Gesneriad Streptocarpus

For those of you that are not familiar with Episcias here is what the judge's manual of the American Glozina & Gesneriad Society has to say about Episcias.

Streptocarpus: African genus of three types. Most popular is the plurifoliate or rosulate types with strap-like lieaves in a basal cluster and funnel-shaped flowers rising from base of a leaf's midrib on a series of peduncles. The unifoliate type has only one leaf and the flowers are similarly borne along the midrib. There are species with small or very large leaves. The caulescent or stemmed type, the subgenus Streptocarpella, has small oval leaves and spreaing or trailing stems. Often grown as a basket plant.

Streptocarpus

The following article is one that Linda Golubski handed out at a workshop she presented, at a convention I attended.

Did you ever wonder how to grow those gorgeous gesneriads called streptocarpus? The following is a brief lesson.

Streps may be grown as single crown or with multiple crowns, keeping in mind that the more crowns that you have the more blossoms you need for a blue ribbon plant. As a general rule of thumb, compact (small leaf 1"-1 1/2" wide) should be grown with multiple crowns. Large streps (broad leaf 3" - 4" wide) should be crown with one or two crowns.

They require the same amount of light as your African violets do to bloom well.

Streps also like a good amount of humidity to keep the tips of their leaves from turning brown. If they should get brown tips, the day of your show you may take a pair of scissors and trim your leaf. Be sure that you give your leaf the SAME shape as the leaf originally had. Streps also dislike cold or drafts. This could cause your plant to collapse.

Streps like to be evenly moist, but absolutely hate wet, soggy feet. However, don't let them dry out too many times or they will not recover and you will loose them. They will grow well wick watered on matting or on individual reservoirs. At this point I'd like to say that if your plant does "go limp" you have two options. Put the entire plant in a plastic bag until it perks up or at this time cut of f a leaf and start from scratch. Put that limp leaf in a pan or shallow dish of tepid water TOTALLY immersed until it becomes crisp, about 15- 30 minutes.

Streps also like a light soil mix just like your violets. I have discovered that because of their shallow, fibrous root systems they love pan pots!

They require fertilizer at 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. If you want to grow an exceptional show plant try keeping the blossoms off and fertilize with a 5-50-17 bloom booster about 10 weeks before a show for three (3) weeks. Disbud until about 4-5 weeks before a show and watch the quantity of bloom you'll get!

To propagate, first decide your method and how many plants you want. You may divide multiple crowns by slicing with a sharp knife. Be sure to place these divided crowns under cover, because they will shock. You can also propagate from leaf. If you want just a couple of plants, put down a leaf as you would normally put down a violet leaf. If you want mass quantities follow these simple directions. Take a single leaf, lay it upside down on a cutting board. Very carefully using a razor blade or very sharp knife cut out the center "rib". Throw the rib in the trash as it is of no value. Take a clear plastic container (example: salad dish from a fast food restaurant) and put in what ever you use as a rooting medium. I use one third each vermiculite, perlite and potting soil. Place your two (2) leaf halves raw (cut side) down in rooting medium about 1/4 inch into the soil being sure that the soil is covering both the front and back sides of the leaf. Water, cover, label, put under your grow lights and wait. In 30 to 60 days you will have plantlets forming at every vein on the leaf. Wait until the plantlets are about 1-1/2" - 2" tall before you separate them. Leave them attached to the "mother leaf". Using a razor blade or very sharp knife, cut between each plantlet leaving a small section of "MOM" attached to the plantlet. When you put them in individual pots, "MOM" will continue to feed the plantlet while it's forming its own root system. She'll eventually die giving her baby all she can until the very end. TYPICAL MOTHER! If you want to avoid stress on your plantlet, put it under cover for a couple of weeks or until you see signs of new growth. FYI: Putting down leaves in the spring and in the fall seem to produce much faster than in the winter or summer.

My Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus "Iced Artistry" (Dale Martens) Blue

Streptocarpus "Iced Pink Flamingo" (Morgan/Martens) Darker brigh pink, silvery feathered throat marking. Variegated foliage.

Streptocarpus "Iced Texas Twilight" (Martens) Dark lavender blue/dark throat lines. Variegated foliage.