My first alsobia...any advice?

I just got this alsobia from Pepper's greenhouse online.

It was very healthy and a great size for just a 4' pot!

It reminds me a lot of a streptocarpella saxorum(same kind of leaves, and trailing habit)...is it like it in care, and light requirements? If so, then I know how to take care of it. If not, then I'll need help :0)

thanks
-T

Nice plant and good observation about the velvety leaves being similar to streptocarpella. I have grown alsobia dianthiflora under lights along with the other gesneriads and it was happy there. In natural light, it likes bright conditions but not direct sun. A little very gentle morning or late afternoon would be okay. Too much sun will cause yellowing of the leaves. Can be grown protected (on a porch, etc) outdoors for the summer.
I can remember when it used to be classified as episcia dianthiflora.
You will love the fringed white flowers.

http://www.gesneriads.ca/alsobia2.htm

gold-
thanks for the link! That site had a great tip:

I guess this just means I will have to clip often, and share stolons often, in order to see more blooms :0)

I did a little googling, and read on one site that they like a lot of humidity, like episcias...

I hope that is not true, because I don't have the ability to keep things humid, but can provide all the other requirements.

As for my episcias, they are doing fine in the house, so I guess they can adapt to less than humid environments. Maybe the same goes for these?

This one either has a bud forming, or a seed capsule forming...can't really tell, yet, but hopeful it is a bud :0)

the flowers sure are neat looking

Like all gessies, they do benefit from humidity but if your Pink Smoke episcia is doing well, this should also as it's less fussy. The blossoms really are neat looking.

yep...the pink smoke is doing really well. I am very happily surprised. It has new growth, and has had no die back. I've been very pleased with it.

Thank you for all your help!
:0)

Do you grow other episcias?

During the summer months, I like to have a basket of Alsobia (left) and Streptocarpella (right) on my balcony. Once they start blooming the hummingbirds love it. I just potted up the cutting in theses two pots about a week ago, and I am anxious for them to grow over the edge of the baskets! Of course in the winter, I have to bring them in.

What a nice balcony! I love the shade canopy and the peaceful green view of the trees. That hot air balloon feeder is really neat too.. Have you had hummingbird visitors yet?

Yes... we have one pair that return year after year, and the male is quite the bully! He does not allow any other visitors! Last week, we had a Carolina Wren pair that were attempting to build a nest in a planter of ferns by the sliding door... the male hummer had them run off by day's end! I was disappointed, but we love the hummers too, and my cats enjoy watching them from the inside!

Gold-
No, that pink smoke is my first. I was just smitten with it, so bought it(them, actually) on impulse.

But, the streptocarpella I've had for years. I just love them!! Everyone that I've ever shared them with has mentioned how much they love them and how they've become one of their all-time favorites

Va rose-Thanks for seconding that they can be kept outside. I know my streptocarpella can take our Texas heat(100 degrees plus), but wasn't sure about the alsobia...

by the way...I have that exact same feeder...the one on the far left...I must be doing something wrong with it, because mine always leaks really badly...but I bought it because I just loved that it wasn't the usually red and yellow colors...

Hi Seed...

Yes... I really like that feeder too! I've had that one about four years, but I just like it! I can take the whole thing apart and clean it really well too!

I need to get mine back out and see what I was doing wrong, or if something was broken on it. They are very pretty :0)

seedpicker, just passing on my experience in growing both inside and outside the Alsobia. She was happy on my covered porch (screened in) during the summer but she can't take any of our hot sun I don't think. She was actually prettier and happier under the lights, but she bloomed a lot outside.

I am in the yuk Texas heat, too...........

hm...think I'll continue the streptocarpella outside, and the alsobia inside...it is already getting too hot to replant things and get them acclimated...so I'll just leave them like they are.

Thanks for the advice! No one but a fellow Texan can understand what full Texas sun and heat means, lol...

Isn't that the truth, seedpicker!!! When I would see her drooping on the front porch I would rush out and water her...............that wasn't the problem.........she was drooping because she was so hot.......

Up here, my first encounters with both streptocarpella and alsobia were as outdoor hanging baskets. My strept. was so beautiful, I couldn't bear to part w/it in the fall--so brought it in and by chance found out it could be grown indoors, though it never seems to grow quite as vigorously indoors in winter. That was many, many moons ago!

Seed and Gail...

OT... but my ex-husband is from deep south Texas... Edingurg/McAllen area... and I can remember when we would go down there on leave (he was military). I used to HATE it down there from the weather perspective! Me being from the mountains of Virginia where it can still dip into the 50s at night in summer... down there, you were lucky if it got below 90 at night! Uuggghhhhh!!!!!

I can just imagine how some of the plants must droop... I remember how much I drooped! *LOL*

Wild Rose,
It's way too hot for me down there!! But even here in Zone 5 plants wilt from heat,even though they are not dry,mostly in July and August.

I will be honest and say that the valley (Edinburg/McAllen) is maybe even worse than here........they don't even have frost, so the bugs never die away during the winter months.. They really have trouble with ticks, fleas, etc.............

It is fun to go nursery shopping down there but be prepared to droop all day long until you go to bed in air conditioning.(LOL)