Streptocarpus Varieties
aka Cape Primrose
Streptocarpus were once a common and popular house plant alongside their cousins the African Violet and Gloxinias. All of which are genera of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. This genus is native to Africa from the central, eastern and southern areas of Africa, including Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. The flowers are tubular and look almost orchid-like. The colors can range from white to blue and purple, reds to pinks, and even some yellow hues, but no orange. In the wild, species can be found growing on shaded rocky hillsides or cliffs, on the ground, and even in rock crevices if there is enough soil to root in.
The species, Streptocarpus rexii is a compact perennial with white to blue/pale violet flowers, was the first known species in this genus and is the foundation on which modern hybrids are based. Over the years thousands of cultivars have been created by crossing the hundreds of species and named by the people who hybridize them and then propagate them from cuttings to they can be certain to get the same flower.
The plants I am growing have all been grown from seed from a number of sources and there is no way for me to know in advance what colors and markings the flowers on these are going to have. So whereas you would pay up to $15 for a 2.5 inch potted plant of a name variety, I am offering my baby streps for only $10 each in sets of 4 so I can also offer free shipping.
My inspiration for growing them again is from my days in a once famous shade plant nursery where we grew them as outdoor shade plants. I had the one you see in the photograph, growing under my cherry trees for years. They would die down in the cold of winter here in zone 9b, but I would keep them covered with a loose layer of leaf mulch and they would come back up every spring! They did this for many years before a gopher got to them.
Streps are normally grown as tropical house plants and treated much like African Violets which are another form of Gesnariad. So you could grow them in the same conditions and have success. Like African Violets, they do not want to get either too hot or too cold. But they do benefit from misting the leaves. They also do not want to get dry, but will rot if kept too wet. A quick glance will usually let you know when they need water. Although they should not be in the direct mid-day sun, like many blooming plants, they benefit a great deal from some early morning or late afternoon direct sun. And I would recommend using a quality potting soil, even if the pots are going to be outdoors in the shade.
There are a number of Facebook pages devoted to Streptocarpus and Gesnariads where the members are happy to offer advice on growing these. They may be more tempermental indoors and I grow mine outside and in a ventilated greenhouse.
All I ask of you is that if you get some really awesome flowers, please send me a photo so I can see! Once mine begin blooming, those will be listed separately at a higher price.
TO REMOVE FROM TUBES, WET SOIL WELL, INSERT A LONG KNIFE/TOOL DOWN ALONG INSIDE TO GENTLY SLIDE THEM OUT. If any leaves break off or become damaged by shipping, do not throw them away! Just like most gesnariads, such as African Violets, the leaves can be sliced into pieces and planted to grow more.
