Looking for a peperomia that looks good from every angle? Peperomia Napoli Nights has glossy leaves patterned in grey-green on top and pink-red underneath, packed into a tidy rosette that sits happily on a desk or shelf.
Napoli Nights is a modern hybrid, not a wild species. Its U.S. plant patent (PP29,416) says it came from a cross made in 2013 in Sappemeer, the Netherlands, between an unnamed Peperomia peruviana cultivar (the seed parent) and an unnamed Peperomia marmorata cultivar (the pollen parent). The inventor named in the patent, Obed Jacob Smit, selected it from the seedlings in 2014, and the patent lists its botanical name simply as Peperomia hybrid ‘Napoli Nights’.
Peperomia (peh-per-ROH-mee-ah) belongs to the black pepper family, Piperaceae. The genus has over 1,000 species, native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Australia. The common name radiator plant refers to the genus’s preference for warm conditions.
Napoli Nights Peperomia Quick Care Tips
- Botanical name: Peperomia hybrid ‘Napoli Nights’ (P. peruviana x P. marmorata), U.S. Plant Patent PP29,416
- Common names: Napoli Nights peperomia, Napoli Nights radiator plant
- Family and origin: Piperaceae; bred in Sappemeer, the Netherlands (cross made 2013, selected 2014)
- Growability: Easy, low maintenance
- Size: Small rosette; the patent’s 35-week-old plants were about 3.7 inches tall and 7.2 inches wide
- Flowering: None recorded in the patent; peperomias typically do not flower as houseplants
- Light: Bright, indirect light; no direct sun
- Temperature: Warm and steady; keep away from cold drafts; 65 to 86°F, always above 50°F
- Humidity: Average home humidity is fine; a humidifier helps in a very dry home or in winter
- Soil: Well-drained houseplant or cactus potting mix
- Water: Let it dry out between waterings; let the pot drain before it goes back in its saucer
- Fertilizer: Low-strength liquid fertilizer occasionally in spring and summer only
- Pests and problems: Mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats, scale and whiteflies; root rot from overwatering
- Propagation: Leaf cuttings (patent); stem cuttings also work for peperomias
- Pet safety: Not listed, and neither are its parent species; most peperomias are considered safe for pets
Peperomia Napoli Nights Plant Care
Taking care of Napoli Nights is easy once you know its two big rules: bright light without direct sun, and soil that dries out between waterings.
Size and Growth
This is a small plant. The patent describes a rosette with a flattened globe shape, built from short, thick, branching stems. Its 35-week-old test plants, grown in 15 cm (about 6-inch) pots, were about 9.5 cm (3.7 inches) tall and 18.3 cm (7.2 inches) wide. The patent rates its vigor and growth rate as moderate, and peperomias are typically slow-growing.
The leaves are the show. The patent describes them as ovate (egg-shaped) with a pointed tip and a heart-shaped base, about 1.6 inches (4.1 cm) long and 0.9 inch (2.3 cm) wide, glossy on both sides, with furrowed veins. The upper surface carries a grey-green pattern and the underside is pink-red, on leaf stalks about 2.3 inches (5.8 cm) long.
If you grow Peperomia Rosso, you will see the family resemblance. The patent names ‘Eden Rosso’ as one of its closest comparison plants and says Napoli Nights differs by its grey-green patterned upper leaf (green on ‘Eden Rosso’) and its pink-red underside (red on ‘Eden Rosso’).
Flowering and Fragrance
Don’t buy Napoli Nights for flowers. The patent says it had not produced flowers, fruit or seed, and it lists the plant’s fragrance as none. Peperomias in their native habitats produce small greenish-white to brown flower spikes in summer, but as houseplants they typically will not flower. If a spike does appear, Clemson Extension says peperomia flower spikes resemble a rat’s tail, and that removing them lets the plant focus its energy on leaf production.
Lighting Conditions and Temperature
Bright, indirect light is the goal. Place peperomia where it will receive indirect light from east or south-facing windows; it can even tolerate somewhat low light near a large north-facing window. Peperomias prefer bright indirect light yet will tolerate low light conditions.
Keep it out of direct sun. If peperomia gets direct sun, the leaves may scorch. A spot a few feet back from a bright window, or behind a sheer curtain, works well.
For temperature, think warm and steady. The radiator plant name refers to the genus’s preference for warm conditions, and NC State Extension says to protect peperomias from cold drafts. So keep Napoli Nights away from cold windows, doors that open to winter air, and air-conditioning or heating vents. For reference, the patent’s test plants were grown in a greenhouse at 18 to 25°C (about 64 to 77°F) during the day and 15 to 18°C (about 59 to 64°F) at night. Those are the conditions the patent’s plants were measured under, not a care rule. For peperomias in general, the RHS gives a warm room of about 65 to 86°F (18 to 30°C) and says to keep them always above 50°F (10°C).
Want to give it a summer outdoors? Peperomias can go outside for the summer once nights are consistently 60°F or higher, typically in May, starting in deep shade to acclimate and then staying in a bright but shady spot out of direct sunlight.
Humidity
No need to turn your home into a greenhouse. Peperomias are adaptable and can thrive in the humidity levels of most homes, but if the home is very dry, consider a humidifier; peperomia will benefit from one in winter. A humidifier or a pebble tray raises humidity without wetting the leaves, and that matters: fungal leaf spots can be prevented by keeping the leaves dry when you water, so avoid wetting the leaves and provide good air circulation.
Watering
This is where most peperomias get into trouble. Peperomia prefers to dry out between waterings, and if it is overwatered, it will drop its leaves. Root rot and yellowing or curling of the leaves indicate overwatering.
So skip the calendar. Check the soil with your finger and water when it has dried, not on a fixed day of the week. Water until it drains, then let it finish draining before you put the pot back in its saucer. Expect to water less in winter, when growth slows. Many peperomia species are succulent and can store water in their fleshy leaves.
Fertilizing
Go light on food. Fertilize peperomia only when it is actively growing in spring and summer. A low-strength liquid fertilizer can be used occasionally during the growing season, or a slow-release granular fertilizer once a year. Follow the label for the amount, and skip feeding in fall and winter.
Soil Requirements and Repotting
Drainage comes first. Use a well-drained houseplant or cactus potting mix, or a moist, well-drained soil mixture of loam and sand. If you mix your own, a peat-based mix opened up with perlite drains well. Always use a pot with drainage holes.
Napoli Nights stays small, so repotting is rarely urgent. Peperomia does not need to be repotted every year and can stay in the same pot for several years, and it should be planted in a slightly larger pot than the grower’s pot. Peperomias are typically slow-growing and will not need repotting often. The patent describes the roots as fibrous and says pots of 7 cm (under 3 inches) or larger suit it, so a modest pot is fine. An oversized pot holds extra wet soil around a small root system.
Grooming and Maintenance
Very little is needed. Trim off old leaves when needed, and to make plants look fuller, prune a stem above a leaf node so the plant will branch. Use clean, sharp scissors, and remove yellowed or damaged leaves as they appear. A plant that drops a few lower leaves now and then is normal; a plant dropping many at once usually points back to too much water.
How to Propagate Peperomia Napoli Nights
Leaf cuttings are the way this plant is multiplied. The patent says Napoli Nights was first propagated by leaf cuttings in 2014 and has stayed true to type through later generations.
Here are the steps for peperomias:
- Leaf cuttings: Remove a leaf with at least an inch of the petiole (leaf stem) and insert it into a rooting medium. New plants form at the base of the petiole.
- Stem cuttings: Cut a 3- to 5-inch piece of stem, remove the leaves on the lower third, dip the end in rooting hormone, insert it into potting soil or a rooting medium, and cover it with clear plastic in a spot out of direct sunlight.
Be patient. The patent says leaf cuttings began rooting in about 10 days in summer and 14 days in winter at 18 to 20°C (about 64 to 68°F), and took about 80 days in summer and 100 days in winter to become a rooted cutting. Keep the rooting mix lightly moist, never soggy.
One note for anyone thinking of selling plants: Google Patents lists PP29,416 as active, with an anticipated expiration in 2036. Propagating a few for your own windowsill is one thing; propagating for sale is another, so check with the patent holder first.
Related: More on how to propagate peperomia
Peperomia Napoli Nights Pests or Diseases
Napoli Nights has few serious problems, and most of them come from the watering can. Root rot, caused by overwatering, is the most common disease of peperomia, and fungal leaf spots can be prevented by keeping the leaves dry when you water.
Insects show up occasionally. Mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats, scale and whiteflies are the pests most often found on peperomias, and aphids belong on the watch list too.
Mealybugs are small, soft, wax-covered insects. The University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM) says signs include white, cottony egg masses on plants, and that mealybugs suck plant sap, weakening plants, and often produce sticky honeydew that can lead to sooty mold. For serious problems on houseplants, dab them with a solution of 70% (or less) isopropyl alcohol and water, testing a small part of the plant first and watching for leaf burn. Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and neem oil applied directly to young mealybugs can reduce their numbers.
Not every source agrees on alcohol. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says alcohol is phytotoxic, meaning it causes leaf burn, and should not be applied to plant tissues, and it warns that dish soaps are really detergents, not true soaps. If you treat, use a registered insecticidal soap and follow the label. More in our guide to controlling mealybugs.
Related: Details on controlling peperomia pests
Is Napoli Nights Safe for Pets?
There is no listing for Napoli Nights or either of its parent species, P. peruviana and P. marmorata, so nothing covers this exact plant. Most peperomias are considered safe for pets, and the ASPCA lists several other peperomias as non-toxic to dogs and cats, including Peperomia caperata (emerald ripple peperomia, also non-toxic to horses) and Peperomia obtusifolia (baby rubber plant; the American rubber plant entry for the same species also lists horses). Keep it where pets and small children won’t chew on it, and call your veterinarian if you’re worried.
Peperomia Napoli Nights Plant Uses
Napoli Nights is a natural for a desk, a tabletop or a bright shelf. Peperomias are perfect plants for a desk or tabletop in the home or office, and they can grow in containers, terrariums or hanging baskets. Its grey-green and pink-red leaves also make a good contrast in a group of darker green plants or a mixed indoor container.
It’s one of many peperomia types worth collecting. Need tips for another one? See our San Marino peperomia care guide.
Where does your Napoli Nights live: desk, shelf or windowsill? Tell us in the comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Peperomia Napoli Nights?
It is a patented peperomia hybrid. U.S. Plant Patent PP29,416 says Napoli Nights came from a 2013 cross in the Netherlands between an unnamed Peperomia peruviana cultivar and an unnamed Peperomia marmorata cultivar, selected in 2014 by the inventor named in the patent, Obed Jacob Smit. The patent describes glossy, egg-shaped leaves with a grey-green pattern on top and pink-red undersides, on a small rosette-shaped plant.
How big does Peperomia Napoli Nights get?
It stays small. The patent’s 35-week-old plants, grown in about 6-inch pots in a Dutch greenhouse, measured about 3.7 inches (9.5 cm) tall and 7.2 inches (18.3 cm) wide, with leaves about 1.6 inches long. Peperomias are typically slow-growing, will not need repotting often, and are perfect plants for a desk or tabletop.
How often should I water Peperomia Napoli Nights?
Water when the soil has dried, not on a schedule. Peperomia prefers to dry out between waterings and drops its leaves if overwatered, and root rot from overwatering is the most common peperomia disease. Let the pot drain fully before returning it to its saucer, and keep the leaves dry to help prevent leaf spots.
Does Peperomia Napoli Nights flower?
Rarely, if ever, indoors. The plant patent says Napoli Nights had not produced flowers, fruit or seed, and peperomias typically will not flower as houseplants. If a thin spike does appear, it will resemble a rat’s tail, and removing it lets the plant put its energy into leaves.
Is Peperomia Napoli Nights toxic to cats and dogs?
It is not listed by name. Napoli Nights and its parent species, P. peruviana and P. marmorata, have no toxicity listing. Most peperomias are considered safe for pets, and several other peperomias, including Peperomia caperata and Peperomia obtusifolia, are listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Keep it out of reach of chewing pets.