Irina, Thank you for all the good information. I'll check out the Kartuz nursery. I have seen a lot of different colored Streptocarpus plants on ebay as well. I kind of thought that without a bulb it would not be possible to just let the plant dry up. I like the gesneriad family. In the 70's I used to grow some Gloxinia from seeds and some achimenes from little rhizomes. Back then the Parks seed company had a lot of houseplant and tropical seeds.

I agree with Irina's recommendation to visit Kartuz' nursery if in Southern California. It is important to talk to them in advance to make sure someone will be there. I went there a number of times when I lived in Southern California. Micheal Kartuz is extremely nice and the nursery is wonderful. . A close friend of his tells me he is doing surprising well for a 90 year old. There are a number of other nurseries in Vista, so it makes a good plant shopping day trip.

There are many different colored Streptocarpus varieties - but Streptocarpus subgenus Streptocarpella (caulescent Streptocarpus) is either purple or white, at least the ones in cultivation. Bluish purple, rosy purple and white with purple tint

If you let the fibrous root plant dry - it will die. SO - Water it. You can reduce watering in winter - but if you want to keep it alive till next season - you need to give it some moisture,

Gesneriads make the best house plants! You already know it - you grew Florist Gloxinia a while ago. Time to rejoin!

Here is a starter of Streptocarpella 'Blueberry Cream'

But Streptocarpus subgenus Streptocarpella now also includes former Saintpaulia? Or will? What's the status of that? So there should be more colors, sort of...

Subgenus Streptocarpella has several sections - one of them Saintpaulia. So far no matter how much people tried - there is no viable crosses between Saintpaulia and Streptocarpella. There is a new article about the grand success of getting seeds - but none of them germinated.

Here is an explanation of the position of Streptocarpella in a Streptocarpus genus.

http://www.gesneriads.info/gesneriad-genera/streptocarpella/

So - the fact that Saintpaulia velutina is now Streptocarpus velutinus... doesn't change the fact that African Violets do not cross with anything but African Violets. For now.

Love the yellow on the 'Blueberry Cream' new leaves.

There are 2 variegated ones - the BC one - it is a hybrid - crown variegation - and Streptocarpella saxorum with small leaves and seriously white variegation. Impossible to keep alive. Bill Price is the one who can - mere mortals... nah - just too much white - turns totally white and withers away.