You want a plant that flowers most of the year, easy to look after, doesn’t mind being a little on dry side and survives in the shade?
Honestly, is that too much to ask for?
Not when Chelsea, plant detective, is on the case!
I have the perfect plants for you - Streptocarpus
You may already know the amazing Streptocarpus caulescens. This beautiful plant used to be quite common; you have probably even grown it yourself or know someone that has it growing.
Streptocarpus caulescens are Nodding Violets.
This beautiful evergreen plant is so dainty. I find it works fantastically well in pots and hanging baskets. Just like its sister the African Violet, the Streptocarpus Caulescens doesn’t mind being a bit dry. It will grow and flower perfectly well in a warm shaded position. During the winter it can even handle a little morning sun. It doesn’t like heavy frosts.
The leaves are small, dark green and fleshy and the plant usually grows as a compact mass never really getting any higher than about 30cm. The flowers are the best part about this plant. Most of the year showy elegant, mauve-blue flowers are produced on long stems that hover or arch over the plant. This is where this beautiful plant gets its common name - Nodding Violet.
This plant has been bred tough, it’s us who baby it into being a not so tough plant. In the wild, species can be found growing on shaded rocky hillsides or cliffs, on the ground, in rock crevices.
Some of you may be thinking Nodding Violet, oh that’s so old fashioned. I want big bold flowers, not dainty flowers. So let me introduce you to Streptocarpus (hybrid) Ladyslippers®.
These Streptocarpus feature stunning large tubular flowers for most of the year in a variety of colours. These guys are just as hardy as their sisters just with bigger, bolder flowers and larger than life leaves.
I find they are best suited to hanging baskets or pots where you can get up close and enjoy their flowers. Just like their sisters they do prefer warm, well lit shady areas. You can bring them inside for short periods so everyone can enjoy their beauty. I like to have two (or three) that I swap around.
Even though this plant is tough and likes to dry out between waterings, I still would use the best potting mix - Searles' Platinum when planting it in pots or hanging baskets. It has great water retention and even though Streptocarpus don’t like to have wet feet I still use the best and just adjust my watering to suit the plant.
I always try to fertilize my plants at the turn of the season with Organic Link and I would try to alternate fortnightly the liquid fertilizers between Triple Boost and Silica and Potash.
So bring a little happiness to your shady area with these hardy plants that have show stoppping flowers!