Plants you must grow now
Gesneriads in all their glory
Gesneriad. No, I’m not sneezing, I’m telling you about a plant you might not have heard of. Although you probably have. The Gesneriad family features many old favourites - from Streptocarpus to Saintpualia (African Violet) - and I’m recommending them as the perfect way to lift those winter blues.
Gesneriads come in almost every colour of the rainbow, and are easy to grow (as long as you don’t overwater them!) - sounds like the perfect houseplant. They were mega popular in the 80s, and I remember propagating many of them with my Grandma. But, somehow, they have fallen out of favour whilst everyone salivates over Calathea, Anthuriums and all the showy leaf plants.
Well, just like The White Lotus, the colour brown, and lycra, Gesneriads are having a long overdue revival in 2025. And when you think of Gesneriads, there’s only one place to go for varieties and expertise, and that is Dibleys in North Wales. Here’s the pick of their crop for this season:
Streptocarpus ‘Crystal Dawn’
Years ago, there was a frenzy of activity in breeding Streptocarpus, giving a range of colours and forms. However, flowering performance was sometimes lacking until the arrival of the ‘Crystal Ice’ Series by Dibleys. Launched to great fanfare at a January RHS show, this absolute beaut will bloom all year round.
The perfect marriage of genetics, ‘Crystal Dawn’ is a pink selection, with slender, somewhat more tidy, foliage than some of its siblings. The flowers are also a little slimmer, with the look of a foxglove, with gorgeous markings. An excellent plant for a position in filtered light (aka your dining table), which could easily out-flower a Phalaenopsis… awkward…!
Buy it here.
Kohleria 'Strawberry Fields’
I am so in love with the flowers of this plant! ‘Strawberry Fields’ is a newish hybrid which flowers from May to October, so offers fantastic value. It goes dormant in the winter though, so try not to panic!
All parts of Kohleria are fuzzy! Plants can become tall and gangly, but a little prune here and there can encourage a better shape. Again, keep in bright indirect light, water only when dry, and feeding will get you the best of the blooms.
Buy it here.
Saintpaulia ‘Nitida’
I have such fond memories of my Grandma’s African Violets on the windowsill, and it was probably one of the first plants I experienced propagation with. They’ve been ubiquitous in homes up and down the land for many years, but have you ever seen one as small and cute as ‘Nitida’?
I am a huge fan of the indigo blue flowers and general ‘botanical appearance’ of Nitida, and it makes me want to plant up an indoor fairy garden!
Buy it here.
Achimenes ‘Veronika Gotmanova’
A Mexican plant which usually grows in forests halfway up a mountain, Achimenes may be more familiar to you as the ‘Hot Water Plant’. But please, go for room temperature water only, which will be better welcomed by the plants…
‘Veronika Gotmanova’ is an awesome variety, with as much flower power as a Petunia! Blushed pink flowers clothe the stems from late spring to autumn. Plants can be a little bit lax, so might appreciate support, or why not surrender to them and try growing in baskets!
Buy it here.
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