{"id":5133,"date":"2013-11-12T02:34:00","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T07:34:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T17:57:05","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T21:57:05","slug":"eastern-europe-reinvents-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2013\/11\/eastern-europe-reinvents-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"EASTERN EUROPE REINVENTS A CLASSIC"},"content":{"rendered":"
![]() |
Once as common as ferns in a Victorian Fernery, the Florist Gloxinia and Cape Primrose, (Streptocarpus) \nthey fell out of fashion in the late 20th C. But thanks to Russian, Ukrainian and Polish hybridizers, \nnew and incredibly complex selections are arriving on our shores. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n Remember this two years from now. I was the first to tell you that the Gloxinia is back. It’s big, awesome and nothing at all like the old Gloxinia of 1960. But really? Gloxinias from the land of Kielbasa, Pierogi and Vodka? Oh yeah baby…..Read on. This is big news for us plant geeks.<\/p>\n As our weather here in the northeast begins to turn truly wintry, with our first snow on radar arriving tomorrow morning, I can’t help by think about old fashioned house plants, and for some reason I associate african violets and their relatives the Streptocarpus with winter indoor gardening. African Violets, Streptocarpus and perhaps Gloxinia, if I could find nice and interesting forms. Typically I would have grown Gloxinia as a summer crop, as my parents would – creating displays on our front porch plant stands that would last for a couple of months, but recently, these plants have disappeared in the trade. Only sometimes showing up as houseplants near the Holidays.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nIt looks like that has all changed, and it all started with African Violets and Russia.<\/p>\n African Violets, Streptocarpus, and their kin have been favorites for nearly 150 years, but like many commercially grown crops, the varieties found today are mass produced, and rather boring. If you don’t believe me, just look at the more interesting selections found at the handful of collector nurseries ( posted at the end with links) who specialize in exhibition varieties. Or better yet, spend some time on the Gesneriad Society (America<\/a>) website. A few years ago, new Russian varieties started showing up with a few select nurseries, and on the bench at gesneriad society shows – but as I surfed the net for some more interesting Streps, I discovered that this Eastern European trend as moved on to other plants. Streptocarpus and now the Florist Gloxinia are showing up in Europe and even in America, some with incredible colors and intricate patterning. All thanks to growers and collectors in Eastern Europe who are making enormous strides in innovation with these species and more.<\/p>\n |