Streptocarpus harlequin collection

  • Position: partial shade
  • Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil or fibre-based compost if grown indoors
  • Rate of growth: average
  • Flowering period: usually throughout the year
  • Hardiness: tender (will need to be over-wintered indoors, or in a shaded greenhouse)Grown for their showy flowers, which come in a wide range of colours, these tender perennials make superb houseplants. They will flower from mid-spring to mid-autumn and tend to bloom more prolifically when slightly pot-bound. Mainly originating from woodland, rocky slopes and grassland in southern Africa, they require a frost-free position with filtered sun. Water regularly during the growing season, allowing the compost to get a little dry in-between, during this time they should also be fed with a high potash fertiliser. Overwinter in a shaded greenhouse, or indoors on an south or west-facing windowsill, watering less often. Repot each spring into a slightly larger, shallow pot filled with fibre based compost. They can also be used as summer bedding, grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade.

    In this collection you will receive one plug plant of each of the following varieties:

  • Streptocarpus Harlequin Blue:Producing the first flat-faced bi-coloured flowers, this compact cape primrose was voted ‘Plant of the Year’ at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2010.
  • Streptocarpus Harlequin Lace:Larger than average flowers, each with an intricate pattern of purple-blue veins on their three lower lobes, appear in profusion for up to ten months of the year on these compact plants.
  • Streptocarpus Harlequin Damsel:The lower petals of the large flowers are laced with purple veining, while the upper two petals are a glowing, pure white. Up to 10 of these gorgeous flowers are held on each stem, and the flowering period can last up to 10 months of the year.
  • Streptocarpus Harlequin Dawn:Each petal has a ruffled edge. The upper two are a pinkish lilac, while the lower ones are creamy yellow with a flush of pink towards the outer edges.
  • Streptocarpus Harlequin Purple:Often flowering well into winter, the upper lobes of this bi-coloured cultivar are a rich purple, while the lobes on the lower lip are creamy yellow.
  • Garden care: Water regularly during the growing season, allowing the compost to get a little dry in-between, during this time they should be fed with a high potash fertiliser. Overwinter in a shaded greenhouse, or indoors on an south or west-facing windowsill, watering less often. Repot each spring into a slightly larger, shallow pot filled with fibre based compost.