Streptocarpella Concord Blue Trailing Unrooted Cuttings

Streptocarpella are native to South Africa and are a part of the Gesneriad family, like Lipstic (Aeschynanthus) and Goldfish (Columnea) plants, but we think of Streptocarpella as easier to grow because of their everblooming habit. They grow best in hanging baskets or four-inch pots with partial shade. Some early morning or late evening sun is fine, but bright, full sun will burn the foliage. Be careful of watering with cold water, as the leaves will develop leaf spots from standing water. Grow them under drippers, applying water to their base to avoid cold-water damage on the foliage. Streptocarpella are normally grown as a houseplant, but they are hardy for zones 9-11.

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Growing Tips

Your unrooted cuttings will arrive freshly cut. You will need to plant them immediately and begin a misting cycle to root the cuttings. This will leech the soil of nutrients, so during the propagation phase use a constant feed of 1/3 the normal recommended dosage of fertilizer until well rooted.

For best results with Streptocarpella Concord Blue Trailing, use a constant feed program of 200 ppm N. A pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is important for the healthiest plant color. Avoid any cold water standing on the leaves as they will be damaged and produce leaf spots like an african violet.

Flowering

These plants are ever-bloomers that will look great all year long when kept indoors.

Pinching

Streptocarpella Concord Blue Trailing do not require pinching, but you can trim larger baskets to maintain their shape if you want. Allow 4-6 weeks after the last pinch for blooms to appear.

Spacing

Space pots as needed for pot size. Normally 2' centered spacing is adequate.

Height Control

Plant growth regulators are not necessary for Streptocarpella . Allow the plant to grow, and shape the pots through proper pinching.

Pests

Mealybugs and thrips are Streptocarpella's biggest pests.

Disease

Streptocarpella Concord Blue Trailing is not prone to many diseases, but don't oversaturate the soil. If the plant sits in moist soil for an extended amount of time, you could end up with root rot or botrytis. Botrytis grey rot is usually associated with wet or humid conditions. You can prevent botrytis by allowing the plant to dry out between waterings, allowing for good airflow in your greenhouse, and spacing to allow the sun to penetrate to the soil level. The most common chemicals used to treat botrytis and root rot are Medallion and Banrot. Use them as a drench according to each label's instructions.

Planting Streptocarpella Concord Blue Trailing Liners

1. We recommend planting 4-5 starter plants per 10 inch basket. Use a well-drained soil in your baskets and plant your starter plants deep, allowing the ellepot to be completely covered by the soil. If you are planting 4" pots, 1 plant per pot should be sufficient. Plant it directly in the middle of your pot.
2. Pinching is not required on a natural season bloom schedule, but it is useful in shaping the basket as needed. Remember to give yourself a minimum of 4 weeks from the last pinch for blooms to develop.

Unrooted Cuttings

Cuttings vary in size between different plant families, but most can be described as tip cuttings (ivy are leaf-and-eye stem cuttings not tips) that stick nicely in small plug trays such as the 105-plug tray we use (some varieties are better suited for a 50 cell tray, i.e. Angelwing Begonia, Bougainvillea, Setcrecea, etc.). Please do not order unrooted cuttings unless you are an experienced propagator with mist systems and proper temperature control.

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