How to Care for a Streptocarpella Violet Sky Plant

Streptocarpella, also known as streptocarpus or cape primrose, is a bright little flowering houseplant with fuzzy, deep green leaves and colorful trumpet-shaped blooms that are present for much of the year. While streptocarpella is available in various shades of purple, blue, lavender, magenta and pink, the variety Streptocarpus Violet Sky boasts dainty, blue-violet blooms. Streptocarpella is a cousin to the African violet, and although the foliage is different, the blooms look much like the blooms of the African violet. Growing requirements, as well, are similar.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Planting container with drainage hole
• Commercial potting soil
• Balanced fertilizer for blooming plants

1. Water streptocarpella just enough to keep the potting soil slightly moist. Streptocarpella thrives in soil that’s on the dry side, and doesn’t tolerate soggy, waterlogged soil, but shouldn’t be allowed to dry completely. Plant your Violet Sky in a container filled with a good-quality, peat-based potting soil. Provide drainage by using only a pot with a drainage hole.
2. Feed Violet Sky every other week during spring and summer. Use a balanced fertilizer for blooming plants, but dilute the fertilizer to half of the recommended strength. Always water the plant before applying fertilizer, as adding fertilizer to dry soil may burn the roots.
3. Expose streptocarpella to bright sunlight during the winter months, especially if you live in a climate with cool, dark winters. A southern exposure provides the best winter sunlight. Move the plant to lower light during the summer, as direct light may be too intense, especially in hot climates. Place the plant a few feet from a bright window, near either a window where the plant is exposed to morning sunlight, or a bright window covered with a sheer curtain.
4. Place Violet Sky in moderate to cool room temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures should be cooler, but never below 45 degrees F.