The Happy Bean Plant must be one of the most appropriately named houseplants around. Just take a look at it, with the name 'Happy Bean' in your head, and try not to smile. It's impossible! This is a plant that really gets to the root of why we have indoor plants around our homes - to bring us a little bit of joy. Well this little fella has it in abundance!
The lift that a Happy Bean Plant could give you is not just limited to the distinctive foliage either - like so many houseplants, the Happy Bean will help purify the air in your home, which as a result will help you feel less stressed and become more productive. The plant that keeps on giving!
In this blog we are going to be detailing everything that you need to know about Happy Bean Plant care, so that you can help these happy chaps thrive in your home. We'll show you exactly how to care for a Happy Bean Plant, from how much water they need to how to propagate them in your own nursery pots. Read on for all you need to know.
Are Happy Bean Plants easy to care for?
The Happy Bean Plant is an evergreen perennial and is also a semi-succulent, which means that it can store water in its leaves when it needs to. For this reason, it is a pretty easy plant to care for, given that the main thing you need to worry about is watering. The Happy Bean is incredibly forgiving, if you were to forget to water it for a little while.
It can also cope with a variety of different conditions, and are very happy at room temperature. So it really is pretty simple to keep a Happy Bean Plant alive, and this is part of the reason that they have become so popular with beginner indoor plant owners. They are a great way into this wonderful world of indoor gardening, and they also make excellent gifts.
What are Happy Bean Plants?
The Happy Bean Plant is originally from the rainforests and jungles of Peru. Now, we know what you might be thinking now - if they are from the rainforests, surely they are used to having lots and lots of water? Well, that's not actually the case, as they are more than comfortable in dryer weather, and the Peruvian rainforests have long spells where they don't get as much rain. The thing they love is humidity, which they get plenty of in Peru.
They are known by plenty of different names, such as the botanical name, peperomia ferreyrae, and the pincushion peperomia - a reference to those juicy, succulent leaves. They are sometimes known as radiator plants as they like hot weather, but don't actually put them on a radiator as they will dry out. No name is better than the Happy Bean Plant though - with leaves not unlike green beans, and just a cheerful little look to it.
They are non toxic plants, so perfect for a household with young children and pets, but even though those leaves look like beans, please don't eat them. They won't harm you, but they don't taste as good as they look!
How to care for a Happy Bean Plant
Now you know what they are and where they come from, it's time to learn all about Happy Bean Plant care - it really won't take long! Here we will go through all of the major elements of peperomia Happy Bean care in detail, before then providing you with a list of all the key points in one handy table to make it even easier for you!
Let's kick things off with watering, because you already know a lot about this. Happy Bean Plants don't need a great deal of water, but there is a balance to be struck here. Too much water, and you run the risk of root rot, and not enough water could lead to those wonderful bean-shaped leaves starting to wilt, which would be an awful shame.
The best thing to do is to put your finger in the top of the soil in your plant pot - if it is completely dry out, and if it is still wet, leave it a little while so it can dry out. As a rough guide, you will probably need to water it every week or two, with more required during the growing season (Spring and Summer) than over the Winter.
In terms of light, the peperomia Happy Bean loves bright, indirect light. However, as they are used to growing on the floors of jungles, amongst much larger trees and plants, they can cope with some shade. They prefer that to direct sunlight, which can give them 'sunburn', which could turn their leaves yellow or brown.
One thing they really do like is a little spray with a water mist. This will help bring out that luscious foliage and really make it look as wonderful as it deserves to be. You should prune your Happy bean Plant in the Spring if you think the growth has got a bit leggy. Cut these stems back to encourage bushy new growth.
Now, as promised, please find our quick-fire guide to peperomia Happy Bean care:
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Origins: South America, especially Peru
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How much light: Plenty of bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, but can cope with some shade.
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Water requirements: When the top soil is completely dry. As a guide, once a week or every couple of weeks will be okay, just make sure the soil is completely dry between waterings.
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Humidity requirements: Keep your happy plant happy with the occasional spray of water mist.
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Soil requirements: Well-drained soil or compost is perfect
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Temperature requirements: Your normal room temperature should be fine - around 15 - 25°C.
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Pruning requirements: Remove leggy growth in the Spring. Use this as an opportunity to shape the plant to get it just how you like it.
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Pests: Like many indoor potted plants, they may attract spider mites. If you see any, wipe them off with a damp cloth.
Propagating Happy Bean Plants
If you would like to grow your own Happy Bean peperomia from your original plant, we have some good news - they are easily propagated from stem cuttings. All you need to do is take a cutting, ideally in the Summer that has a few leaves on it and leave it for a couple of days so it can form a callus. Then you just need to pop it in some water, and leave it to develop roots (change the water regularly). When the roots get a couple of centimetres long, you can pop it in a plant pot with some well draining soil and your new plant will grow from there!
Create your perfect indoor garden with Prickle
Now that you know everything you need to know about Happy Bean Plant care, it's time to think big. We have everything you need to create your dream indoor plant setup - bathroom plants, living room plants, small indoor plants and big ones. We have all kinds of indoor plant pots, like decorative pots and pots made from recycled materials. We also have a huge outdoor plant selection so you can get your perfect plants inside and out!
If you have any questions at all, whether it's about peperomia Happy Bean care or any of our other plants, then please get in touch with our team of experts on social media @prickplantsuk or email contact@prickleplants.co.uk. They'd love to hear from you.