Episcias add color to window garden

Many folks love to grow African violets and are very successful with them all year long. Violets are so beautiful when blooming and are often easy to grow in good morning or late-afternoon light.

A great addition to the window garden is a violet relative that has brightly colored leaves and blooms. Episcia is a genus of 10 species belonging the the Gesneriaceae plant family. Often called red violets or “flame” or “trailing” violets, episcias  are, like African violets, gesneriads and thrive under  similar conditions, though episcias need a bit more light.  Their  foliage can be shiny green, bronze and silver, and the tubular flowers are found in white, yellow, lavender, pink, orange or red. I love the red best and always have one or two in my house.

Established plants display flowers throughout the entire year as long as they get good light and are kept warm and in good humidity. Food is also important, so  fertilize episcias twice a month with any good soluble liquid fertilizer. Fertilize only on well-moistened soil so you do not burn the roots. I have successfully used Osmocote time-release fertilizer for blooming, and 14-14-14 twice a year, too. I do cut back on all feeding in November and December as it is so dark.

You can grow episcias in the same soil used for African violets. I use Pro-Mix or one of the other potting soils, but not violet mix as that is too heavy.

Episcias thrive in an east, southeast or partially shaded south window. If you want them only for their foliage, you can grow them near a north window. But  they bloom best with some sunlight and warmth.

If you are growing plants indoors under artificial light like fluorescents, they respond to  this nonchanging light intensity. They will produce really lush foliage and many colorful blooms if the pot is about 14 inches from the light tube that is on for 12 to 14 hours each day.

The average household temperature between 72 to 75 degrees during the day, with the usual five- to 10-degree drop at night, seems to suit them. So if your house is, like mine, sometimes cooler than this, try to keep the plants in a warm spot in winter. They often look shriveled if it is too cold in winter or if air conditioning is on in summer. Grow near a source of warmth in winter.

I put mine out on a shaded porch in summer and they do well until the nights get cold. Episcias need more water than African violets and like fairly humid conditions. Episcias and all of your houseplants will benefit when set on trays of pebbles with water under the pebbles.

When plants look straggly, trim off the runners and repot the old plant. I often start new plants  by putting leaves or small runners in baggies with moist soil in them. Although some root the leaves in water, in winter I find better luck with putting a few leaves in a baggie with a few inches of sterile Pro-Mix very wet potting soil in it. Hang it over a small nail in a window that does not get hot sun. soon the leaves root and can be put in small pots in an east window.

I have always loved these awesome plants with colorful leaves and bright red blooms.  Although they need to dry out somewhat between waterings, they require a humid environment and love a good soaking

I have always loved to grow blooming houseplants  and as a child had a windowsill full of violets and a few episcias. I remember always wanting to stop in the hardware store in Sea Isle City 50 years ago to buy the episcia it sometimes had under their grow light. I looked forward to that all year. Now I root them and also get them from a grower in North Carolina.

I have them and African violets on a table in a window across from the kitchen table   Because in their native environment they grow in a semi-shaded spot, they flourish in a window that has good morning light. This, along with moisture, adequate watering and feeding, and moderate temperatures will ensure many pretty blooms throughout the year. These face east and get gentle sunbeams from early morning till after lunchtime.

Violets thrive here along with episcias and a maidenhair fern. The secret is frequent watering. Whenever there is a little water left in a glass on the table, I dump it in one of the plants. You’d think that this would be too much, but it seems to be just right. The plants often dry out in between waterings, but never wilt. In winter,  they need more when the fireplace insert sends out dry heat.

Soon I will add a primrose and hyacinth to complete a spring window garden.

Email plant questions to lorrainekiefer@gmail.com and sign up for a horticultural online newsletter at www.tripleoaks.com.