Streptocarpus Harlequin Collection (streptocarpus collection) £29.99
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 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