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Gesneriads

The plants in this category are "cousins" to the African violet, which is also a gesneriad.

Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus are often called "Cape Primrose". These fibrous rooted plants have trumpet shaped flowers in a wide array of colors and sizes. Leaf size and length varies from plant to plant and may be trimmed with scissors to a shorter length if desired. Plants can withstand cooler temperatures, but extremely high temperatures can cause death. Streptocarpus require around 15 hours of fluorescent light a day for strong growth and flowering. Or, grow in natural light using a southern exposure. Keep plants evenly moist, being careful not to over water. Streps adapt quite nicely to growing in self-watering pots. Feed plants regularly, using a well-balanced fertilizer, at Â¼ tsp. per gallon of water, with every watering. Fertilizer may be increased to Â½ tsp. per gallon of water during spring and summer, when plants are actively growing. Use a light, porous potting medium. When repotting, keep in mind streps tend to produce many roots at the top of the soil. Do not "bury" your plants below the soil line!