| I find they do well under lights in the same conditions as violets. They like moderate temperatures though. They are also much more tolerant of low temperatures. Here in coastal N. California they do well outdoors all year long, if protected from excess winter rain. It seems that a cool down or cool nights helps some of the species flower. Under lights many are primarily foliage plants. I got begoniifolia to flower as a tiny rosette in a two inch pot, when I grew it out in bright shade on the patio. But, I also got flowers inside under lights. They are quite succulent, so terraium conditions are not necessary, though being so tolerant, they will grow enclosed as long as they are not kept too wet. Be sure to put down leaves right away. Even the pale, tiny outer leaves will root and make new plants. Minor is harder to propagate than other sps.; but will root and make babies, with, perhaps more time and some leaf loss. You can never have too many plants going of any variety of petrocosmea. Next week at our gesneriad society meeting we are going to make dish gardens--a clever way of learning how to do this, and also have them for our upcoming show. So, I am planning on bringing petrocosmeas, propagated from leaves, for the one I make (in a small rectangular bonsai pot). I just had a really oddball thought--making a dish garden of nothing but newly put down leaves--dozens and dozens of them. In months, they will yield a dense ground cover of tiny little rosettes, maybe mounded up with some decorative lava rocks to hold back the soil. Jon |
