Streptocarpus

[nightsky]

I decided to give Streps a try several months ago and picked up a few varieties, and one of my youngins is putting out its first flowers. The colors are so darn vibrant! The camera couldn't quite capture them right, but good enough. I think these are going to be a staple in my collection.

With flash under fluorescent lights:

No flash with bright shade:

 

[scottychaos]

Nice!
I have been a Gesneriad fan for years..I have several..
im lucky to live within driving distance of "Robs Violet Barn"..I go there about once a year..Rob and his wife Olive are very well known as African Violet and Streptocarpus (and other gesneriad) hybridizers..they have developed many of the most well known cultivars...if you have a African Violet or Streptocarpus with "Rob's" or "Bristol's" in the name, its one of theirs!

http://www.robsviolet.com/

in fact, your plant looks like it could be "Bristols Party Boy" or "Bristols Party Girl"!

Scot

---------- Post added at 06:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 AM ----------

I grow my streptocarpus on the kitchen window sill..
faces east, but seldom gets direct sun..I would call it "bright indirect" sun..they seem to like that.
a few tips:

1. They stop flowering in the winter..because of so little light..
this is fine though, they begin flowering again in the spring, and bloom all spring/summer/fall.

2. they enjoy being *bottom watered*..I keep them in a small tray..
use a light airy african violet mix..(Rob's violet barn sells their own mix..I use that..) let them get quite dry before re-watering..in fact, mine sometimes begin to wilt because the soil gets totally dry! this is fine..I often use the slight wilting to let me know when they need water!
then I simply fill up the tray with water, the soil "wicks" up all the water almost instantly..they are good to go again for another week or two..(dont keep standing water in the tray)

I use an african violet fertilizer in the spring/summer..a few drops in with the water..
(I keep a gallon of "houseplant water" under the sink..my streps and other houseplants get this water..
just tap water with fertilizer added)
I dont fertilize in the winter..

An adult plant can get scraggly and worn out after a few years..sometimes its a good idea to "rejueviate" the plant by taking some leaf cuttings, then discard the old main plant when the cuttings root..they grow quickly, so you will have a new robust plant in no time..

Scot

 

[jimscott]

That is one, nice flower!

 

[tommyr]

Man Jim ,we have a bit in common! I LOVE streps! Got my first one 2 years ago. Easy to start from leaf cuttings too!

Last year:

A few weeks ago:

 

[nightsky]

Those look fantastic. I think I may have been giving it too much light as the leaves are all bleached, so I recently moved it to a darker spot to see if it will be happier.

One of my streps is 'Purple Panda' but hasn't bloomed yet. Looks very similar to what you posted.