Peperomia scandens - 2L / 16.5cm / Medium
$25.00Peperomia scandens, also known as the Cupid Peperomia or False Philodendron, is a soft, trailing houseplant loved for its heart-shaped, succulent leaves and easy-going nature. The foliage is a bright, glossy green (sometimes margined with pale cream in the variegated form) and grows along fleshy vines that spill gently over the edges of pots or hanging baskets. Unlike true trailing vines, it stays relatively compact and well-behaved, making it perfect for shelf edges, macramé hangers or mixed indoor displays.
Native to Central and South America, Peperomia scandens is part of the pepper family and thrives in warm, humid environments with bright, filtered light. It’s pet safe and beginner friendly—an excellent plant for low-fuss greenery with gentle character.
Non-toxic to pets.
Comprehensive Care Instructions for Peperomia scandens
Lighting Requirements
Indoors: Prefers bright, indirect light. Tolerates lower light than many trailing plants but may grow slower. Avoid harsh direct sun which can scorch the leaves.
Outdoors (mild climates): Place in a sheltered, shaded spot such as a covered patio or shaded greenhouse bench.
Watering Regimen
Growing Season (Spring to Autumn):
Water when the top 2–3cm of soil is dry. The succulent-like leaves hold moisture, so avoid overwatering.
Cooler Months:
Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out more between waterings. Always use a pot with drainage.
Temperature & Humidity
Thrives in warm rooms between 18°C–26°C. Avoid temperatures below 10°C.
Prefers moderate to high humidity—ideal for bathrooms or kitchens. Mist occasionally or place near other plants for shared humidity.
Fertilizing
Feed every 4–6 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Avoid fertilising in winter.
Pruning & Maintenance
Pinch back tips to encourage fuller growth and branching. Remove any yellow or damaged leaves at the base.
Can be easily propagated from stem cuttings in water or moist soil.
Repotting
Repot every 2–3 years or when roots fill the pot. Use a free-draining, peat-based mix with added perlite or pumice.
Pests & Troubleshooting
Low risk, but may occasionally attract mealybugs or fungus gnats in overly moist conditions. Avoid waterlogged soil and provide airflow.
Wrinkled leaves typically indicate underwatering; soft, yellowing leaves may signal too much moisture.
Important Note: Great for Beginners
Peperomia scandens is one of the easiest trailing houseplants to care for. With its gentle trailing habit, non-toxic nature and tolerance for indoor conditions, it's an ideal starter plant or addition to any plant shelf.
Plant Size Guide
The plant in the photos is an example and an approximate guide only however we try to show an average sized example. Sizes, flowering state and colours change throughout the seasons and variation will occur. In summer & autumn, plants are often larger or the same size as than the example picture but around winter and spring, they can be a little smaller but still at a size similar to the example. We aim to update the pictures to reflect significant differences.
Plant Heights - because the plant's foliage must fit inside our Plant Cartons, the actual height of a plant's central trunk (meristem) will be shorter than the box it fits in.
Small Plants - 14cm wide nursery pot - 1 Litre volume - Plants fit in a 50cm tall box.
Medium Plants - 17cm wide pots either 2L hanging pot or 2.5L nursery pot - Plants fit in a 75cm tall box.
Large Plants - 25cm wide pot, 10L volume. Plants fit in a 100cm tall box.
XL Plants - Plants over 100cm tall in pot sizes specified, 25cm/10L or greater and are hand delivered within Auckland/Northland only.
Dispatch Times
Plant courier orders are processed Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
North Island orders are targeted overnight delivery, South Island orders are sent on a 2-day target but these are not a guaranteed delivery timeframe.
Add 1 extra day after a public holiday as well as for rural addresses or remote towns.
Monday - We send orders placed on previous Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
Tuesday - We send Weekend orders from previous Saturday & Sunday.
Wednesday - We send orders placed from Monday & Tuesday.
XL Plants are delivered only within urban Auckland & Whangarei and this service is for non-urgent orders. This excludes satellite destinations such as Beachlands, Pukekohe, Piha, Helensville etc and Whangarei Heads. We may deliver at any time Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday in Auckland and you need to have a sheltered accessible position for us to deliver to.
Plants in Transit
Each Small, Medium & Large plant is individually contained within its own protective cardboard Plant Carton which may be joined to other cartons in your order.
Plants typically take just a day or two to arrive, however they are usually fine in their cartons for 1-2 weeks, and many can go longer, so a few extra days are not usually cause for concern.
Whether it takes 1 or 7 days, let your plant recover from its journey by placing in gentle light and adding a little water and it will be back to its best within a couple of days. Let us know if there are any major issues via the contact page.
