Bill - - hello. My thoughts on Streps culture in SC. Streptocarpus is a cool temperature plant - so in the hot and humid climate of South Carolina you are in jeopardy and you need to find a coolest spot in your house in summer for them to thrive. In winter they will be good.

I just came back from a Gesneriad Convention in Richmond VA which can be close to your growing conditions. Usually by observing what local club members brought to the show and to the sales - you can say what is the easiest plant to grow locally - and locals had amazing Sinningias and Primulinas and not that many Streps. African Violets were not that exceptional too, but usually the best is shown at the AVSA conventions, on Gessie conventions.

I am thinking that out of the Gesneriaceae family you need to try rhizomatous and tuberous species - Sinningias, Kohlerias, Smithianthas, Achimenes etc. They will thrive.

Regarding Streptocarpus culture and hybridization - look at the Gesneriad Society materials. The have several presentations you can purchase, upload and enjoy.

People live more in the virtual world than in reality nowadays. Plant clubs are closing, we are all becoming slaves of Youtube... trust me - there some good advice there - but lots of an unbelievable rubbish as well. I would start with the Gesneriad Society materials first - they are reliable! Facebook has interest groups worth joining if you want to go this route. It is more informative than just browsing. May be I am behind the digital age too - but often people post their photos on the Facebook desiring to share their joy that their plant is blooming. Not always the plant is grown right and labeled correctly. You need to find the experts you can trust. Dale Martens is very active on a Facebook - she is the one you should follow - grower, hybridizer, teacher extraordinaire.

Irina, & Alabama, Thanks so much for the replies. I appreciate your comments very much, and have already discovered that I can handle the strep's and African Violets pretty well with the light setup I have. We have downsized into a retirement community, and I have half the back porch enclosed as a greenhouse where I winter my larger plants. (Clivia, Plumera, Bromeliads {pineapples} etc. We have a nice sun porch where I have a 5 shelf wire utility shelf unit with shop lights installed for all the medium to small plants.

My "downfall" is that I am a "knowledge sponge". If I see an interesting plant, I want it, and will learn as much about it as possible until the next interesting plant catches my eye. In orchids, we call the disease Orchiditis, and everyone knows it is incurable. I started in my 20's, and at 82 I still haven't gotten over it, and don't know anyone who has. I'm afraid the Gesneriads may carry the same bug.

It sounds like you two may already be members, but just to bring you up to speed, I submitted my application to the Gesneriad Society last week. Haven't heard back from them, but am watching the emails and post office box closely for a reply.

Thanks again for the responses.

Bill

Lol thanks Bill for that explanation--- I too am a knowledge sponge and have to be careful because I'm often drowning in information or I'm risking my life trying to get one more tiny elusive piece of information just out of reach.

I have many years of African Violet obsession -with trailers mostly- I do love streptocarpus but I feared I kept my house too warm. I will definitely try them!

I like forums more than facebook because information seems better organized on houzz- I mean in facebook the posts are all jumbled together and seem to disappear easily unless constant searches. But to be fair there is much good in Facebook especially for triggering plant lust!!! 😁

Strep. strawberry ice Blue247365, This is one of about 30 plants I grew from one leaf off my big plant of this hybrid. I don't seem to have any real problems growing this alongside my A. Violets and other small plants, inside under lights. They are fun to grow and fast. The next goal here is hybridizing.

To hybridize Streps, the pollen must be mature-dusty and at the same time the stigma needs to be receptive (sticky). Keep in mind you may use doubles as the seed parent, but since many of the anthers get converted to petals, they make poor pollen parents.

Try crossing plants with characteristics you like. If successful, the fertilized ovary will swell and your seed pod will grow. It will take some months and then it will start to dry, and twist. Better to harvest it before the seed spills. Collect in an envelope to allow the seed to dry, then surface-sow on moist soilless mix under a dome. Water as needed with a mister since the seed is like dust. Transplant seedlings once they are large enough for you to handle comfortably. The hard part is deciding which ones to keep.