Peperomia prostrata

String of Turtles, Trailing Peperomia, Turtle Vine

Easy careEpiphyteNon-toxic5–10 cm

Peperomia prostrata grows wild only in the cloud forests of Ecuador, where it scrambles across mossy branches and the bark of larger trees rather than rooting in the ground. Each pea-sized leaf carries a pattern of pale veins over deep green that looks uncannily like a tortoise's shell, and the slender stems trail in long, beaded strands. As an epiphyte its roots want air as much as moisture, so it does best in a loose, free-draining mix and slow, careful watering. The thick, succulent-like leaves store water, making it more forgiving of a missed watering than an overzealous one — root rot is by far the most common way it dies.

Build a terrarium with this plant
String of Turtles image

Photo by Jerzy Opioła·CC BY-SA 4.0

Care

Prefers high humidity, bright indirect light, with 18–24 °C, and reaches 10 cm at maturity.

Light

Bright indirect(preferred)Indirect light

Humidity

High (60–80%)(preferred)Medium (40–60%)Very high (80%+)

Temperature

10°C25°C40°C
18°C – 24°C

Soil

Well draining(preferred)Orchid mixPeat moss

Moisture

Moist(preferred)Dry

Soil pH

6 – 7

Propagation

Snip a 5–8 cm length of trailing stem with several nodes, lay it across moist sphagnum or substrate so the nodes make contact, and keep humidity high. Roots usually appear in two to four weeks.

Native range

Native to Western South America.

Appearance

Growth habit

TrailingCreeping

Leaf shape

RoundOval

Leaf texture

WaxySucculentSmooth

Frequently asked

Can String of Turtles grow in a closed terrarium?

Yes. String of Turtles prefers high (60–80%) humidity, which is what a closed terrarium provides, and tolerates bright-indirect-light-loving conditions.

Does String of Turtles need drainage?

String of Turtles prefers a moist substrate. Drainage is helpful but not critical; consistent moisture matters more.

What humidity does String of Turtles need?

String of Turtles does best in high (60–80%) humidity.

Is String of Turtles pet-safe?

String of Turtles is considered non-toxic to common household pets.

How tall does String of Turtles grow?

String of Turtles typically reaches 5–10 cm at maturity.

How do you propagate String of Turtles?

String of Turtles can be propagated by stem cuttings or division or leaf cuttings.

References

  1. 1

    Plants of the World Online — Peperomia prostrata

    https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:679508-1
  2. 2

    NC State Extension — Peperomia prostrata

    https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/peperomia-prostrata/
  3. 3

    Terrarium Tribe — Peperomia prostrata (String of Turtles)

    https://terrariumtribe.com/terrarium-plants/peperomia-prostrata-string-of-turtles/
  4. 4

    Gardenia.net — String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)

    https://www.gardenia.net/plant/peperomia-prostrata-string-of-turtles
  5. 5
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