Florida peperomia (Peperomia obtusifolia) is a perennial plant perfect for warm, moist shady places. In fact, the natural habitat for this epiphytic plant is the stumps of old cypress trees in a swamp.

 

It grows above the water line under the shade of old majestic cypress. In this location, the temperature stays fairly constant year-round. The water provides plenty of moist, humid air while the tall cypress provides plenty of shade.  

 

The dark green leaves are waxy and thick and hold water like a succulent. The tiny flowers of the peperomia are on spikes that can reach up to 6 inches long and one-quarter of an inch wide. These spikes are impressive in their orderliness and there can be hundreds of flowers on one flower spike. 

 

This plant would grow well under the shade of a large tree where the leaf litter keeps the soil moist. It really doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance. Dead leaves and older flower spikes fall off and contribute to the soil. The Florida peperomia can be easily propagated by cuttings.