Streptocarpus 'Charlotte'
Cape primrose 'Charlotte'
An evergreen, perennial, compact cultivar which has strappy leaves that are softly hairy and wrinkled. Pale blue flowers are borne on short stems over a long season; their throats are pale yellow and marked with purple
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Blue Yellow Purple | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Blue Yellow Purple | Green | ||
| Autumn | Blue Yellow Purple | Green | ||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H1CBotanical details
- Family
- Gesneriaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Streptocarpus can be annuals, perennials or subshrubs, with usually wrinkled, lance-shaped to rounded leaves and clusters of tubular to trumpet-shaped flowers with 5 spreading lobes, often borne throughout the year
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow as a houseplant in free-draining compost on an east or west-facing windowsill, or grow in a temperate or warm greenhouse in bright filtered light with shade from hot sun. Water sparingly as compost dries in winter and in the growing season water freely allowing compost to dry out between waterings; feed fortnightly with a high-potassium fertiliser. See Streptocarpus cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division of clumps or by leaf cuttings in spring or summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Patio and container plants
Pruning
Deadhead regularly and remove damaged leaves
Pests
May be susceptible to glasshouse leafhoppers, mealybugs, thrips, vine weevil and tarsonemid mite
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey moulds (botrytis) or powdery mildews
Get involved
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