String of turtles (Peperomia prostrata) care

Vines & trailers · needs attention to keep

String of turtles (Peperomia prostrata) wants bright indirect light. Water it every 9 days. Let the top half of the pot dry out, then water thoroughly. The leaves store water — a peperomia would much rather be dry. Pot it in light and free-draining — compost with plenty of perlite, or an aroid mix. A weak balanced feed monthly in spring and summer, and repot every 2 years. Humidity: above 60%. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

String of turtles: tiny round leaves patterned like a turtle's shell, on slow trailing stems. It is a peperomia rather than a succulent, so it wants more humidity and less sun than the other string plants — and it is very slow, so a full pot is worth paying for.

Quick facts

Water: Water every 9 days. Let the top half of the pot dry out, then water thoroughly. The leaves store water — a peperomia would much rather be dry.
Light: Bright indirect light.
Humidity: Above 60%.
Soil: Light and free-draining — compost with plenty of perlite, or an aroid mix.
Feeding: A weak balanced feed monthly in spring and summer.
Repotting: Repot every 2 years.
Toxic to pets: Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Difficulty: Needs attention.
Mature size: Strands to 30 cm.
Native to: Brazil.

Watering a String of turtles

Water every 9 days. Let the top half of the pot dry out, then water thoroughly. The leaves store water — a peperomia would much rather be dry.

That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.

Light

Bright indirect light, no direct sun. Peperomias are small understorey plants with thick leaves — they burn easily and stretch in the dark.

Humidity and temperature

Above 60%. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.

Soil and potting

Peperomias have small, shallow root systems and semi-succulent leaves. A light, airy mix in a small pot is the whole secret; a big pot of wet compost is the whole problem.

Feeding

A weak balanced feed monthly in spring and summer. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.

Repotting

Repot every 2 years. Rarely, and into a pot barely bigger than the last. Peperomias are happiest tight.

Common problems

Leaves dropping at a touch
Overwatering.

Fix: Let it dry down properly and consider a smaller pot.
Leaves going soft and translucent
Rot, or cold water.

Fix: Unpot and check the roots; use tepid water and keep it above 15 °C.
Stretched pale growth
Not enough light.

Fix: Move it brighter, out of the sun's direct path.

Propagation

Leaf cuttings: cut a leaf in half across the middle and stand the cut edge in damp compost, or root a stem cutting with a node in water.

A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.

Toxicity and safety

Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Questions people ask

How often should you water a String of turtles?

Water every 9 days as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Peperomia prostrata. Let the top half of the pot dry out, then water thoroughly. The leaves store water — a peperomia would much rather be dry. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.

How much light does a String of turtles need?