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| Streptocarpella 'Dancing Doves' |
Story # 147,
Streptocarpella ‘Dancing Doves’
deserves its own story. This white
flowered clone has an uncertain origin and an unstable name, until now.
The plant was exhibited by Dale
Martens at the 2014 Nashville Gesneriad Convention. I was happy to find this white form to go
with Streptocarpella ‘Concord Blue’, a Spring annual, often grown as a hanging
basket.
When I asked Dale for a cutting, she
offered me her show plant for stock.
Now the name. After getting home from the show, I emailed
Dale to get the name settled. I yielded
to her to name it, but she proposed several possibilities and yielded back to me. From her list I liked ‘Dancing
Doves’, since most doves are white and Streptocarpella flowers on wiry stems
are always bouncing around. She agreed
that she liked ‘Dancing Doves’ as the best name.
My production of Streptocarpella ‘Dancing
Doves’ will be released though Longwood Gardens Plant Shop and other upscale
Garden Centers. It is the perfect
companion to ‘Concord Blue’.
I purchased this beautiful plant from the Philadelphia Flower Show in March, 2019. It was full of blooms which slowly dried up and fell off over the course of a few weeks. The plant continues to grow well but it has stopped blooming. It is also looking a little leggy. Should I trim the plant to encourage blooming?
ReplyDeleteThank you for buying my plants. Flowering is a function of light. The more light the better. If the plant is stretching for the light, then it is in too much much shade.
ReplyDeleteYou can cut the plant back for a better shape, but the new growth will only flower with more light.
Thank you for your response. I thought it needed part shade so I placed it in a north-facing window. It is stretching for light so I'll switch to a SW window instead. Do you recommend fertilizing with African Violet fertilizer? How often?
DeleteKim,
DeleteI had not seen your reply.
All plants flower better if in good health, so monthly fertilizer can help. Yes any water soluble houseplant fertilizer will work.
If your 'Dancing Doves' is tired by now, take tip cuttings to root to make a new hanging basket.