Coleus plants are easy to care for, low-maintenance, and grow quickly, which makes them ideal for beginners.
20.11.2023 - 18:41 / gardenerspath.com / Kristine Lofgren
How to Grow and Care for Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) Streptocarpus spp.
Let’s be honest, there aren’t that many flowering houseplants.
I love a pretty orchid or a peace lily as much as the next gardener, but even though they have long-lasting blooms, they don’t compare to the floral show of a Cape primrose.
Also commonly called Streptocarpus after their genus name, not only do they bloom with colorful blossoms, but some Cape primroses flower year-round or repeatedly throughout the year.
It’s like having a non-stop flower garden in your home.
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
I’d be willing to pamper Cape primroses to keep the endless display going, but you don’t have to.
They’re tough little plants, despite their elegant appearance, and they’re rarely troubled by pests or disease.
Ready to get to know these underappreciated beauties? Here’s what’s coming up in this guide:
The biggest challenge in growing Cape primroses is finding them!
You’re more likely to come across their close relative, the African violet, but keep your eyes peeled and you might get lucky.
Now, without further ado, let’s discuss where Streptocarpus came from.
Cultivation and HistoryStreptocarpus is indigenous to southern Africa. In the 19th century, English botanist James Bowie of Kew Gardens explored the Cape province of South Africa and Brazil looking for new plant species.
He came across S. rexii with its bold blue flowers and brought it back to Kew Gardens in England in 1827.
A few different Streptocarpus species were identified in the decades that followed, then in 1861, S. saundersii debuted at Kew Gardens, followed by S. parviflorus in 1882.
It wasn’t until
Coleus plants are easy to care for, low-maintenance, and grow quickly, which makes them ideal for beginners.
Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a deciduous tree with a slender shape and graceful appearance, which has given rise to its lovely name of the ‘lady of the woods’. Silver birch trees look attractive year-round with white bark, spring catkins and yellow autumn leaf colour. The catkins and seeds are popular with wildlife such as bees and birds, while several species of moth lay eggs on birch leaves.
Hardy fuchsias are commonly grown in UK gardens, and it’s no surprise – many flower from June to November and need very little care. Native to Central and South America, most hardy fuchsias survive UK winters (RHS hardiness rating H4), although some may still require protection from the harshest weather (RHS hardiness rating H3 or H2). In milder parts of the UK, hardy fuchsias can grow into a shrub up to 3m in height but in colder regions they may be damaged by frost and require cutting back to the base, from where they regrow in spring.
A great tree for multi-season interest, Lagerstroemia fauriei adds a decorative flourish from summer to winter. The Japanese crepe myrtle, as it is also known, is a deciduous tree with gorgeous fall color. This crepe myrtle also develops beautiful summer blossoms and attractive peeling red and brown bark.
Mahonias are woody evergreen shrubs and the best of them flower in winter. In the past, they were regarded as something to shove in the shady corner or, even more insultingly, as car park plants. But now – thanks to the demand for architectural foliage – they are having their moment in the sun... or, rather, their moment in light shade, which is where they prefer to be.
Who would be without a hellebore or two in the dark months of February and early March, when we long for the onset of spring? Their generous, characterful flowers bring colour and hope to the garden when we need it most, and they really don’t need much to keep them happy.
As inextricable from mass festive wares as tinsel and paper hats, the poinsettia blazes red in most shops and homes during December. Being such an omnipresent sight makes it unappealing for many of us, but, thankfully – if the standard scarlet species makes you wince – there are less common forms available that are well worth buying to brighten the house this Christmas.
Should you be stopped in your tracks by the blazing colour of a tree this autumn, it is likely to be a maple (Acer). Their distinctive palmate leaves burn breathtaking, vivid shades of scarlet, ruby, or gold before they fall, outshining most trees in the vicinity. Some acers also offer colourful spring foliage; others have a sculptural spreading shape with multiple trunks; and a few provide attractive bark during the winter months.
Cherry blossom on show in a west London garden by Sheila Jack
How to Grow a Ginseng Ficus Bonsai
Basil is a versatile annual herb used in pasta sauces, pizzas, salads and Thai curries. It is a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Sweet basil plants tend to dominate the supermarket shelves, but there are many other exciting types to try when you grow your own.
Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum) is also known as everlasting flower, immortelle and paper daisy. Strawflower plants have an upright habit and branching flower stems topped with many-petalled blooms to 8cm across. Hardy annuals, strawflowers bloom abundantly from summer into autumn, in shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, purple and white. The naturally dry texture of the blooms makes them an excellent choice as cut flowers to use fresh, or in dried arrangements that will last for years. Strawflower grows quickly and easily from seed and lasts for one growing season only.