Peperomia Trinervula Care Guide - How to Grow Peperomia Bibi

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Peperomia Trinervula is also known as the Peperomia Bibi. As such, you will see it labeled as Peperomia Trinervula Bibi in some stores.

What makes this plant very different from most peperomia varieties is it looks. It features small leaves that grow like grass covering your entire pot.

How do you care for the Peperomia Trinervula? The plant grows best in bright, indirect light. It also appreciate warm weather and good humidity which will allow it to grow optimally.

Make sure to let the soil dry between waterings as it is susceptible to overwatering. Also, use well-draining soil.

To propagate the Peperomia Trinervula, you can use leaf or stem cuttings.

Table of Contents

Peperomia Trinervula Plant Care

Peperomia Bibi Light Requirements

The Peperomia Trinervula has green leaves which means that it needs a well-lit location to thrive.

However, it can also tolerate low light as well but there is a limit to how much it can take before you see some side effects.

On the other hand, avoid direct sunlight or very harsh sun like that during the summer or mid-day. Similarly, if you use grow lights, make sure that the bulbs are distanced far enough to keep them from burning the plant leaves.

Instead, the Peperomia Trinervula thrives on medium to bright indirect light. It will likewise be happy with filtered, dappled or diffused light as long as the rays of the sun don’t hit it directly.

If they do for more than 2 hours a day, the leaves will eventually get discolored or even have brown burn marks.

This makes an east-facing window the best spot for the plant. It will get direct morning sun from this direction. However, the sun in the morning is gentle (unlike that of the afternoon). Thus, it will not burn the plant’s leaves.

Outdoors, the plant will grow best in partial shade. This means to keep it away from full sun or the sun’s rays but not in full shade where there is too little light.

Peperomia Bibi Temperature

The Peperomia Trinervula Bbi enjoys moderate to warm temperatures. It does best between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although, it will likewise tolerate warmer conditions all the way up to 90 degrees without any issues. But the farther away from its ideal range you go, the slower its growth will be.

As such, the plant will be happy indoors because most homes maintain climates that are in its ideal range.

Outdoors, it also likes sunny weather. in fact it is well-suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 10-11.

Here, it will happily grow outside in your garden, patio or deck.

On the other hand, the cold is another story.

The Peperomia Trinervula is not accustomed to staying in cold weather. After all it is a tropical plant.

For this reason, you don’t want to leave it somewhere with temperatures that’s below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

While it can tolerate this environment, its growth will visibly be slower. Additionally, the longer you keep it there, the more it will struggle.

More importantly, it won’t be able to withstand frost, snow or freezing temperatures. Therefore, don’t leave it outside late in the fall or in winter. It will not survive to see spring.

Humidity

Humidity is not much of an issue for the Peperomia Trinervula because it can tolerate low humidity much better than most houseplants.

This makes it easier to care for indoors since many homes tend to have dry air.

To give you an idea, the average humidity in homes is between 20% to 50%.

However, it you want to see the plant grow optimally, you can target 40% to 60% humidity. The plant likes moisture in the air and will not only grow faster here but also produce more lush foliage.

How Often to Water Peperomia Trinervula

Watering is the part where you want to pay special attention to the plant. That’s because it is susceptible to overwatering, even more so than other indoors plants.

Sadly, I know this from experience since I did lose a few of my early peperomia by watering them like my other houseplants.

That’s a mistake!

The plant needs soil to dry between waterings.

This means it is important to at least let the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out between waterings. For me (because of my past experience), I wait until the soil is dry about halfway down before adding more water.

This keeps the plant safe from the risk of overwatering. And the roots still get enough moisture to keep them happy and healthy.

Any time in between those two levels will work.

The important thing is not to add water when the soil is still moist or wet on the surface. Similarly, don’t let the soil go bone dry.

The former will cause overwatering, the latter will cause dehydration.

Also, when it is time, water thoroughly.

This means when you water, keep adding moisture to the soil until it gets saturated. You’ll know when this happens as the liquid will start dripping from the bottom of the pot.

After that, let the soil completely drain. This will take between 10 to 25 minutes depending on how big your plant is and how well-draining your soil is.

While time consuming, this step is very important as it prevents waterlogged soil.

Related

Peperomia Trinervula Potting Soil

The best potting soil for Peperomia Trinervula is well-draining, loose and fertile.

Good drainage is important because the soil has to be able to hold a bit of moisture to keep the roots hydrated. But they should quickly drain excess liquid so the roots don’t end up sitting in water for too long either.

Additionally, use a pot with holes at the bottom. This will allow the excess moisture that drains from the soil to exit the pot instead of accumulating at the bottom.

It is also important to mention that you want to avoid heavy soils or those that retain a lot of water. While these work well for some plants, they are harmful to your Peperomia Bibi.

Likewise, stay away from dense or compact soil.

I don’t suggest on using standard potting soil on its own either. Instead, you need to add something to improve drainage and aeration.

Here are some easy potting mix recipes I’ve found to work well for the Peperomia Trinervula.

1 part potting soil with 1 part coco coir
1 part cactus & succulent mix with 1 part coco coir
1 part potting soil with 1 part perlite

While they use different ingredients, they all who components that hold some moisture but also provide good drainage and aeriation.

Peperomia Bibi Fertilizer

To allow your Peperomia Trinervula to grow fast and stay healthy, it needs fertilizer. Although it can do well without plant food, it will grow noticeably slower without the nutrient supplementation.

Therefore, I do suggest using it.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that commercial fertilizers (those bought in shelves) are made from chemicals. So, in addition to the nutrients and minerals they also contain salts which manufacturers use to deliver the nutrients.

But once the plant absorbs the nutrients and the water evaporates what you’re left with is salt in the soil. And the more you fertilize your plant, the more salts that accumulate.

Sadly, these salts are toxic to plants including the Peperomia Bibi.

So once too much salts build up, it will damage the roots causing fertilizer burn.

For this reason, you want to avoid overfeeding. It is also important to dilute the fertilizer when you use it. And never feed the plant when the soil is dry.

Adding too much, too often or too high a concentration all result in a lot of salts in the soil.

So, moderation is essential.

Feed your Peperomia Trinervula with a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month only when it is actively growing.

Once the cold weather comes during mid fall and winter, the plant won’t grow much. Thus, don’t feed it during this time or else you’ll just be adding salts to the soil.

In addition to knowing how much and how often to feed the plant, you can also flush the soil to get rid of salt build up.

To do so, run water through the soil for about 5-10 minutes. This will dissolve the salts and carry them out with the water as it drips through the drainage holes.

Depending on how much you feed the plant, you may need to flush the soil once a month or once very 6 months.

Peperomia Bibi Pruning

The Peperomia Trinervula is a small plant that can grow upright up to about 6-8 inches. As it gets longer, it will trail.

This makes it lovely to look at and allows you to shape the plant how you wish.

It is a medium to fast grower as well.

Together this means you may need to prune it regularly or only once in a while. The longer you want the plant to look, the less trimming you’ll need to do.

Alternatively, you can grow it in a rectangular planter or outdoors as it works well as ground cover.

In most cases, a bushier Peperomia Trinervula Bibi looks better.

You can prune it to encourage more growth. I also know some growers who when propagating the plant will include more than one stem cutting int the pot so the results plant will be bushier.

How to Propagate Peperomia Trinervula

The simplest way to propagate the Peperomia Trinervula is by leaf cutting or stem cutting.

Both methods yield high success rates. So, you can choose whichever you feel you’re better with.

The best time to propagate the plant is spring to early summer. Also, make sure the plant is healthy when you propagate.

Here’s how to propagate Peperomia Trinervula from leaf cuttings

Take a few healthy leaves with their petioles.
Prepare a pot and fill it with well-draining potting mix. You can use any of the recipes above.
You will need at least a few leaves since not all of them will propagate.
Plant the leaves into the soil by burying the entire stalk underground. Make sure to space out the leaf cuttings on the soil.
Place the pot in a well-lit location away from direct sunlight. You also want the spot to have moderate to warm temperature and good humidity.
Water the soil to keep it moist but avoid overwatering it.

It will take about 4-6 weeks for the leaf cuttings to root, although you’ll see some development as early as 2 weeks.

Similarly, you can proapagte the Peperomia Trinervula from stem cuttings.

This is why some online stores don’t sell you the entire plant. Instead, they’ll give you a stem cutting. When you get the cutting, you can plant it and it will eventually grow into mature plant like its parent.

Here’s how to propagate Peperomia Trinervula from stem cuttings.

Instead of taking leaves, choose a healthy stem with at lest 2-3 leaves. You can likewise take more than one stem if you want to grow more plants or grow a bushier one.
Cut the stem and plant it in a pot with well-draining soil.
Remove any leaves that end up in the soil.
Water the soil and keep it moist throughout this process.
Place the pot in bright indirect lighting with good humidity.

It will take about 3-4 weeks for the cuttings to root. Eventually, you’ll see shoots emerge. And in a few months it will have leaves.

If you want to make a new plant more bushy when it gets bigger, you can plant 2-3 cuttings in a pot. This will add move leaves as they plant matures.

How to Repot or Transplant Peperomia Trinervula

The Peperomia Bibi does not need repotting often. And you only need to do so every 2-3 years.

One reason is because it has a small root system. As such, this does not get big quickly. it also won’t ever get large enough to require a big pot.

Also, the plant does not mind being slightly root bound.

That said, when you repot, make sure to be careful so as not to damage the roots. The plant’s roots are fragile and can sustain damage when unpotting.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

The Peperomia Trinervula is non-toxic to humans and pets even when ingested. But like anything that’s not supposed to be eaten, it can cause gagging, choking and other side effects if eaten.

That said, you can freely place the plant anywhere in your home even if your young children and pets are running around a lot. It does not pose a poison risk to them.

Peperomia Trinervula Bibi Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

Mealybugs, aphids and spider mites are the most common bugs that cause problems for this plant. While they are not a regular occurrence, they can happen at any time.

The Peperomia Trinervula has generally good resistance to pests and disease when healthy. But when it is not getting all the requirements it needs, is stressed or sick, then it becomes more susceptible to them.

Thus, maintaining a healthy plant is essential.

Similarly, cleaning the leaves also helps a lot. Because it has lots of small leaves, it is easier to clean the plant by giving it a shower.

You can use the sink or a showerhead to get rid of any dust or debris that can build up. Pests are attracted to dust, so this helps a lot.

However, since there is no 100% way to prevent pests, you still need to do regular inspections.

This way, you can spot them way before the pests turn into an infestation where they can cause a lot of damage and take much longer to get rid of.

Diseases

Root rot is the most serious issue to watch out for with the Peperomia Trinervula. This is in part because the plant is susceptible to overwatering.

The best way to avoid this is three=fold

Avoid watering too often
Make sure you use well-draining soil
Plant it in a pot with drainage

All three play a role in helping the plant stay dry. Doing so will prevent overwatering which can lead to root rot.

Peperomia Trinervula Care Guide – How to Grow Peperomia Bibi