Not An African Violet

Petrocosmea cryptica

At the African violet show and sale, African violets aren't the only plants for sale. There are all kinds of gesneriads, as well as miniature terrarium plants, such as begonias. (I will show you pics of those later.) 
Above is the Petrocosmea I purchased at the show. I've always admired them, especially the foliage. They do bloom, as you can see from the following pictures, but I wouldn't care if they never bloomed.

Petrocosmea forrestii

Petrocosmea

The plant to the right and above belong to my friend Alice, from the African violet club in my area.

Petrocosmea rosettifolia

I read that Petrocosmea rosettifolia is the same as my cryptica above. It has been renamed. This picture is from the Ohio show in 2011.

Petrocosmea

I'm not sure which one this is, but notice how the leaves curl up. They are very hirsute or hairy, as well.
So what are Petrocosmeas? They are gesneriads, related to the African violet. They grow in the mountainous areas of  China, Burma, and other regions of SE Asia. Petrocosmeas like cooler temperatures so I placed mine on the bottom shelf of my light stand. They grow among rocks and some even "on" rocks, so that conveys to me they need good drainage and shallow pots. They would also like over 50% humidity.  I placed mine on a mat watering system and will water them about once a week, wetting the mat. Growing them on the mats will greatly help with the humidity. If you look at the leaves, you can see they are quite succulent, so letting them dry out a bit between watering will be necessary. I think rotting will be the biggest problem if I have one.  I'm excited to finally own one of these and will keep you updated as to the progress, hopefully all good.

Petrocosmea winner at the Ohio show in 2011

Petrocosmea menghangensis

Petrocosmea rosettifolia

Petrocosmea minor

Notice how shiny this one is compared to the one below, but yet it is still hairy. This is such an interesting plant and with the succulent rosette form, reminding of the echeverias,  it should be more popular.

Petrocosmea 'Short'nin' Bread'

Plant Lover's Heaven on Earth

Sinningia 'Peridots Darth Vader'

What could be better for a plant lover than two plant shows and sales on the same day? Not much in my opinion. So, I found a friend who loves plants as much as I do, and made a day of it.
 Our first stop was at the African violet show and sale,  put on by the Michigan African Violet society. The event included not only a sale of fabulous African violets and other gesneriads, but also a mini flower show. Having classes about the care and cultivation of African violets was an added bonus. And the best part, it was all FREE! Yes, I said free. Of course, if you buy plants, its not technically free, but that is beside the point. You could see beautiful flowers and learn about them for free, if you could control yourself. I know I did.......

Streptocarpus sale table

The members of the society grow all these gorgeous plants in their homes and then bring them to the sale to tempt we unsuspecting plant nerds. This really isn't too hard for them to do. Who could resist these gorgeous flowers? Not me.

African violet show table

Educational board at the show

African violets for sale

Sinningia 'Peridots Darth Vader'

Euphorbia neohumbertii in desert house

Since this show and sale was held at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, we couldn't possibly leave without making a quick trip through the conservatory.....They've done so much trimming and cleaning up in the plant beds, it was like visiting a new conservatory. I'll show you a couple of pictures.

Myrtle topiaries with New Guinea impatiens

Flowering bonsai at Matthaei

Orchid display

Next, we grabbed some lunch and headed for the orchid show, hosted by the Michigan Orchid Society. Unfortunately, these shows are on completely different sides of town, but its okay; we plant nerds are willing to drive great distances for plants. This event also has a show, which included not only orchids, but also flower arrangements and art pieces incorporating the orchid. And, of course, there are the vendors, selling (hopefully), the orchid you saw in the show that you can't live without.
Let me tell you, the people that attend these shows are very serious about buying plants. You may have to elbow your way to the table to get the plant you're after. Being one of the first people through the door does help. We couldn't be in two places at one time though, so I guess we'll never know what we missed. There was still plenty to tempt us even at the end of the day.

Flower arrangement at orchid show

The classes at these shows are exceptional. They are taught by  people who are passionate about growing African violets and orchids. They show you how to get your plants to bloom, re-pot correctly, and the best lighting conditions to make your plant grow and bloom. The orchid show was also free, if no purchases were made.











I had a wonderful day. I learned more about houseplants, and shared the day with a friend. We talked to the vendors, who grow these plants to sell. They have tips and tricks no one else has  and we learned that by going at the end of the day, they had time to talk to us. They love to talk about their plants and I took notes!
Next time you get a chance to go to a plant show, don't hesitate to go, and of course, take some money for these "free" events.

Rhy. digbyana orchid

Art at the orchid show in Lansing

Violet Safari in Ohio

Winners stage

This year is the third year I've been to the Ohio State African Violet show and sale at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio. This event is held at one of the most beautiful botanical gardens I've been to. ( More about that later.) The show and sale is all about Afican violets and their gesneriad cousins. More than one commercial grower is there, including Lyndon Lyon and the Violet Barn. They have the newest violet hybrids and many other plants, including miniature houseplants. Many people have their "wish lists" with them, hoping to find the one they've been looking for.  There are also other vendors with many of  the supplies needed to grow violets, including soil, pots, chemicals, and tools. The room with their booths is where the money is spent........

First place winning streptocarpus

Terrarium

Natural garden

Underwater design.

Unusual streptocarpus.

Violet in an unusual container.

Beautiful design

.... but, in another room, is where the blue ribbons are fought for, and won. The judged show is very interesting. Trying to figure out what the judges are thinking when they award blue, red, and white ribbons, is a challenge in itself and a learning experience. . Best of show, best of class, the sweepstakes award, are all coveted awards. These plants are the best of the best. There are different categories, including design classes, terrariums, dish gardens, and natural gardens. Plus all the different gesneriad classes, including streptocarpus, kohleria, chiritas, sinningias, espiscia, and petrocosmea, and, of course, African violets. The designs are created keeping the theme in mind. This year's theme was Violet Safari.
The secrets of the growers winning the blue ribbons are what I want to know. What soil mix do they use? What lights do they use, and how long are they on? What fertilizer do they prefer? How often do they apply it, and at what strength? The nice thing is, most of these people are more than happy to talk about their plants, and their process for getting them to the blue ribbon level. They love their plants and telling you all about them. Joining an African violet club is the best way to learn all you need to know about growing violets. Find one in your area and join. You will meet wonderful people and will learn more than you thought there was to know about violets and their relatives.