I grow some streps although not as many as I did years ago. Last year I purchased a few of the Russian/Ukraine types. They haven't been stellar bloomers under my conditions. I have had more luck with Rob's Bristol series. Dale Martens produces some strong growing plants. Her Heartland's White Gold has bloomed non stop for a year now. Terri

thank you for your thoughts terrie! looks like im now gonna have some experience growing them too! i rather accidentaly won four auctions... grin. so heres whats coming. :)

Beautiful plants! Let us know how they do for you.

thanks both of you! they are all just one leaf.... so i am off to research the best ways to root those leaves. saw a good article on the AVBarn website... i need to go read that again. thanks for your interest! i didnt post in the gesneraid forum cause there arent as many pple over there. ;)

Oooh, you got some beauties, there! I've been tempted by Mirage for a while now, myself. I have about a dozen streps but I bought them as small plants, having had no luck starting strep leaves - they always seem to rot on me even though I never have that problem with AV leaves. Anyway, Gary's Out of Africa is another great source for streptocarpus, if you feel the need to increase your collection. ;-) I just ordered a few fragrant strep varieties and can't wait for them to arrive next month. (And yes, sadly the gessie forum doesn't get much traffic these days but there are still some very informative posts with good info on growing streps if you search back.)

Suyoder, It is great to post on this forum, I enjoy your photos. I only intended to let you know there is also another forum, in case you are interested. Many people on this forum also grow gessies. (Orchids, too.) I believe Lyon's has streps. (At my local flower and garden shows, streps are available and often breath-taking.) Nature is amazing. I would grow all three if I had the space.

Joanne and Anne - thanks for the comments! And thanks for saying something about the Gesneriad section... I have posted there about my Sinningia and Episcia gessies. And I did get replies eventually. I am eager to get these... although they are considerably more expensive than AV leaves! :-[ I like my one Moth orchid... but I don't think I'll dive into the orchid world! It's not for me. :-) I admire them... but I just can't do everything, like you said! I do have a cymbidium orchid (i think it's one of the smaller varieties) and I'm about tired of it...because it won't bloom. That must show that I'm not a true orchid lover. :-P

Those are really beautiful! I was lucky enough to receive strep leaves in last fall's round robin. I was really dubious about them growing into anything, but I have 2 that are blooming now, Blue Mars, and Isis. I hope yours do well!!!

I find orchids to be FAR easier than AVs or their cousins. (I know, I know ... many folks find that baffling.)

suyoder, how are you caring for your Cymbidium?

it was given to me last fall... and it had not bloomed for that person either. i repotted it right away and kept only the healthiest looking psudobulbs or whatever they are called. i stuck it in a south window, which gets direct sun. it was down there all winter, with no visible growth. stalemate. finally about two weeks ago when the weather turned, i moved it out to the porch which is fairly shaded/sheltered. it does get direct sun in the afternoon. and there it sits..... it has not gotten below freezing... but it has experienced some cool temps. i was hoping maybe that would help. i water it whenever i think about it which is maybe once a week. its in a good size pot (8" maybe?).

please tell me what i should do diff?

Orchids are easy for where i live now but they do not bloom frequently. Mine do a great imitation of plastic plants. I just gave away my last phal, lo and behold, it had buds on a new spike. The moral of the story is ... threaten your plants with adoption.

AVs have a reputation for being fussy because they are always doing something different, either flowering, or forming babies. They require some attention every few days. Unlike other indoor plants, such as green plants, that just grow bigger, (ho-hum), AVs need attention to be well-groomed. They can grow unruly quickly. For folks who are accustomed to cacti or spider plants, AVs are more demanding and more rewarding. You need to "talk" to them. Consider, any plant with a name, often a girl's name, is going to want to have a conversation, not just be ignored on a shelf. And might keep changing the subject, by blooming in an entirely different color than what you expected.

Orchids, on the other hand, sit there in their regal elegance, happy to be ignored. They return the favor, deigning to bloom, say, two years from today ...

Joanne

Joanne, your interpretation of plant personalities made me smile as it sounds like the difference between owning dogs and cats. I've never tried orchids; and I think perhaps I'm not up to their aloof challenge - ha! :-)

joanne and anne - you both drew good paralells! its amusing to me cause i like cats (and orchids) but if they arent gonna respond lovingly to lots of attention... fine. go be a barn cat and we will talk once a day. :-P or as the case may be... a porch orchid. ;) but my violets.... and my shih tzu... well we get along splendid!

Aww! If you look up "cute" in the dictionary, there is a pic of a Shih Tzu! I never saw a black and white Shih Tzu! What is his or her name? Such dogs stick to me like magnets, they must think I am a poodle.

My first cat at age 8 was a barn cat rescue. I also had a black and white Cocker Spaniel.

Both were "addicted" to me and would not leave my side, but they did NOT get along with each other. The cat growled more than any dog and the dog bit everybody except me. They were ornery to other people but very nice to me.

Those were the days when animals were half wild and dogs were kept for protection, even cocker spaniels.

Presently, we have no resident fuzzy friends. But one of our younger relatives, who shall remain unidentified, has pets named after us. I deserve it, as I used to name my pets after my friends. I thought it was a compliment.

Anne, I live in Calif now where orchids grow easily and naturally. On the east coast, they were considered exotic, I could never master them there. I am all about growing the plants in the proper regions for which they are acclimated. All except AVs, of course, which are so adaptable and friendly as plants go. Joanne

her name is Leila and she is also a rescue dog of sorts. she is just a puppy. we got her at 6 months and she is now 9 months. when we got her she had never been house trained. she went on a little pad in front of the door. she is now fully house broke... she fetches better than a golden retriever.... she is totally devoted to me... she is ultra submissive (to a fault)... and she has never offered to bite anyone. she gets along capital with my children. all round, she is the perfect little dog... except for her annoying submissive puddles that show up at the worse times. oh and shes shedding like CRAZY right now! i think shes blowing her puppy coat.

we are so thankful for her... i know that a lot of rescue dogs have awful vices... but this one was just super scared of the world. i kid you not, the first time she saw me she SCREAMED like a banshee! the second time... two weeks later when i brought her home, she bonded on the 2 hour ride home and has been my shadow ever since.

lol - sorry.... i get carried away sometimes. :-P

Breaks my heart. Those eyes. She is so grateful.

Their little teeth look like strings of pearls, they actually smile.

I had several friends who bred shih tzus, so I have heard some heartbreaking stories.

In fact, the office folks who raised violets also raised shih tzus.

my gsd (rescue) came house trained, perfect sit stay come, but anti-social. No flaws other than his penchant to bite (everyone but DH and me).

Still, i'd rather deal with a 70lb biter than a shi tsu - little dogs are scary ;-p

Your GSD is charming. I thought you said he was mostly yawn sleep nap.

The Shih Tzu's I have known have been very sweet and friendly!

Oh, at home, indoors, he naps like a champ, especially now that he's older. But when we're out, he's 100% there, playing, running, and protecting me, though his risk assessment is a bit "off" ;-p - people see this happy dog playing and interacting with me, and don't believe when I tell them not to approach him.... Ah well, he doesn't need to bite to scare them away ;-)

as for shi tsus, ive met 1 1/2 (the other half was beagle) that behaved like "proper dogs", but mostly, i find little dogs are scary because they tend to be poorly trained and even less exercised, and their owners are oblivious because "they're so cute". Wouldn't get away with a rottie or bully breed that was as out of control.

(Putting my soap box away now)

Now, let me add an av photo to keep this halfway on topic....

I swear, I just meant to prune the one....

i TOTALLY agree with you! little dogs as a rule are un trained, yappy, and rule the roost. whats worse is when you come across a great pyranese or Rottie who arent trained. an untrained 100 lb monster is really scary! i have met many hopeless big dogs! this is the third little dog i have owned... the first was a rescue and he was a hopeless case. pomeranian. he had the attitude of a tiger! he was actually mean... i dont "do" mean dogs. years later the next one was also a Pom... but this one was a puppy... and she was super sweet! she was well behaved and very devoted. she ended up with a very loving calm home with a senior couple... and they told me that she helped keep the lady out of tge hospital because she gave the lady sonething to think about instead of just her troubles. that made me proud. and now my third one years later now.... and i have never met such a well behaved toy dog! shes way easier to train than either of my poms were. granted - she was so unsocialized that its been a challenge to get her relaxed around other people. sheis quiet as a mouse and sleeps all day unless someone drives up... then shes all gruff growly business. ooo. scary! :-P

i love it! now that is what i would call fun chaos!

Discipline those little moppets? The thought never occurred to me!

Nice garden room photo, Karin.

Also, Karin, you are wise to tell people do not approach a dog that does not know them. My cocker spaniel I had as a child bit at least ten or twelve people that we knew about. She was very picky about who she would tolerate.

My on topic comment is that my box of goodies from Fancy Bloomers in NJ arrived today. All nicely packed, large plants.

joanne did you get an email when she sent them out?

yes, with the tracking number. I think she always sends the tracking info once she ships.

The box was insulated with a heat pack that is still warm, three days later.

(So does Lyons when they ship. )

YAY! She just emailed me a tracking # last evening!!! ;-)

@Suyoder:

As with any family of plants, there can be an incredible spectrum of difference in care needs. (For example, there are orchids which live upon mountain or tepuis in the cloud forests. Such plants may never experience daytime temps beyond 70F and regular lows in the 50's.) The genus Cymbidium does contain species which like constant warm (like Florida) temp, but most require a very real seasonal change in conditions. The multitude of hybrids out there may take after one side or the other. However, the most commonly produced hybrids are those which require a difference in seasonal conditions and care. I will assume that yours is just such a hybrid. With that disclaimer said:

Spring:

If possible, put it outside once temps are remaining above 40-50F. Harden the plant off -- starting it in a more shade area and over the course of a few weeks expose it to more and more full sun.

Summer:

Light: Give as much as you possibly can. If the leaves reach a chartreuse (yellow-green) color, you have the light intensity right.

Water: Give it lots! If in a hot sunny area outside, it may enjoy being watered heavily more than once a week.

Fertilizer: Feed it heavy and often. (Orchid fertilizer is what most folks use, but I have known folks who will fertilize with fresh horse manure.)

Fall:

Leave it outside until temps are in the 40's -- it can likely even handle light frosts.

At this time when temps are on the chilly side, quit fertilizing and cut back on the water.

Fall/Winter:

Once temps are staying in the low 40's to upper 30's, move the plant to a brightly lit chilly (temps in the 50s) spot. (Many northerns will use an unheated, well lit garage or spare room.) At this time, ignore the plant with only occasional -- as in once every two or three weeks -- sips of water. Some folks forego watering entirely during this time.

If all goes well, flower spikes will start sometime in December or January. A little bit of water can be given at this time but keep the plant where it is. Once the buds are coloring up or opening, you can move it to a warmer spot to enjoy. You can keep it out of direct sun during this time as warmth and sunlight seem to make the flowers of almost any plant "wear out" sooner.

Flowers can last for a month or more.

In a way, it is almost like forcing spring bulbs except the flowers will last far longer.

Oh, and do you know when the previous owner last repotted it? It may be time to change the media. (And if it is, don't use dirt.)