Episcia Collection - Growing on Pebbles

It is always taking the risk. You will never know whether they will survive and barely make it or thrive and showcase a grand beauty. Here, I had planted Chocolate Soldier, Strawberry Patch and Malayan Gem.

Eventually the Strawberry Patch gave a beautiful growth and formation until rodents and cats started to messing around on this flower bed and it proved fatal for the whole collection.

I had reset them again and replanted using Monet stolons here and they had flooded the space beautifully with the green and silver tones.

I would encourage you to try this set-up if you have spare stolons to grow.

Do place them on top of a heap of pebbles that cascade down in a slope.
You don't have to worry about soil medium as they will do just fine.

The only thing you have to aware of it the placement - find the most humid area in your garden. I would recommend nearby a water source areas like drainside or pond areas.
That would be the most ideal places.

Very much earlier I had planted begonias and Coleus but it didn't seemed to do so well for it's either too wet or too dry during the day. These Episcias handled it well as carpet plant trailing and well growing as ground covers.

You can notice the Begonias and Coleus, the remnants of earlier planted shoots that suddenly showed up after episcias started to thrive. Sometimes, letting them grow and taking their own course is more rewarding especially for this particular species. 

UPDATED DECEMBER 2019

It has been like a year cultivating this particular episcia and I wanted to write some updates about my experience on this one. Here, I had planted them on pebbles and had let the stolons to trail and grow freely without any pruning. 

These grew so well and easily but after about 6 months or so, they showed signs of distress and require pruning and re-planting as these plants become so leggy and messy. If failed to do so, the plant slowly succumb to withering and slow death - the plant sort-off terminate just below the root ball and that is the end of the plant if not checked or inspected.

Their care & needs are similar to begonias - high humidity, shade loving plant and proper feeding regime to ensure stability and well balanced plant.

The earlier cutivation of Malayan Gem and Strawberry Mist was not so successful for the second reset.

Below are the pictures about the episcia in my garden in this one year duration:

Episicia Collection - Malayan Gem

Comparing to all of my Episcias put together I would say this is my favorite one. 

The colors just seemed to explode and give radiance wherever it's placed. 

And its much hardier than then the other pink/red counterparts.

The other factor is that this one is considered free-flowering equivalent to the green shaded ones. I would recommend to start with Malayan Gem first instead of other pink/red leaved types for beginners.

Identifying this particular does prove a challenge as I'm still not very sure whether if it is Malayan Gem or Ruby Red Dress. I think I will use the more familiar common name as its more safer to assume an Asian name (being more practical and realistic as I got it from a local nursery)

Another amazing feature is that the leaf structure is long and sturdy. It does not have visible burn marks or flaws and the newer ones forms interestingly like a rosette and being in this sweet red tones gives out a grape wine tones.

Sun expose plays a big major role, a fine cool bright shade brings out the sweet tones and the hot bright expose brings out rather the orange tones on the former back leaves (which is not so visible here as I rarely get that direct hot sun for very limited hours in a week.

The other factor that makes a lot of difference is that I had planted them together in a combination with Aglaonema and this provide a sturdy anchor and well balance ambiance between two different needs of plants. One roots deeper and the other fairly shallow and cascades.

Regardless, this is truly is a beauty and I highly recommend to try this one without hesitation.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2019

It has been like a year cultivating this particular episcia and I wanted to write some updates about my experience on this one. I had found that only this particular red version colored foliage types somehow seemed to be hardy compared to the rest of the pink / red kind.

This one is resilient and able to handle stress well but a slow grower indeed.

However, after about 6 months or so, they require pruning and re-potting as the plant can become so leggy and messy. If failed to do so, the plant slowly succumb to withering and slow death - the plant sort-off terminate just below the root ball and that is the end of the plant if not checked or inspected.

Their care & needs are similar to begonias - high humidity, shade loving plant and proper feeding regime to ensure stability and well balanced plant.

Below are the pictures about the episcia in my garden in this one year duration:

Episcia Names and Images

Please click on the link on the title above for the post.

Here is the link where I had put together a list of all the Episcias that I had come across. A database of all the different types & their characteristics.

Episcia Collection - Strawberry Mist

I had tried to grow this one way before and failed miserably thinking that it's a hardy type. It shrivelled slowly in weeks time and disappeared. It was a small cutting given to me by a friend.

I thought it was a very sensitive and a difficult one which can only be cultivated in greenhouse. Years back - these species are considered rare and not easily available. Now it has flooded the market and the price is very much cheaper and affordable.

It was doing fine for a season then suddenly as I suspected it had behaved exactly like the first time. I had kept a close watch over this one. Propagating Strawberry Patch is considered fairly difficult but not impossible. They tend to rot easily and difficult to root.

More care is required during the propagation period as they are not the type that you would consider like trim and poke into the soil plants. It needs more TLC.

There is a big confusion between the two similar species:

 Strawberry Patch and Strawberry Mist.
The difference is S.Patch has a fine thin black lining at the leaf perimeter edges whereas S. Mist doesn't have such lining.
(So minute difference right?   Yeah.. It's annoying)

Of all the Episcias I have,

I had not seen this one bloom - I'm guessing that this one is a bit fussy as its a red leaf type.
(instead of the green or brown types)
and therefore takes a longer time for it to photosynthesize
(there is no green pigmentation on them)

Regardless the setbacks, it's truly an adventure to cultivate this particular hybrid.

There is a sense of accomplishment having this one in the garden.
To know that you can handle a little pressure in having sensitive plants and you are able to cultivate it.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2019

It has been like a year cultivating this particular episcia and I wanted to write some updates about my experience on this one. I had found that only this particular pink version colored foliage types somehow seemed to be difficult & sensitive to cultivate.

This one is a slow grower and may succumb to root rot if over-watered. I had lost most of this particular type and may not pursue to purchase a new one to try again.

Their care & needs are similar to begonias - high humidity, shade loving plant and proper feeding regime to ensure stability and well balanced plant.

Below are the pictures about the episcia in my garden in this one year duration:

Episcia Names and Images

Please click on the link on the title above for the post.

Here is the link where I had put together a list of all the Episcias that I had come across. A database of all the different types & their characteristics.

Episcia Collection - Kee Wee

Unlike other Episcias that has 3 features of mid-rib colours followed by centre veins and side dented bumps, here the total surface of the leaf is rugged.

There is a metallic red sheen at the lower bottom of the veins, sort of glimmers like hidden river of rubies.
If you look for it - you will find and see what I mean.

The other distinctive feature I find is that they do have a slight green faint mid-rib and the leaves are fairly large similar to Emerald. I realised that there are other variants of this kind which I may have to search and discover.

The red blooms stand out gracefully upon the leaf surface truly a gem to acquire.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2019

It has been like a year cultivating this particular episcia and I wanted to write some updates about my experience on this one. I had found that these bronze colored foliage types somehow seemed to be more hardy and durable too.

This one is resilient and able to handle stress well. 

However, after about 6 months or so, they require pruning and re-potting as the plant can become so leggy and messy. If failed to do so, the plant slowly succumb to withering and slow death - the plant sort-off terminate just below the root ball and that is the end of the plant if not checked or inspected.

Their care & needs are similar to begonias - high humidity, shade loving plant and proper feeding regime to ensure stability and well balanced plant.

Below are the pictures about the episcia in my garden in this one year duration:

Episcia Names and Images

Please click on the link on the title above for the post.

Here is the link where I had put together a list of all the Episcias that I had come across. A database of all the different types & their characteristics.