by Chuck Nishihira
This is a beautiful Peperomia that at first glance may not stand out as something special, but in my opinion it is one of the nicest species in the genus. It occurs in Colombia and Venezuela although it wouldn’t be a surprise if the distribution is wider. The leaf is a perfect little heart with raised veining. The color can range from a very dark blackish green to a fairly bright green depending on the amount of light it receives. The leaf is also velvety in texture due to fine hairs. The overall leaf size rarely gets over 3/4″ and in certain conditions the whole plant can produce leaves no larger than 1/2″. Another interesting trait is that the stems can be very pale green, which makes it stand out from the leaves. This species can create a very low carpet covering rocks and branches. In the terrarium it can really play the role of the star. While not difficult to grow, patience is needed as it is not particularly fast growing. But as with many other plants this makes the development of a specimen plant that much more rewarding.
