Streptocarpus of the Gesneriaceae family grows naturally in Africa and South Asia. It is represented by 130 species. Streptocarpus rexi was the first to appear in Europe in 1827. Most of the currently cultivated varieties forming ground-leaf rosettes come from him and from the garden twist Streptocarpus gardenia.
The lanceolate leaves are 15-20 centimeters long, the shoots grow up to 20 centimeters and each develops several flowers.Depending on the variety, they are pink, red, purple, blue (in different shades) and white. There are also two-color variants.
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Twist flowers gradually form, from spring through summer. The name of this plant comes from the long, twisted, spirally long fruit that, when ripe, spins and shoots out tiny seeds. Anyone who follows the rules regarding place, substrate and watering can handle the cultivation of twist.
Place of cultivation
Twisted-pair cables need a lot of diffused light, so they should be placed in a visible place, but not in direct sunlight. It can be a window sill facing east or north.With a lack of light, the plant blooms very little or not at all.The optimal air temperature in summer is 18-24 ° C, and in winter 15-18 ° C (the plant requires low temperature for the dormant period). And another note: the twist does not like drafts or cigarette smoke.
Substrate
It should be loose, permeable, slightly acidic. A mixture of leaf soil, peat and coarse sand (in a ratio of 1: 1: 1.5) or a mixture of light earth, peat and sand (1: 1: 1) is suitable.Such a substrate does not clump and provides the roots with the right amount of air.
Watering
The soil in the pot should be watered with lukewarm water and kept with water in such a way that it is slightly moist all the time (never flooded).The leaves must not be soaked, especially when they are heated by the sun, so that they do not develop bright unsightly stains.
You can pour water into the base and after an hour pour it off. It is worth remembering that the plant is resistant to drying out, so if you forget about it for a short time, even a wilted plant will recover quickly after watering.
Twist propagation by cutting
However, flowering plants should not be dried out as they may lose flower buds. Twist rods do not like too dry air, so it is recommended to place small containers with water next to them. Another way is to put the pot on a stand with damp pebbles. The plants must not be sprinkled under any circumstances.
Fertilization
Twist fertilization is not too abundant . Outside the dormant period, it is fed every three to four weeks with a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants, but with more dilution than recommended by the fertilizer manufacturer.
