Streptocarpus Polka-Dot Purple

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I grow them as ground covers in large terracotta pots of Camellia azalea at the entrance to our garden room where they charm me every time I walk in. They can take lots and lots of water and rain in summer but prefer to be a little on the dry side through winter. The tray or pot should be kept in indirect but bright daylight and in a temperature range of 19-23°C. Water regularly from March onwards. Plants can be watered from above or below, but don’t allow the pot to sit in water Remove fading flowers regularly to keep the display looking its best and encourage the plant to produce more. You may water just when the soil dries out – this precaution is especially necessary during the winter months.

Fill pots with free-draining compost, such as seed and cuttings compost, or mix equal quantities of peat-free multipurpose compost and sharp sand or perlite These plants require excellent drainage so also make sure that the container or pot has drainage holes.The flowers and leaves are very different than the violet, the leaves are long, dark green and strap like. They do not have the same symmetry as a violet but the flowers are simply outstanding with their larger size, tubular shape and unique colors and markings. Some have one color on the outside of the flower, and a contrasting color inside the throat, which is quite dramatic. (This could be, but isn’t, called “strep throat.”) A beautiful plant to drive away those winter blues. During winter do not water plants directly after filling a watering can from the tap as the water will be quite cold – fill water in the can or in some container a day in advance so that the plants can be watered with water at room temperature. Blotches, rings or pale or white spots –using water that is too cold (it should be at room temperature). Avoid wetting the foliage when watering too Produced in 1946 by crossing a hybrid Streptocarpus called ‘Merton Blue’ ( S. hybridus) with a species called Streptocarpus johannis (introduced just before World War II), this plant flowered continuously from April to November and with additional light could be kept in bloom throughout the year (unlike the original Streptocarpus species and garden varieties). It had the very free flowering and dainty habit of S. johannis with larger flowers and the good blue colour of Merton Blue. It was easy to propagate and is very tolerant of the conditions prevailing in the average house. Cape Primroses are, as expressed earlier, nature-made houseplants for European and American climates (excluding the northern regions of the countries) because the climatic conditions in the average home are quite similar to those of their native habitats.

After potting-on only resume feeding when the roots have filled the pot (i.e.appear at the base of the pot) Next, dip the wounds in a water/bleach solution (9 parts water, 1 part household bleach) to promote sterility. (Only use if you're an adult, following safety recommendations of the manufacturer). While using a seed tray or Bonsai dish and 'Houseplant' labelled potting mix, place the leaf sections wound-down in around 1.5cm (0.6 inches) into the soil. Apply slight pressure around the base of the leaf for extra stability with the sounding soil. Provide a bright, indirect setting with temperatures above 18℃ (64℉) and keep the pot in a sealed transparent bag with multiple small holes to maintain high humidity. Open the bag every couple of days to monitor how the cuttings are performing and to allow fresh air to circulate. Remove any rotten or yellowing material as it can spread onto neighbouring leaves. If propagation is successful, you should start to see new shoots surfacing the soil line after six to eight weeks. Keep the growing conditions the same, and once the shoots are big enough to pot on (four leaves on each growth), they can be potted up in 'Houseplant' Compost with 7cm (3 inch) pots. Repot as necessary and care in the same way as adult specimens with the care tips written at the top.I really love the Gesneriad family which includes things like Primulinas, Streptocarpus and Aeschynanthus,” shares Jane Perrone, a Houseplant Expert. In 2010 Dibley’s nursery in Denbighshire won Chelsea Flower Show’s coveted ‘Plant of the Year’ Award for its new Streptocarpus variety, ‘Harlequin blue’- the first flat-flowering, bicoloured Streptocarpus. Scott-Moncrieff’s work is commemorated today for contributing significantly to the development of biochemical genetics: by the end of the 1930s she had clarified the basic biochemical nature of the action of genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis (one family of flower pigments), or as Lawrence put it “we were able to establish precisely what each gene did in chemical terms in controlling flower colour”.