Are you having a hard time keeping Peperomia Ruby Cascade alive, let alone thriving? I've written this post to help the countless people that have told me that they can't keep this plant alive.
Learn all about Peperomia Ruby Cascade plant care and propagation in this post, including the one growing secret that will make ALL the difference!
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These plants are semi-succulent in nature, and hence why some people have problems with them.
They are NOT technically succulents, so don't go around spreading vicious rumors. The leaves are semi-succulent though which means they are a little...juicy. That's all.
Peperomia Ruby Cascade can easily rot out on you if you don't provide this plant with good overall growing conditions.
Before I get to the one super important piece of information that will help you grow this plant, it is really important to understand that you must have a combination of conditions correct in order to have a healthy plant.
Table of Contents
LIGHT
Although it might seem really obvious to many, the topic of light is unfortunately a very misunderstood topic.
And I really believe that a lot of misconceptions are spread through social media (particularly on Instagram!). Which if you aren't following me on Instagram, be sure to follow @ohiotropics.
If you want this plant to grow well and thrive, you must have it directly in front of a window. As close as possible and within a foot of a window for best results.
This really goes for any plant. It's just that some plants are more forgiving than others. This one is not quite so forgiving.
So many people these days place plants several feet away from a window. No plant can thrive in those conditions. There are some that will tolerate it, but that's about it.
I have two Ruby Cascades. One is in sitting under a skylight in my sunroom and the other is hanging right in front of a Southern exposure window (with blinds to diffuse the direct sun.)
I'm sure that larger Northern windows will be OK for these plants. Unobstructed Eastern exposure windows that get morning sun would be ideal.
Being semi-succulent in nature, if you have these plants in darker conditions, chances are that the soil will stay wet for a long time and thus cause rotting.
Most people lose this plant from rotting.
After you get the "light" portion correct, I'd like you to consider the following important topics.
Remember, houseplant care should be a holistic approach where you consider a variety of factors that result in a healthy houseplant.
WATERING
Due to the semi-succulent nature of the leaves, you'll want to allow your Peperomia Ruby Cascade to dry out a bit in between watering.
Always soak your plant thoroughly and let the excess water escape through the drainage holes. (And yes, drainage holes are a MUST).
Then allow the soil to dry out in between watering. The trick is to let it dry out enough, but not too much.
Depending on the size pot that you have your plant growing in, let the top inch or two dry out. It will be OK (though not preferable) to allow all of the soil to dry out in the pot, but not for too long.
If you let your Ruby Cascade completely dry out and stay dried out for extended periods of time, the lower leaves will dry up and the plant will become bare at the base.
How do you ensure that the soil will dry out in a reasonable amount of time? One important thing, as previously discussed, is LIGHT! Follow my tips in the light section.
Making sure not to overpot this plant (placing it in a pot that's too big) will also help to ensure that the soil dries out quickly enough. My rule of thumb is only go up one pot size when you repot.
As far as fertilizing goes, I always recommend the following as a fantastic all-purpose fertilizer for all plants. It is available on Amazon and I use it for almost all my houseplants.
I simply add ¼ teaspoon to a gallon of water and use it every time I water during the growing season. I don't fertilize during the winter months.
And now onto the "secret" to make sure that this plant will thrive.
SOIL
For any plant that has semi-succulent or succulent leaves (and also for true succulents), I use the same soil blend. Here is my "secret" that I referred to.
I used this soil blend after I propagated my plant. I had to chop my original plant after it grew a few feet and reached the surface of my spouse's desk!
I simply used a combination of a good succulent/cactus mix along with pumice. I used approximately 2 parts of succulent mix and 1 part of ¼" size pumice.
You can purchase the following components on Amazon and I always have these on hand to repot and to pot up rooted cuttings!
Here is a great mix for succulents and cacti (and plants like Peperomia Ruby Cascade that need superior drainage).
Remember, use about 2 parts of the cactus mix and 1 part of the pumice.
This blend is very sharply draining and it has really worked beautifully for this plant. The specific pumice that I indicated in the link above is very high quality and uniform in size. Not all pumice is created equal so beware!
And you do get what you pay for...
PROPAGATION
Like I mentioned earlier, if you let this plant completely dry out for extended periods, the base of the vines will go bare.
But the upside is that this plant grows very quickly in my experience so it makes a great subject for propagation!
My original plant that I purchased grew a few feet long, so I had to chop it and make a new plant.
I took quite a few cuttings so that I could create a full plant. When you want to make a nice full plant, always take as many cuttings as you can. Otherwise, you will be waiting forever!
I will show you what my cuttings started out at and what the resulting plant looked like less than a year later.
Here is what my cuttings started out as:
I choose the water propagation method because I like to see the roots growing and then I potted them up. (And if you love water propagation, don't miss my post on the best houseplants to propagate in water).
Take a pair of scissors and cut as many cuttings as you can (or as many as you are comfortable with!). My cuttings were all around 5 or 6 inches long or so.
Strip off the bottom leaves with your fingers. The bare part of the stem will be in water.
Place the cuttings all in water and change the water once a week or so. More often if you notice that the water is cloudy.
Place the vase in bright indirect light and wait for rooting.
Then plant the rooted cuttings in a smaller pot using the soil blend that I described earlier in this post.
(You can also use the soil propagation method as well. Dip the ends of the cuttings in rooting hormone, and then place directly in soil.)
Here is what the rooted plant looked like just several months afterwards! Nice and full!
Here are a couple more tips that will help you that I think are very important!
Start off with a smaller pot. I planted my cuttings in a 3.5 or 4 inch pot. Don't use huge pots starting off because the soil will take too long to dry out and you will risk rotting your plant out.
And finally, be sure to follow my soil recipe and my cultural tips in this blog post for best results.
Do you have a Peperomia Ruby Cascade? Comment below! I love to hear from my readers.
Thanks for your post! I’ve had my Ruby for about 2.5 years and have successfully propagated for more! I checked on it today and noticed weird white specks all over the soil…and then saw the mushroom. I repotted it (in the same pot, just to refresh the soil) a few months ago, and I don’t water it until I feel that the end leaves are feeling limp. It also hangs above a (mostly) open window and gets plenty of light—any idea why it’s molding? The similar plants next to it (Ruby necklace and string of dolphins) don’t have the same issue!
I just got 2 Ruby cascades that are in 2 inch growers pots. Would you recommend leaving them in there until next spring or put them in a 4 inch pot together? I also plan to have them under a grow light with my string of bananas. Is that okay? Love your tips!
I love my ruby cascade! It’s gorgeous! I moved it once and it began dropping leaves…put it back and today you would never know I messed up! It recovered so quickly. But like you said, light is the primary factor. I have it in my window sill of my bedroom. But that’s only 8 inches off the ground. Then keep the bottom foot of the blinds open (the cat thinks it’s for him) in a North window. In the summer around 8pm a few dappled drops of light come through. Anyway…would this grow up a trellis? Or is hanging better.
Hi, I purchased a Peperomia Ruby from someone recently. It was neglected for sure and needs some TLC! I want to help it thrive and have already ordered your recommendations, but is there a way to help this baby along? Should I repot it?
Hi Heather! Just follow the tips in this post for now and see how your plant does. Unless it's really root bound and needs repotting, I would leave it alone for now. Unless you want to propagate some and start a new plant, that is another good option!
I’m inheriting a peperonia tomorrow that hangs over six feet long and I’m looking at a haircut here. Can I cut this at five inch intervals to propagate?
I have my Peperomia Ruby Cascade under a grow light. The leaves on top are yellowing but otherwise looks healthy. The hanging leaves are green. Is the top getting to much light? Should I move to another location and will the top leaves turn back to green color??
Hi Pat! When you observed the yellower leaves on top, did you check the soil moisture? If it's bone dry, it's probably due to that, and those leaves will not recover and turn green. Lower leaves will yellow when soil goes too dry. If the soil is still moist, your plant may be a little too close to the grow light. If you move it a little further away, they can recover. Hope this helps a bit!
Hello!
I just bought a Ruby Cascade, and I immediately re-potted it.
Usually I wait, but the soil was rock hard (the plant was on clearance) and the top leaves were almost yellow.
Ants ran out of the soil, which isn't good.
I used Fox Farm potting soil, with 1/3 perlite, and earthworm castings.
I drenched it with luke warm water, and plan on hanging it in a Eastern window.
I wonder if I should use my Cactus mix with pumice now?
Hi Sharon! I would leave your plant the way it is and monitor it. You'll know if it's happy! There are many different potting mix blends that will work, and all of our conditions are different, so just observe your plant and see how it does first. I'm sure you'll be just fine with 1/3 of your mix being perlite! An Eastern window is great.
Hi! Thank you for this article. I love my plant and it seems happy except… it is growing fast and all the new leaves are super light green with no red on bottom. Does this change as the new grows gets older?
Thank you
Hi Ruth! Did you just start off with a couple cuttings? If so, if you want a fuller plant, just propagate as many cuttings as you can and plant them all in the same pot, be sure to give them enough light and attention to watering, etc., and over time you will have a nice plant.
Love this article! I’ve had mine about 6 months. Recently I’ve noticed soft leaves. I’m using a moisture meter and when it registers 2 I water.
Just not sure why some leaves are soft and not stiff. Also some leaves are lighter in color. Any ideas? She lives in my southern /eastern exposed sun room. It’s about 3 feet from the window.
Thank you.
Hi Tammy! I would ditch the moisture meter. They are notoriously unreliable and many people have solved their problems by getting rid of it. Just use your finger. Water when the top inch is dry. It's really as simple as that. Your location seems good and nice and bright. Try that and see if things change over time!
Hi! Is it possible to propagate these in soil if there is no stem and just the leave? What about viney-stem but there is the tiny tiny leave stem that is what the leave grows from? (If that doesn’t make sense I apologize!) thanks for the incredibly helpful website!!!
I totally left mine in a dark corner and now she's rotting, but she's saveable and your post really helped me! She'll be properly taken care of now and even propagated. Thanks! 🙂
I got a small cutting from a well know auction site last year. It is thriving! I took a long string and pinned it back up in the soil and it took root and it is growing and getting fuller. I have a cute little plant but since summer hit it really has taken off. I have it right in front of a window and it gets morning sun. Plan on propagating soon. Thank you for your advice!!
Hi Lief! If you're referring to the cuttings, those were cuttings made at the very ends of the vines, so the leaves are naturally smaller since they haven't matured completely.
Thank you for all of this information ... I was just gifted cuttings of varigated Ruby Cascade Peperomia and Watermelon Peperomia leaves to propagate. Your information is very informative and will be helpful in making sure that I get good results as these came from a very special friend.
Thanks for your post! I’ve had my Ruby for about 2.5 years and have successfully propagated for more! I checked on it today and noticed weird white specks all over the soil…and then saw the mushroom. I repotted it (in the same pot, just to refresh the soil) a few months ago, and I don’t water it until I feel that the end leaves are feeling limp. It also hangs above a (mostly) open window and gets plenty of light—any idea why it’s molding? The similar plants next to it (Ruby necklace and string of dolphins) don’t have the same issue!
Glad you enjoyed the post Blair! Is the potting mix taking a long time to dry out perhaps? I wouldn't worry too much as long as the plant looks good.
I just got 2 Ruby cascades that are in 2 inch growers pots. Would you recommend leaving them in there until next spring or put them in a 4 inch pot together? I also plan to have them under a grow light with my string of bananas. Is that okay? Love your tips!
If you're using a grow light year round, including in the winter, you're fine to repot. As far as consolidating to one pot, it's personal preference!
I love my ruby cascade! It’s gorgeous! I moved it once and it began dropping leaves…put it back and today you would never know I messed up! It recovered so quickly. But like you said, light is the primary factor. I have it in my window sill of my bedroom. But that’s only 8 inches off the ground. Then keep the bottom foot of the blinds open (the cat thinks it’s for him) in a North window. In the summer around 8pm a few dappled drops of light come through. Anyway…would this grow up a trellis? Or is hanging better.
I never thought about them growing on a trellis! I don't know if they'd attach, but you can try!
Hi, I purchased a Peperomia Ruby from someone recently. It was neglected for sure and needs some TLC! I want to help it thrive and have already ordered your recommendations, but is there a way to help this baby along? Should I repot it?
Hi Heather! Just follow the tips in this post for now and see how your plant does. Unless it's really root bound and needs repotting, I would leave it alone for now. Unless you want to propagate some and start a new plant, that is another good option!
I’m inheriting a peperonia tomorrow that hangs over six feet long and I’m looking at a haircut here. Can I cut this at five inch intervals to propagate?
Yes, 5 inches is a reasonable length for the cuttings. That should be no problem!
I have my Peperomia Ruby Cascade under a grow light. The leaves on top are yellowing but otherwise looks healthy. The hanging leaves are green. Is the top getting to much light? Should I move to another location and will the top leaves turn back to green color??
Hi Pat! When you observed the yellower leaves on top, did you check the soil moisture? If it's bone dry, it's probably due to that, and those leaves will not recover and turn green. Lower leaves will yellow when soil goes too dry. If the soil is still moist, your plant may be a little too close to the grow light. If you move it a little further away, they can recover. Hope this helps a bit!
Hello!
I just bought a Ruby Cascade, and I immediately re-potted it.
Usually I wait, but the soil was rock hard (the plant was on clearance) and the top leaves were almost yellow.
Ants ran out of the soil, which isn't good.
I used Fox Farm potting soil, with 1/3 perlite, and earthworm castings.
I drenched it with luke warm water, and plan on hanging it in a Eastern window.
I wonder if I should use my Cactus mix with pumice now?
Hopefully, I did the right thing.
Hi Sharon! I would leave your plant the way it is and monitor it. You'll know if it's happy! There are many different potting mix blends that will work, and all of our conditions are different, so just observe your plant and see how it does first. I'm sure you'll be just fine with 1/3 of your mix being perlite! An Eastern window is great.
Hi! Thank you for this article. I love my plant and it seems happy except… it is growing fast and all the new leaves are super light green with no red on bottom. Does this change as the new grows gets older?
Thank you
Hi Robin! Yes, it will change as it matures. I assume you've had your plant in the same growing spot?
Do you have any tips or ticks on helping a very stringy sparse ruby cascade?
Hi Ruth! Did you just start off with a couple cuttings? If so, if you want a fuller plant, just propagate as many cuttings as you can and plant them all in the same pot, be sure to give them enough light and attention to watering, etc., and over time you will have a nice plant.
Love this article! I’ve had mine about 6 months. Recently I’ve noticed soft leaves. I’m using a moisture meter and when it registers 2 I water.
Just not sure why some leaves are soft and not stiff. Also some leaves are lighter in color. Any ideas? She lives in my southern /eastern exposed sun room. It’s about 3 feet from the window.
Thank you.
Hi Tammy! I would ditch the moisture meter. They are notoriously unreliable and many people have solved their problems by getting rid of it. Just use your finger. Water when the top inch is dry. It's really as simple as that. Your location seems good and nice and bright. Try that and see if things change over time!
Hi! Is it possible to propagate these in soil if there is no stem and just the leave? What about viney-stem but there is the tiny tiny leave stem that is what the leave grows from? (If that doesn’t make sense I apologize!) thanks for the incredibly helpful website!!!
I've never tried that personally on this particular plant, but you should try it and see! I'm glad you enjoy my site 🙂
hi, how long do the roots need to be in order to put them in soil? thank you!!
Hi Milio! I would wait until the roots are 1/2-1 inch at the most, and then transfer to potting mix.
I totally left mine in a dark corner and now she's rotting, but she's saveable and your post really helped me! She'll be properly taken care of now and even propagated. Thanks! 🙂
Glad my post helped Missy! Good luck!
I got a small cutting from a well know auction site last year. It is thriving! I took a long string and pinned it back up in the soil and it took root and it is growing and getting fuller. I have a cute little plant but since summer hit it really has taken off. I have it right in front of a window and it gets morning sun. Plan on propagating soon. Thank you for your advice!!
Glad to hear your plant is doing well Eileen! 🙂
The leaves are so much smaller then they look in any online pictures.
Hi Lief! If you're referring to the cuttings, those were cuttings made at the very ends of the vines, so the leaves are naturally smaller since they haven't matured completely.
Thank you for all of this information ... I was just gifted cuttings of varigated Ruby Cascade Peperomia and Watermelon Peperomia leaves to propagate. Your information is very informative and will be helpful in making sure that I get good results as these came from a very special friend.
You're very welcome Tammy!