Light is very important for the Peperomia Dolabriformis. And you need to make sure you give it the right amount.

if you look at its thick succulent-like leaves, they fold upwards allowing the plant to get more light than foliage will bend down. At the same time, this shape also controls how much light it gets so as to temper too much exposure.

As such, the plant enjoys medium to bright, indirect light indoors. Filtered, dappled and diffused light work just as well.

Just as importantly, it can tolerate low light without any problems too. But keep in mind that there is a limit to this. Thus, avoid leaving it in dime or dark locations.

Outdoors, the Peperomia Dolabriformis prefers a shaded location. Partial shade is best so it can get light but stays away from too much light.

From here, you can already probably guess that the plant does not like strong light or full sun. And you would be correct.

Avoid leaving it under direct sunlight or very intense sun for more than 1-2 hours a day. It cannot tolerate this exposure, and you may see its leaves scorch.

As such, indoors an east facing window is ideal. If you want to keep it in the west or south make sure you filter the mid-day sun or distance the plant so it stays away from the sun’s rays then.

Prayer Peperomia Temperature

The Peperomia Dolabriformis enjoys warm climate conditions as it is a tropical plant.

This is why it prefers temperature between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also withstand warmer weather up to 90 or 95 degrees without any problem.

However, I suggest avoiding areas that get too hot since the longer it stays there, the easier it can get dehydrated.

The Peperomia Dolabriformis can be grown outdoors all year round in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12. That’s because these areas have warm, sunny winters.

In colder regions, it is better to keep the plant indoors as a houseplant. Although, you can take it outside during the summertime when the weather is warm.

But make sure to take it back inside once the climate drops down near 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is because it is not cold hardy.

And it has low tolerance to the cold.

Therefore, always be aware when temperatures suddenly drop because the plant will struggle once it drops below 55 degrees.

This is likewise true indoors with air conditioners or cold drafts that entre through open windows or doors.

Prayer Peperomia Humidity

Humidity is not much of an issue because the plant can tolerate a wide range. Indoors, it does not mind low humidity which makes it easy to care for.

This means you don’t need to do anything or take special measures to keep it happy in your home.

That said, if you want to see it grow its fastest, keeping it in a moderate to high humidity is best. It enjoys 40% to 70% humidity.

How Often to Water Peperomia Dolabriformis

The Peperomia Dolabriformis does not need watering. And it can tolerate dry periods.

That’s because it has thick succulent-like leaves which store water. This feature not only allows it to tolerate low humidity, it also makes the plant drought tolerant.

As such, it does not neem watering like other houseplants do.

Just as importantly, you should treat it like other houseplants especially when it comes to water.

The reason is that its small root system and its semi-succulent leaves make it more susceptible to water. Since it has water stored up and its roots don’t need a lot of water in the first place, you can overwater the plant if you add moisture too often.

As such the basic rule is to allow at least the top couple of inches to dry out first before you add water. You can likewise wait until the soil is halfway dry before you add water.

Both will work. And anything in between these two levels will keep the plant happy and healthy as well.

When watering it is best to drench the soil then let it drain right after.

What this means is to keep adding water until you saturate the entire root ball. You’ll know this is done when water begins dripping from the bottom holes of the pot.

After that, allow the soil to completely drain.

The first part will ensure that the roots get water and not just the top of the soil does. The second part ensures that you allow any excess moisture to drain out.

This will prevent waterlogging.

This way, the roots get their fill of water but don’t stay in water for long. This way to avoid the risk of overwatering or root rot.

Related

Peperomia Dolabriformis Potting Soil

The best soil for the Peperomia Dolabriformis is well-draining soil that is breathable. This allows the roots to get a balance of water and air to keep them healthy.

Too much water means the roots are drowning in liquid which can lead to root rot.

Too much air means the soil is bone dry which causes dehydration.

Therefore, the balance is important.

To make this easier, it is important to use well-draining soil. This will allow excess moisture to quickly drain so that you never end up overwatering the plant or with waterlogged soil.

In contrast, avoid heavy soils, those that retain a lot of moisture are dense or compact.

You can use a well-draining cactus and succulent which can work.

Better yet, you can go with regular potting soil and add perlite and sand. The perlite and sand will increase drainage and aeration while the potting soil will hold just enough moisture to keep the roots hydrated.

In addition to using soil with good drainage, make sure the pot you use has holes in the bottom.

This will allow any excess moisture that drains from the soil to exit the pot instead of pool at the bottom.

Fertilizer

The Peperomia Dolabriformis will do okay without fertilizer. But to make it grow optimally, I suggest using one.

Note that the plant does need a lot of plant food. So, avoid adding more, applying too often or using a high concentration.

Excess fertilizer will cause more harm than good. In fact, you’re better off not feeding the plant than give it too much.

That’s because the salts that are left in the soil can eventually cause fertilizer burn which damage the roots.

Instead, just follow the instructions on the label.

You can use a balanced, liquid fertilizer once a month during its growing season. Stop come early to mid-fall and don’t feed the plant during winter.

Also dilute the application each time by haff strength. And do not feed the plant when the soil is dry.

If you want to be more conservative, you can opt for slow-release fertilizer instead,

This formulation will release the nutrients (and salt) over the span of weeks and months. So, the soil never gets a big load of chemicals at ones.

Prayer Peperomia Pruning

The Peperomia Dolabriformis can grow to between 12 to 24 inches high over time. In most cases, it will stop growing at around a foot (or a few inches beyond that).

It will likewise be primarily composed of lots of dense clusters made from thick leaves.

Because of its small size and fairly compact form, it does not need pruning. You can do a little maintenance if you want to shape it in a particular way though.

You can also prune to encourage it to grow more as well if you feel the plant is not bushy enough for your liking.

How to Propagate Peperomia Dolabriformis

The Peperomia Dolabriformis s easy to propagate. This lets you reproduce the plants at home for free.

The two most common ways to propagate this plant are from leaf cuttings and stem cuttings.

Both have good results although stem cuttings are more reliable and will root faster. They will also produce shoots and leaves sooner than leaf cuttings.

Here’s how to do both methods.

Propagating Peperomia Dolabriformis from Leaf Cuttings

Leaf cutting is the most popular way of propagating the Peperomia Dolabriformis. To do this you need to take a few leaves with their petioles.

Here’s how:

Take a few healthy leaf cuttings from the mother plant.
Prepare a small pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix.
Plant the leaf cuttings into the soil so that the petioles are buried. Keep the cuttings spaced out.
Water the soil to keep it moist. And place the cutting in bright, indirect light.
In will take about 4-8 weeks for the cuttings to root.
Once they do, you can transplant them into a small container with potting mix.

Propagating Peperomia Dolabriformis from Stem Cuttings

The Peperomia Dolabriformis can also be propagated from stem cuttings. Here, you’ll be cutting stems or stem tips.

Take a healthy stem cutting with at least 2-3 leaves on it.
Dip the end in rooting hormone.
Plant the cutting into a small pot with fresh, well-draining soil.
Water the soil until it is moist.
Leave the pot in bright, indirect light.
In about 4 weeks the cutting will root.

How to Repot or Transplant Peperomia Dolabriformis

The Peperomia Dolabriformis only needs repotting once every 2-3 years. It also does not grow too big so you will never need a large pot for it.

When it comes to repotting, there are a few things that are important to keep in mind about this plant.

It likes staying in tight pots. In fact, it growth best when slightly root bound.
Keeping it in a smaller container helps its roots system become stronger.

This means that you don’t need to be in a hurry to repot the plant.

Also, repotting it too often not only increasing the risk of repotting stress or shock, it also will negatively impact its growth and root system.

The best time propagate the Peperomia Dolabriformis is spring up to early summer.

And you’ll know when to repot once you see roots coming out for the drainage holes at the bottom of the container.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

The Peperomia Dolabriformis is not toxic to people or pets. This makes it safe to keep around the home even if you have dogs, and cats running around.

While not poisonous, I still don’t recommend letting the kids chew or ingest parts of the plant since it is not edible.

Peperomia Dolabriformis Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

The Peperomia Dolabriformis is not particularly prone to pests. So, you may never experience them with this plant.

However, like all houseplants, there is always the possibility.

Additionally, I’ve found that it is never worth it to allow the pests to grow into infestations. That’s because they not only cause more damage due to their number. But it also takes so much longer to get rid of them then.

Thus, it is essential to spot the problem early.

Once you see any pests, immediately start treatment. You can use neem oil or insecticidal soap to get rid of them.

Diseases

Root rot is the most serious thing to watch out for. That’s because it can destroy your plant if not fixed early enough.

Since the Peperomia Dolabriformis is susceptible to overwatering, root rot will always be a risk.

Therefore, it is very important to avoid overwatering. Additionally, use well-draining soil and a pot with holes at the bottom.

This will help you avoid having to deal with overwatering and waterlogging.

Peperomia Dolabriformis Care Guide – How to Grow Prayer Peperomia