Soft to the touch and quietly sculptural, Peperomia 'Hovaria' is one of the more unusual peperomias around. Its rounded, gently cupped leaves are a pale silvery green, covered in a fine down of short white hairs that gives the whole plant a velvety, almost dusty finish. They're carried on thick, fleshy stems that branch as they grow, building into a characterful plant that's every bit as much about texture as it is about colour.

Its exact parentage is a bit of a mystery, but it's thought to be related to Peperomia incana, the felted peperomia from Brazil. Like its cousin, it stores water in those succulent stems, so it's wonderfully forgiving if you forget the odd watering. Give it a bright spot out of harsh midday sun on a sideboard, shelf or desk, and pair it with a simple terracotta or stone coloured pot to let that soft grey-green foliage take centre stage. An easy-going first plant and a real talking point for collectors.

Care at a glance

Light: Bright, indirect light. A little gentle morning sun is fine, but strong direct sun can scorch the leaves.

Water: Let around half the compost dry out between waterings in spring and summer, and a little more in autumn and winter. Water at the base or from below, as the fuzzy leaves and stems don't like sitting wet.

Humidity: Happy in average room humidity.

Feeding: A houseplant feed three or four times between March and November.

Compost: A free-draining houseplant mix. Repot only when it's crowding its pot, roughly every year or two.

Pet note: Peperomias are widely listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs, though it's always best to discourage nibbling.

As a living plant, each one grows a little differently, so size and shape will vary and yours will be one of a kind.