Learn about a streptocarpus home plant: frosty patterns and other varieties of a popular hybrid

For the first time, a wild species of streptocarpus was discovered almost 200 years ago (in 1818) and was a modest plant with pale blue tubular flowers having five round-shaped petals.

The diameter of the flowers did not exceed 2.0-2.5 cm. At the moment, through selection, hybrids with a diameter of flowers up to 12-14 cm were bred.

The most common color of streptocarpus flowers was lilac and blue-blue, but at the same time there are varieties with petals painted in all colors of the spectrum: from snow-white to violet-black, from pale pink to crimson, and cream, lemon, orange tint. Coloring of the obtained hybrids happens with one-, two- and three-tone color combinations.

The main directions of selection

The first hybrid was obtained almost 40 years after the introduction of streptocarpus in the species register (in 1855) in the UK. Further selection was fairly slow pace until the 60s, 70s of the last century.

Then this flower suddenly came into fashion, which caused the breeders to work hard to get new colorful streptocarpus hybrids. In the same Great Britain, and especially in the USA, streptocarpuses are grown on an industrial floriculture scale.

Truly, this plant has gained enviable popularity in the world! It affects the variety of species.

More than 1100 varieties were bred (134 species were found in nature) and this is not the limit.

There are already terry and semi-terry varieties with texture coloring, corrugated, with ruffles, fantasy with patterns (mesh, rays) on the petals and spectacular spotty color.

Various in shape and size of the corolla. Miniature and semi-miniature hybrids. Especially popular are varieties with bright green and variegated leaves (variegated).

The main directions for the selection of streptocarpuses at the moment:

1. Creating two-tone varieties with contrasting neck and whisk.
2. Variegated streptocarpus.
3. Textural coloring of petals with a mesh.
4. The increase in the terry of the flower.
5. The increase in the size of the flower.
6. Miniature Hybrids.

Intensive work of breeders in such areas as:

• Easy care, resistance to adverse conditions and transportation.
• The horizontal arrangement of leaves.
• The inner side of the leaves is red, dark or with a pattern, the outer - shiny.
• Prolonged and plentiful flowering.
• Shortened peduncles with five or more flowers.

Types

The variety of species of streptocarpuses is staggering: perennial and annual, grassy and shrubs, residents of shady moist forests and arid savannahs, growing on rocks and trees ...

Nevertheless, all of them can be divided into three main types:

1. Single leaf type. It has one large leaf 60-90 cm long, 10-15 cm wide and high peduncles. In rare cases, one or two additional underdeveloped leaves may grow. The main leaf is very important for the life of the whole plant. In the event of his death, the whole plant will die.
2. Stem type in other words, multi-sheeted. He has only one fleecy stem, strewn with leaves. From the axils of the leaves grows up to 5 peduncles. This type, like the previous univalent, is more common in nature than in the homes of collector gardeners.
3. Rosette type. The leaves of this species have one growth point in the center of the root system and, growing, form a rosette, from where the name of the species came from. The stem is absent.

   The rosette type of streptocarpus is most popular in collections of flower growers, as it differs in the rapid production of stable hybrids and a large number of large peduncles.

Popular varieties

As already mentioned, the selection of streptocarpuses on the rise, especially in America and the UK. The three most famous breeders from the United States include:

• Ralph Robinson (Bristol's series, in selection since 1982).
• Dale Martine (specializing in the original variegated streps of the Iced series) and J. Ford, under the leadership of Paul Sorano, who inherited the greenhouses and greenhouses with senpolis from his grandfather in 1993.
• In Japan, exquisite miniature species from Toshihiro Okuto (in selection since 1985) are admirable.

In Russia, the most popular are:

1. Varieties with bright large flowers obtained from Peter Kleszczinski (Poland).
2. Long and plentifully blooming streptocarpuses from Pavel Enikeev (Ukraine).
3. Luxurious and unusual hybrids from Vyacheslav Paramonov (Russia), Dmitry Demchenko (Russia) and Tatyana Valkova (Russia).

Hybrids of Peter Kleschinsky

Breeder	Grade	Flower diameter, cm	Description
Peter Kleschinsky	Hermann	7-7,5	The upper petals have a lilac hue, the lower creamy-yellow background is covered by a burgundy grid turning into the main background, a lilac border. Corrugated edges of the petals.
Draco	7-8	Pale, slightly pinkish upper leaves, lower ones saturated yellow with a bright purple net (like fire from the mouth). The serrated edge of the petals.
Picnic	6-7	Blue mesh on all petals. The top background is white, the bottom is yellowish. Falls fast.

From Russian breeders

Breeder	Grade	Flower diameter, cm	Description
Vyacheslav Paramonov	Frost patterns	7-8	On white wavy petals a blue-purple net. Dark purple rays in the neck. The foliage is medium green, wavy quilted.
Dmitry Demchenko	Black Swan	8-9	Quilted large wavy flowers of dark purple color, purple-black (white rays on the inside of the neck). Velvet flowers.
Tatyana Valkova	WAT bird	8	A vivid contrast between the upper bright white and lower cream with a rich dark purple mesh turns into the main tone. Rounded petals with an inner rim.

From Pavel Enikeev gentle shades

Breeder	Grade	Flower diameter, cm	Description
Pavel Enikeev	Crystal lace	6,5	Corrugated edges, super ruffle. On the white background of the upper petals there is a light border of blue color, on the lower petals there is a thin net of lilac-blue color on a slightly yellowish background. Leaves are stiff, not hanging. Compact power socket.
Himalayas	10	Huge corrugated flowers. The upper petals are watercolor pale lilac, on the lower white background is a bright purple grid.
Waterfall	7-8	Blue, even pale lilac flowers in large shuttlecocks on top, lower petals: on a white background a lilac net. They do not fall for a long time. Neat outlet.
Avalanche	9-10	Huge snow-white flowers with a strongly corrugated edge.

Colorful

Breeder	Grade	Flower diameter, cm	Description
Pavel Enikeev	Pink dreams	9	Pale pink in the upper part of the flowers with a corrugated edge, at the bottom of the petals on a pink background a raspberry net. Neat, compact outlet
FIFA	7-8	Terry fringed pink-raspberry flowers, the lower petals on a white background have a raspberry net and border. They do not fall for a long time.
Young lady	8	Pale pale pink in the upper part wavy flowers with a dark red mesh on the lower white part.
Chick	7,5	Saturated lemon yellow color, the edges become very rugged with age. There are blue rays in the neck.
Caramel	5-6	Pale pink top, pale yellow, caramel creamy bottom, purple rays. Watercolor tender colors, corrugated petals.
Kalahari	7,5	Large red-yellow flowers. The upper half is dark crimson, the lower yellow with raspberry rays and a faint mesh.
Lena	6,5-7,5	Terry flower with a bright contrasting color. Top: a raspberry net on a white background, the bottom in bright raspberry. Aerial.
Margarita	10	Huge fringed ruby ​​red flowers. Saturated wine color. Large shuttlecocks.
Wild strawberry	7-8	White with a thick red speck, passing closer to the neck in an apron. Looks like a slice of strawberries. Rounded petals.
The Scarlet Flower	5-6	Rounded petals of scarlet color, white neck. Medium-sized.
Kata Tjuta	10-13	Strongly wavy, corrugated edge; upper petals are scarlet, lower yellow with a thin scarlet mesh. More visible rays to the neck.
Hawaiian party	5-6	A hyper-white flower with a contrasting ruby-cherry net and nettle, inner nimbus.

Dark and deep purple shades.

Breeder	Grade	Flower diameter, cm	Description
Pavel Enikeev	Mozart	10	Large shuttlecocks, the top is blue-violet, below on a creamy-yellow background is a purple net and a border of violet ... A large outlet. Holds flowers for a long time.
Omut	7,5-8	The flowers are dark purple with a corrugated scalloped edge. Blue speck. Wide leaf, short rounded.
Hypnosis	7-8	Large shuttlecocks, against a purple-black background, dark red and purple spots, a neck with white rays.
Quilling	6-7	Dark purple velvet corollas. the neck is light with a yellow eye, the fringe along the edges of the petals is highly corrugated.
polar night	12	The flowers are deep dark purple, velvet.
Siberia	10-12	Huge blue-and-black flowers with a ruffled, fringed edge.
Caucasian captive	8-9	Large shuttlecocks. Saturated lilac color of the upper petals. On a white background the lower purple net, in the neck yellow and purple rays.
Swallowtail	7	Saturated violet upper petals, on a pale yellow background of the lower bright purple mesh.
Meteor Rain	5-6	Small corollas, wavy. The top is blue with cream spots, the bottom is creamy yellow with a blue border.

Photo

In our article you can also see photos of various species of this wonderful plant, such as:

1. The Scarlet Flower:
   
2. Prisoner of the Caucasus:
   
3. Richelieu:

   

4. Dimetris:

   

5. And others:

   
   
   

Care

Most streptocarpous species come from tropical forests (diffused light, humid air, a lot of rain water during the growth period, moderate temperature up to 24 ° С).

There are savannah species with short thick leaves that are shorter and thicker than forest ones (they may be exposed to direct sunlight for some time, resistant to drought, tolerate drought during the vegetative period, temperature up to 30 ° C).

So that loose and light soil is preferred to all species (air, saturation of the root system with oxygen). They also tolerate a slight overdrying of the soil, substrate. They do not like direct sunlight (especially in summer), do not tolerate cold and drafts.

In cold weather, the root system begins to rot. Spraying is highly undesirable. In summer, maintain high humidity indoors. The key to success: moderate heat (up to 24 ° C), moderate soil moisture (watering 2-3 times a week), humid ambient air.

In winter, streptocarpuses sleep without illumination. The rest period lasts 1-2 months (December-February). The temperature for this period is reduced to 15-18 ° C, watering is reduced to 1 time per week (as the earth dries up).

Then they stimulate flowering (usually for an exhibition), increasing the daylight hours to 14 hours using phytolamps and fluorescent lamps. The temperature is increased to 24-25 ° C, watering 2-3 times a week.

During flowering, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is necessary (plants quickly deplete the soil), dried flowers and leaves are cleaned on time. When pruning old leaves, streptocarpus grows faster and gives more peduncles. Most species bloom from early spring until the fall (from May to October-November).

In more detail about growing streptocarpus and caring for the plant at home, we talked about in this material.

Planting and reproduction

In nature, streptocarpuses breed either by seed or by division of the processes. In the laboratories breeders use four types of streptocarpous breeding:

• The seeds.
• Vegetative division of the processes.
• Vegetative leaf fragments.
• Microclonal breeding.

Only through cross-pollination and seed production is it possible to obtain hybrids and new seeds. But asexual (vegetative) reproduction preserves phenotypic characters of varieties. With microclonal breeding, it will be possible to preserve rare and endangered species, to heal them.

To propagate streptocarpus by fermentation, the sheet is cut with a sharp blade either along the main vein into two halves (toaster method), or into three parts along the rod with wide wedges.

And you can also plant the leaves with cuttings, cutting off the tip of the cuttings obliquely. All sections are dried and sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. Planted in a mixture of peat and perlite with a sharp tip down. After a month, daughter plants appear.

For dividing the processes, it is necessary to have several additional points of leaf growth on the mother plant, forming new rosettes, tops.

Before starting the procedure, an earthen lump is abundantly watered with warm water, taken out of the pot and gently broken or cut into pieces, each of which should have several leaves. Slices are dried and sprinkled with crushed activated carbon or a biostimulant (root).

After 1-2 months, the settled plants have their own root system and 15 cm leaves.

We talked about the peculiarities of streptocarpus breeding and the conditions for its transplantation here, and from this article you will learn how to grow a flower from seeds, a leaf fragment and by dividing the bush.

Diseases and Pests

As a rule, streptocarpuses are unpretentious and self-sufficient plants. But also they have common problems - diseases and pests:

1. Gray rot on the roots and leaves with excessive watering and drafts. Streptocarpuses - residents of loose and arid soils, waterlogging and heavy soils are fatal to them. Add peat, perlite, sphagnum moss to the soil mixture. Treat the diseased parts of plants with a solution of copper sulfate and potassium soap.
2. Drying leaves, thrips (in dry air and high temperature). 2-3 treatments are required every 5-7 days with phytoderm or acarin.
3. Red spider mite. Treat with phytoderm or fugnicide solutions. Place the diseased plant in a plastic bag and tie tightly for 1-2 days, repeat after 7-10 days. It is advisable to isolate the patient and process neighboring plants.
4. Powdery Mildew Such a tool is common: acarin + warm water + zooshampoo from ticks. It is advisable to process it outside the living room, on the balcony, in the bathroom with good ventilation (chemistry). Heavily affected plants are covered with a film so as not to spread spores with powdery mildew, and are destroyed.
5. After the exhibition, it is recommended that the solution be treated with Fufunon in warm water, for which it is necessary to dip the aboveground part of the plant into the solution and allow the drops to drain into the ground.
6. For prevention, once every 4-6 weeks, treatment with phytoderm.

Initially, streptocarpuses were found in the Cape Province of South Africa and their homeland is Africa, Indochina and Thailand, but now they are distributed around the world, thanks to flower growers-collectors.

Streptocarpuses (Richelieu, Dimetris, etc.) are close relatives of the Uzambara violet and also belong to the Gesneriaceae family. But they have a difference: from the sinus of one leaf of streptocarpus 6-10 peduncles grow, in violet only one.

This plant has excellent decorative properties, great potential in breeding new varieties, unpretentiousness and abundant flowering.

Watch the video: Pelargonium (May 2024).