Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) by Garth McFadden

“Enthusiastic” hardly begins to describe this month’s speaker, Garth McFadden!  The recounting of his eagerness expanding into wall-to wall plants throughout his home (including a closet!) exemplifies his passion!  He obviously has the knack for growing these plants, as he has won many awards!

Gesneriads are a family of flowering plants with about 152 genera and over 3,500 species from the tropics and subtropics.  Saintpaulia (African violets), Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus), Florist Gloxinia (Sinningia), Primulina (this is not primulas!), Lipstick plants (Aeschynanthus), and Flame Violets (Episcia) are all in this family.

Garth was originally interested in African violets.  He related a lovely story of a “found” leaf at the store bringing him back to memories of his mother’s own passion for propagation on windowsills!

Garth also confessed that while he has his indoor collection, his wife, Debbie, is a master gardener who focuses on encouraging others to trade in their lawns for gardens. Quite the family!

“Rob’s Boolaroo” – One of Garth’s Award Winners

Garth treated us to photos of his beautiful varieties of African violets, including the Chimera African violet (British spelling is Chimaera). Pinwheel varieties are classic chimera varieties. They are genetically made, as they have different gene components growing side-by-side. You can’t propagate these from a leaf as they revert back to the two distinct types.  Garth colourfully explained that you have to decapitate it (remove the crown) to propagate it!  Surprisingly, it can also be propagated from  a flower stem!

The Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) is an exotic plant with bell shaped flowers. It is an Old World Gesneriad.  You can decide to have a single plant or you can also put 3 to 7plants in one pot.

One photo showed a very unusual variety that has only one giant leaf!  There is also a species with beautiful variegated leaves.

Garth gave us some excellent information on how he grows award winning plants.  The judging has three categories: Cultural perfection (healthy, vigorous, and well-shaped), Grooming condition (plant and container in excellent condition), and Blooms (floriferous and well distributed).

Streptocarpus like airy soil.  Actually, Garth enjoys making his own mix of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, vermiculte, bone meal, dolomite lime, and horticultural charcoal.  Want something simpler? Garth suggests ½ perlite and ½ Promix (with microrhizae). Garth also suggests putting perlite in the bottom of your pot so that the roots don’t get wet feet.  These plants like to be somewhat root bound, so do NOT repot into more than one size larger each time.

LED strip lights are the new way now as they take less room than the large old style of grow lights. They are also less expensive!  Garth has his LED lights (warm white) on an 8 hour timer.  BTW, Garth pointed out Bill Price in the photo.  Bill is well known as a guru grower and we actually had the honour of having him speak at our club back in 2019! Gesneriads – BC Fuchsia and Begonia Society (bcfuchsiasociety.com)

Garth advises that you always use room temperature water. He puts water in 4 liter milk jugs and lets them sit for 6 hours.  Watering via a saucer underneath is one method but Garth still has a layer of perlite. The wick system is a great advantage but be sure to use synthetic fiber yarn, not cotton.  “Prime” your yarn in water with a small drop of detergent.  Don’t suds it.  You don’t need to rinse it.

Garth uses a 12-36-24 Bloom booster.  He adds 1/8 of a teaspoon per 4 liters every watering.

Mould and pests are always a concern.  Use a fan to provide air flow.

There are several methods of propagation.  If you get seed pods, they will curl when the seeds are ready.  You can take off the tip of a leaf for rooting and keep the plant.  You can also take a whole leaf, strip out the middle vein, and plant it lengthwise.  For these last two methods, just dampen your soil (soiless) mix, add your leaf cutting, add a small amount of water and don’t water again. Don’t fertilize (using the weak solution above is okay.) Seal your cutting in a baggie. There should only be a little “fog” in the bag.

When your plantlets have grown, don’t put them in big pot too soon!  Change a 2 inch to 3 inch to 4 inch; don’t skip the 3 inch size!  BTW, a standard (for African violets at least) is 1/3 of the plant is in the pot and 2/3 is overhang.

The last part of Garth’s presentation was absolutely the most fun… a hands-on workshop!  Garth had all the necessary tools (razor blade knives, mini pots, soilless mixture, leaves, and even individual plant labels) ready and set up for us to try out our own leaf cuttings!  We all went home with new treasures!  He even had prepared some “propagation starter kits” for purchase!

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Thank you so much, Garth, for a delightful and informative presentation!  We hope our little “experiments” will be successful and be the start to our own little Streptocarpus collections!

Speaker Bio by Melanie G.
Garth McFadden is past President of the Vancouver African Violet & Gesneriad Club.  He is an accredited Gesneriad judge with the Pacific Northwest Judges Council and an award-winning grower.  Garth has won numerous prestigious awards, including Best Saintpaulia Collection in Show, and Best Old World Gesneriad in Show. Garth speaks to the art of propagation, and expert growing techniques, to tips for showing the stunning and exotic Cape Primrose.

RELATED LINKS

Vancouver African Violet and Gesneriad Society
https://vavgc.ca/

How to grow Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) – The Gardeners Path
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/houseplants/grow-streptocarpus/

How to grow Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus)  – VioletBarn
Streptocarpus (Cape primrose) – The Violet Barn – African Violets and More

African violets – Propagating chimeras – VioletBarn
https://test.violetbarn.com/plant-care/lessons/african-violets-propagating-chimeras/

Can You Propagate African Violet Blossom Stems? Yes! Here’s How! – The Healthy Houseplant
https://thehealthyhouseplant.com/can-you-propagate-african-violet-blossom-stems-yes-heres-how/

photos of pinwheel African violets by Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses
https://www.lyndonlyon.com/chimeras.htm

The Gesneriad Reference Web
https://gesneriads.info/