DF -

I believe that most streps are not registered. So you can name your future beauty for free. There is a streptocarpus society of UK - you can get in touch with them and check if they run a registry. Similar registry is run by The Gesneriad Society of America - and you can check with them how much is the fee - but I presume it is nominal. And on a strictly voluntary basis.

So far there is no successful crossing between Streptocarpus and Sinningia. My understanding is that they have a different chromosome count and wouldn't cross naturally. There are some successfull intergeneric crossings between gesneriads - for example between achimenes and smithianta - but both these genera are not that far from one another in their evolution, they both have rhizomes and they both grow in Central America (if I am not mistaken).

Sininngia - comes from South America, and Streptocarpus - from Africa, sinningias have tubers and streps - do not, etc. They are quite far from one another - so is probably a not very good chance to get viable seeds from this crossing just from cross pollination. But - what was impossible two centuries ago - is common now...

Good Luck

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: British Streptocarpus Society

Thanks for that.
I knew it was a bit of a silly question, but the Sinningia is soooo eay to pollinate and grow seeds from, and streps seem so amazingly difficult!

I've been reading alot of back threads here for advice, and I have one pod of seeds I am trying to germinate; and I have just rescued (hopefully) some wilting leaf cuttings by soaking overnight, recutting the end, and have them drying for an hour before I repot in compost with alot more perlite.

Now today I have to try and rescue a young plant I bought on ebay. It came last week barerooted and beginnin to wilt. It is now very droopy, so I'm going to try potting it again (I think the compost was too heavy and too wet) with perlite mixed in the compost and in a smaller pot until it gets established.

Do you think I should cut off half a leaf NOW, soak it, and try to root that just in case I have killed the other one? It is "Sylvia".

DF -

And I have trouble with sinningias big time - they do not want to wake up from the dormancy for me.

And streps grow 1000 babies from each pod...

Soak your Sylvia cutting in a water with a bit of sugar for 30 minutes before planting - but to be sure that it will root - you better cut a chunk from a healthy leaf.

Good luck

Irina

I only have one Sinningia (leucotrica) which is ancient. Location sunny windowsill in lounge with radiator under the window. I hav other smaller ones on other windowsills, and growing in other plantpots where the seeds fell.
I keep feeding and watering until the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Then I still keep it on it's windowsill, and NO water until the new shoots are about half an inch high and fat and furry. I have found if you water it before the shoots start, or if the shoots re small and spindly they will shrivel and fall off, and then the corm may never grow more shoots even though it is still alive.

I fertilise the flowers with a paint brush, or with the flower tube and stamens of another flower.

I have read up about soaking the leaves before planting them for strep cuttings, but didn't know about the sugar (I had been wondering about using a drip of plant food in the water).

My problem is the low humidity. If I stop watering when it turnes to dormancy - it dries and shrinks in a hurry. If I try to keep it dry but in a baggie to preserve the humidity - it rots. I restarted leuchotricha several times from the cutting - but the dormancy is a doom for me. I have sinningia cardinalis ready to bloom for me, I love it - but so far I think it is the only one that survived the dormancy for me. One and only time. Let's see.

Irina