how limp can streps get?

just thought I'd share how limp a strep can get and still recover.

I'm not recommending that anyone treat their streps this way, but this should show you how they are adapted to deal with periods of drought. (They are *not* adapted to deal with prolonged boggy conditions.)

The few streps I have get this kind of treatment all the time :-( so I am now looking at growing mostly the highly dry-growing ones like kentaniensis and its progeny.....

Anyway, notice how the leaves have flopped so much that it's a very low mound of flabby material sitting on the pot and draped over the side.

add water and wait 36 hrs.

This is a shot from the same side of the pot - the white plant tag is hidden behind the leaf now.

This message was edited Oct 5, 2006 6:51 AM

full plant... this is Strep rexii x gardenii

Keyring. Great pictures. Strep are so forgiving. I love them.

Good post here Keyring ! The same thing has happened to me several times and I thought 'this is hopeless'. But no, they did come back much to my amazement.

Wow, a picture is worth a thousand words, isn't it? Thanks, Keyring!

Great pictures

it's such a dramatic recovery that it's almost tempting to do it over. lol.

It realy is something they will forgive you for under watering but they are not forgiving for over watering.
These pictures help explain this real well .

Keyring, You Silly!

Those pictures really are dramatic!

I have a problem, however. I'm new to streps and just acquired a gorgeous one with white variegation on the leaves and purple blooms. The lady I bought it from mostly grows AVs and was growing her streps wicked and under lights, so I expected a certain amount of shock when I brought it to the beach house this week.... However, it has continued to exhibit more wilting than seems "right" to me. Some leaves look reasonably crisp, although all of them arch and droop far down over the edge of the pot, but some leaves have softer, curled-under edges and just won't perk up. I'm trying to err on the side of caution with watering, but since the plant was wicked I think maybe I need to keep the soil more on the moist side...

Well, I guess I'll hope that it will just keep in hanging in there until I return home where it can go under lights and hopefully have conditions that are more to its liking... I'll try to post a photo when I get home, as it's really a striking plant, even when it's looking a bit peaked!

if it was wicked, I think you should continue to grow it wicked. I think roots are either adapted to wicking or not, so when you switch, they don't like it much..... Also, if she had them grouped together above a reservoir, it's likely that her humidity was steady (and temps as well). All those environmental factors can play a role too.

Oh Dear Me! So many things to remember. Trial and error learning is HARD TO DO!

yes, but the good news is that they are tough to kill - so long as you don't keep them very wet. And even if you rot the roots off, you can usually catch a leaf in time to propagate.


You know what would happen if you gave a Chirita this treatment? The whole plant would be dead by now. (I speak from experience *sheepish grin*)

Ki, that's what I did... I've got the pot sitting in a vase now with water in the reservoir below the pot for the wick to take up. The plant looks much happier! I'm looking forward to trying to propagate this one!

The blooms on this strep last really well, even under beach conditions. There's a new bloom that opened the day after we arrived... it's been open 6 days now and still looks fresh & new!

Hey Jill! Take pictures. I would love to see the blooms.

Yes please get pictures when you can Jill ! Streps are amazing they will bloom fresh for months ! They remind of Orchids !

Me too, Allison.

My favorite I ever owned was Cherry Pie. The folage got feet long and wide and I only had two leaves. It was in a 4 inch pot but the pot sat on a tall 2+ ft vase. It was placed on a shelf where it got sun from garden room and living room as the shelves were in-between so it could be seen from both angles, It was one of the first ones I ever grew. I gave me 14-20 large flowers going all around standing tall and strong and they lasted fresh for 4 months ! Everyone that came was amazed.
I've posted pictures of it before. Now a Cherry Pie is still on my wish list to have another ! I grew several babies but gave them all away.
I'd live to grow some outside in the ground too !