About Peperomia obtusifolia (L.) A.Dietr.
Peperomia obtusifolia, commonly called the baby rubberplant, is an evergreen perennial that grows 25 cm (10 in) tall and wide. It produces cupped leathery leaves and narrow 12 cm (5 in) long spikes of white flowers, which grow in a shiny winding pattern and make up the plant's main decorative value. P. obtusifolia is often confused with Peperomia magnoliifolia, and some earlier botanists treated the two names as synonyms for the same species. Dried specimens of these two plants look very similar, but the difference is clearer when observing living plants: P. obtusifolia has waxy leaves, while Peperomia magnoliifolia has fleshy leaves. This frequent confusion means plants in collections or available for sale are often incorrectly labelled. For cultivation, the baby rubberplant requires a minimum temperature of 15 °C (59 °F), so it must be grown indoors in most temperate regions. While it needs high humidity, it does not demand much care. Good enough lighting preserves the bright, intense colour of its leaves, but direct sunlight causes leaf discoloration. Its stem is fleshy, so the plant does not need abundant or frequent watering. It is a popular houseplant, and many cultivars have been developed; some of these cultivars have variegated leaves.
