--- title: "Does anyone know what these brown spots are on my watermelon…" description: "Does anyone know what these brown spots are on my watermelon peperomia? They showed up a while ago but have continued to get worse. I keep the plant in the…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/pegbxAQsQN-ql3bZ5Ou5nA" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "🪴❤️Enzo❤️🪴" published: "2024-06-28T02:28:50.065387Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/AC8bqta1z7g98CscT91G7nJRIZaIfWrg_3b48TQ5J24/E2N3XgMbQeKXg9qSt2CPjQ.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md) # Does anyone know what these brown spots are on my watermelon… _Posted by 🪴❤️Enzo❤️🪴 on 2024-06-28_ Does anyone know what these brown spots are on my watermelon peperomia? They showed up a while ago but have continued to get worse. I keep the plant in the window and I only water it when the top 1-2 inches of the soil is dry. The spots are mostly only on the backs of the leaves which I find really strange. 🤷🪴 ![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/AC8bqta1z7g98CscT91G7nJRIZaIfWrg_3b48TQ5J24/E2N3XgMbQeKXg9qSt2CPjQ.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/AC8bqta1z7g98CscT91G7nJRIZaIfWrg_3b48TQ5J24/JzPH_r5wTjiuOzfbOo1ydQ.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/AC8bqta1z7g98CscT91G7nJRIZaIfWrg_3b48TQ5J24/nDj0yHg_QC2jYpkp-4HJmQ.webp?size=large) ## 10 comments ### Alyssa commented on 2024-06-28 Looks like pest damage to me, most pests like to hide out under leaves ### Adrian commented on 2024-06-29 It could be an early sign of edema. I had a similar issue with my raindrop Peperomia that arrived in the mail in a very small 2in pot, so the roots tried absorbing more water than it could given how little soil separated the water from the roots. It’s not very easy to tell by the roots, but essentially the plant’s cells burst from too much water can start to form spots that turn brown and corky. If you start to see “bumps” on your leaves, or curling leaves, that can confirm it. I’ll attach a photo of what mine looked like to help confirm. Hope this helps! #### Adrian replied on 2024-06-29 Edema can happen if the soil is moist while the air is cool, as well as what I stated with what happened with my plant. In mild cases it’s treatable, but important to catch early, as more severe case aren’t reversible. #### Adrian replied on 2024-06-29 ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/CQyscbeN5f0KZltdaSyx3VQZZh8uHYoaKDmCZlFICjE/fs-DPlW3RyahWiL6jlE1NA.webp?size=large) #### Adrian replied on 2024-06-29 ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/CQyscbeN5f0KZltdaSyx3VQZZh8uHYoaKDmCZlFICjE/LGPUamtzTgi7ZI9rpZBZuQ.webp?size=large) #### Adrian replied on 2024-06-29 Another possibility is root rot. I had one issue with my Watermelon Peperomia (and as a side note, peperomia are more susceptible to edema and root rot cause of the succulent nature of their leaves), another one that arrived with the watermelon one, but where only one of the stems was affected, and as the plant is epiphytic it seemed to only affect that leaf, and died on its own, to the point that I plucked it out with no effort completely to its root. This brown leaf was the affected leaf, and it arrived this way, and as there wasn’t any sign of pests, I chalked it up to edema or a root issue, soaked the roots with peroxide and water for 30 minutes and trimmed any rot, and repotted it in dry soil and bottom watered it from then on, and it’s been doing great since. ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/CQyscbeN5f0KZltdaSyx3VQZZh8uHYoaKDmCZlFICjE/YubzqniFRE2H2xbwyG5ocg.webp?size=large) #### 🪴❤️Enzo❤️🪴 replied on 2024-06-29 Wow you have been so helpful! Thank you so so much! I will dig it up, check for root rot, and see if soaking it in some peroxide will help it. I am newer to the plant world so I really appreciate you educating me on this. Glad yours is doing better now! :D _3 more replies in the app_ --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_