Peperomia: These diverse, attractive, low-maintenance plants are due for a revival in garden centres, says Graham Clarke

摘要

This year's TV-backed launch in the Netherlands of FloraHolland's P. 'Happy Bean' suggests Peperomia could be in for a revival after years in the retail doldrums. More than 20 species and varieties of Peperomia are in common use as house plants and they represent a useful low, green infill on benches in the indoor section. They have been around since Victorian times, but it is only in the past couple of decades that they have been grown on a wide commercial scale, which has lead to a number of variegated and red-leaved forms to be bred. Although tens of thousands of Peperomia come in from the Continent annually, this is not a burgeoning market. While the easy-to-look-after plants are popular with consumers, they do not command premium prices and even specialist nursery growers seem downbeat about them as a revenue stream. The plants are generally pest- and disease-free, and are certainly attractive either as specimen plants or in planted displays. Native to tropical and subtropical America, their usually low-growing foliage is diverse in size, shape, colour and texture.