Peperomia Ruby cascade, as the name implies, is a cascading vine that belongs to the pepper family of Piperaceae, indigenous to South America and Central America, particularly Ecuador and Peru.
It has downward-facing or cascading reddish vines and lush, glossy, dark green leaves with a ruby or reddish-pink color beneath, and it gets more profound as they mature.
Propagating ruby cascade is relatively easy. You can do it by stem cutting or by leaf cutting. Today, I’m going to walk you through everything you should know about how to propagate ruby cascade!
Jump to:
How to Propagate Ruby Cascade
Peperomia ruby cascade propagation can be done either by stem or leaf cutting. Both three methods are simple.
Whichever process you decide to go for, the adequate time for you to propagate these plants is in early spring, when they can begin to grow after a cold season.
You can either use water or potting mix. I’ll show you how. If you use water, though, make sure you close the transparent jar to avoid algae growth.
Propagating Ruby Cascade from Stem Cutting
Begin by placing your soilless mix containing 50/50 perlite and moss peat in a container and then dampen it.
Then, choose a healthy-looking stem that is around 5 to 6 inches long with lesser leaves and slice it at 45 degrees angle with your scissor or sharp knife -this increases the area for rooting.
Your cutting point should be near the leaf or stem before you make your cut.
Take off the lower leaves from the stem till it remains about three or four, and let it dry out for a few hours to help heal the cutting wound, being a semi-succulent plant.
Doing so will lessen the likelihood of rotting and bacterial infection.
When the stem has dried up, dip it in your rooting hormone. It is not compulsory, but it will enhance the rooting process and prevent any rotting.
Make a tiny hole in your potting mix with a small stick, then gently position your cutting and bind the soil to hold your cutting firmly.
Make sure it has at least two growth nodes.
Position your cutting in indirect, bright light. For the best results, ensure the temperature is at 70 to 75 degrees.
Also, check the growth from time to time to confirm that it has some moisture and water as needed. Don’t overwater it, as it may improve the chances of rot.
After a month or two, the roots and a new bud should start growing. Once it germinates a leaf, you can transfer it to a growing pot. Just take it out of the initial pot with a trowel.
Propagating Ruby Cascade with Leaf Cuttings
Slice off the leaf where the petiole joins with the stem. When you’ve gotten fresh cuttings, have them potted up quickly.
Don’t delay more than a couple of hours!
Plant the cuttings upright in the soil and carefully tap them down to bind them firmly, so they don’t fall over. If the cuttings don’t stay up due to the size of the leaves, trim off half of the leaves.
This is the exciting part. Make a mini greenhouse to retain humidity.
Just puncture some holes in a big plastic bag and cover the pot with chopsticks or stakes to hold it up and off the plant.
Also, you can utilize an empty water bottle by cutting off the mouth and creating small holes in the base. Position it over your cuttings like a dome.
Place your mini greenhouse in a location that has room temperature and is out of the full sun. Be cautious of direct sunlight because peperomia cuttings burn easily.
Take off the dome every few days so the small greenhouse can air out and you can avoid rot. Ensure the soil is moist but not drenched.
When you notice a new growth at the base of the cutting, you can permanently take off the dome if you like.
Wait till the cutting is adequately rooted and has numerous new growths before repotting. Peperomia prefers to be rootbound, so don’t rush to repot.
How to Propagate Ruby Cascade by Water
Don’t want to soil your hands?
Water propagation is an easy and really tidy way to propagate ruby cascade. Peperomia stem cuttings generally do well in water until they mature into full plants.
After you’ve taken your stem cuttings, put them in a glass, ensuring that the stems aren’t too cramped. Ensure the glass has enough water to submerge 1-2 leaf nodes.
Don’t cover the entire stem with water, or the cutting won’t get adequate oxygen.
In 2-6 weeks, you’ll notice roots germinating out of the leaf nodes. While waiting, ensure the water level is high enough and replace it frequently to avoid bacteria growth.
Choose varieties like Peperomia obtusifolia that can continue to thrive in water.
Nonetheless, as the plant requires more nutrients, you’ll have to change your new plant position from a glass to a hydroponics system.
Conclusion
Ruby Cascade are adorable plants that you’ll enjoy propagating. They are beautiful adornments that can highly uplift the decor of your house.
You shouldn’t have any problems propagating them if you follow everything we have discussed. How to propagate ruby cascade has never been easier.
