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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Piperaceae (Peppers) |
| Origin: South America |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Summer/Fall |
| Fragrant Flowers: Yes |
| Synonyms: [Peperomia inaequalifolia var. galioides] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Peperomia galioides (Pine Peperomia) A herbaceous perennial plant that in late winter produces erect and branching bright green succulent stems holding closely spaced whorls of four to six dark green narrow leaflets, which when crushed have a lemony scent. Later in the season the stems age to become more pendulous and a very pale greenish white color with the leaves waxy gray green. At the leaf whorls on these older stems are produced very narrow 4 inch long spikes of tiny flowers that are more curious looking than actually showy. Plant in a well-drained soil in part sun to light shade and irrigate regularly to occasionally. This plant has proven hardy to short duration temperatures below freezing but likely could be nipped by late season frosts. This is an interestingly attractive plant with the emerging upright stems being described as looking a bit like a small succulent bamboo when first emerging and the second year stems almost looking like they belong to another plant. This species is variable in habit and widespread the Andean regions from north Argentina north to Columbia and then even further north into Mexico and the West Indies, where it grows as a lithophyte (on rocks) or in the soil. Our particular plant was collected in Ecuador. Peperomia is one of the two large genera of the family Piperaceae, with more than 1000 recorded species. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'peperi' meaning "pepper" with 'homos' meaning "resembling" in reference to the plants resembling the closely related pepper plants in the genus Piper. The specific epithet refers to this om the plant its with whorled leaves resemblance to bedstraw and woodruff plants in the genus, Galium. Another common name is Needle-leaf Wax Plant. Pine Peperomia is used in its native habit for many traditional herbal medicines and is of some interest to pharmaceutical companies. Our thanks go out to local Santa Barbara plantsman John Bleck who collected this plant in Ecuador in 2011.
This information about Peperomia galioides displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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