Peperomia subpetiolata is a short-lived perennial herb in the Piperaceae (pepper) family. The green stems have reddish purple splotches and are erect to ascending from a very short creeping base. Stems are unbranched or few-branched, 60 to 150 cm (24 to 59 in) long. The leaf upper surface is dark green, lower surface pale green, 5 to 8 per node, 12 to 20 cm (4.7 to 7.9 in) long. Flower spikes one to several, terminal and axillary with flowers densely congested. Fruit is subglobose about 1 mm (0.04 in) in diameter.