This is my Favorite. It's a wild grower, and bloomer. Roots fast makes nice babies too ! I have five Chiritas and Leaves down from one from Lorry will make 6 names. I love them. I just started growing them in September this was my first one :))
My Favorite Chirita
My favorite Flame violet First one I got two years ago has made me hundreds of plants !
Aussie's Alice
allison the chirita pic is so awesome....how big is it...love the leaves...and the "flame violet" is really neat...episcias are one of my favorites
Oh my! What a beautiful plant. I've never heard of a chirita before. I'm so new to the AVs but I am loving them more and more all the time. I guess a flame violet is like a cousin to an african violet? By the way, your photos are really improving. The chirita photo is perfect. Great job!
JesseK
Beautiful Chirita VT. I love the variegation and blooms too. Where did you get it?
So pretty.Thanks for posting Allison.
Thank you . My Chirita is like 20 inches across . I'm always taking leaves off to put down. Sense September I have grown many nice babies ! Flame Violet /episcia are African violet family too. Alice was my first and my best. She showes no limites when grown well. I never let her get too large ( though Mom's has many times) I have shared her with hundreds of babies to people !
Your plant looks so flawless. What's your secret? Do you have your Chirita in a self-watering pot? Do you use AV potting soil for them and treat them the same as AV's?
These are just LOVELY Allison :) thanks for sharing!
I think right now, my favorie episcia is my soumi since it is a unique color and is growing well for me.
I am still trying to get good at growing the pink varieties...they don't die but they don't look fabulous for me either.
Lorry do you have this Chirita yet ? If not I have a baby for you :))
I wick mine and did read a wicked Chirita can grow large. They like light soil, and to have it on the dry side. I have to say mine never sit in water. I just sit it one a tray full of water when it's dry. Sometimes I give it a little food from top. She is in a 5 Inch pan pot . Chiritas like small low pots. They only need transplanting once a year but can be happy in the same pot for two to three years :)) They don't need a lot of room . In our Sticky is some great information about growing Chirtas.I am very happy how mine have grown. They also root fast and her babies are amazing to watch grow , fast and beautiful.
Nope, I don't
the only chiritas I have right now are Diane marie and Tamania.....I lost the kazu :(
so would LOVE one :)
I have read about growing them and planned on putting mine into a pan pot...right now Diane is in a self watering Av pot which I dont' keep filled!
My Tamiana is in a tiny pot...same size as the ones my minis are in.
Tamiana to me mine is more of a miniature plant.
I will send your a Chirita Sinensis Hisako
And leaves from my newest ones,
C.Eburnea
Bright yellow flowers. Compact round medium green thick leaves
CChastity (Boggen)
Long narrow green leaves. Upright growth habit and purple flowers
And
C.Stardust
Blue-lavendar blooms. Soft green foliage with silver vein
Oh yes I have Alice and Grey Lady for you too Lorry !
Do you have Teddy Bear and Chocolate Soldier ?
Nope I don't have either of those. amd would LOVE any episcia you want to send my way :)
I have cotton candy, suomi, strawberry patch, tricolor, burning ember, malasian Ruby (Not big enough yet to get anything off of but can put this one on a wishlist for ya) Pink gator, emerald green. checkerboard, raspberry parade
You want me to pop any of those into your box? I have another one started for you.
I have a hugh Blue heaven for ever blooming. Grows very compact more like a trailer I may be able to separate a plant off for you too Lorry . Sure I love them all no rush .
I also have silver skies and pink panther ...which I forgot to add to this and metallica :)
I will pop some that are big enough now..and put the rest on a wishlist for ya :)
I know you have tiger stripe and pink panther..so won't send that one.
I have a BIG Metallica you can have...my plant was HUGE
LOl and you know me..I will take anything!
I will send you a list of stuff I have set aside for you and make sure you want all of them.
I am also making a box for Jesse so will be going through more stuff tomorrow :)
Are you intereasted in a cryptanthus baby? Not a gessy but cool!
Here is a photo.
I have a TON of these!
I am going to send one to Jesse also!
This message was edited Jan 22, 2006 9:45 PM
Is it a Bromaliad ? SP?
It is a type of Bromeliad yes...it pups :) I have about 15 varieties of them :)
One evern cascades..this one pups from between the leaves..this is a picture of a pup.
These are true ground bromeliads and belong to the cryptanthus species.
I have about 7 pups of this variety growing right now...I don't have any other varieties...in pups that is..but I should soon.
I also have this variety..this picture was taken at Fairchild gardens.
I don't have any pups of her but if you like these I can save you some babies as I get them :)
Here is a picture of one of my cryptanthus collections
And here is the cascading variety
Oh and these should be called my favorite none gessies too :)
I just forgot topost them in the thread!
Cool are they miniature ? We have one kind it grows large and variegated. We had one but it kept having pups :)) We have had it about 4 years. Out neighbor knows her stuff and collects them and ask for one. She said this type is rate and hard to get ? She goes to the shows and all. She gave us some of her's too. I love them ! Two of ours has flowers still in them ! I need to get hubby to move them as the sun is too hot there and burns their foliage.
Your chirita is georgeous!!! I thought they don't grow true from leaves? The varigation is incredible!
Uhm not miniature but they are much smaller then most bromeliads. :) They are low growing.
The cryptanthus are harder to find and are on the rare side..though they are there to be found :)
So you want one of he red ones? I can also save you some of the other babies when it has some.
I can even send you an extra pup for your neighbor if you want.
I have a couple variegated bromeliads also....I have them on my orchid stand..on the bottom.
Lorry, you would have loved the broms at Cali Carnivores, tons of them. and very unusual (not the common HD types)
Chiritas don't grow true by seed but do by leaf they grow true ! In our sticky is a link I fount how to grow Chiritas. I think there's a bunch of stuff. It would be in the second Gessie stickey ! Bromaliads are fun and excitng too !
This message was edited Jan 23, 2006 12:52 PM
Another view
bloom shot
I bet I would Laurie :)
I do like them a lot :)
Not a total fascination like AVs but I do have a few laying around :)
I was just thinking WOW how much my plant has grown in the past month and half. I posted this picture around Jan 9th. just have to post it again :))
Morning!
I am so jealous of your chirita's and episcia's! They are so gorgeous! I had never heard of a chirita before I joined this group either.
We don't get such lovely things here in Canada....I was watching a few on ebay and they have been going for like 26.00 US!
Thanks for sharing the pics...
Joanne
I sent my friend a leaf of her ! I need to ask her if it rooted. She always has problems in the winter with her plants. She lives in Canada too !
Allison
Amy has your Chirita Sinensis Hisako bloom for yu yet ! I have C.Eburnea
Bright yellow flowers. Compact round medium green thick leaves
CChastity (Boggen)
Long narrow green leaves. Upright growth habit and purple flowers
For you also !