Columnea

(Colum'nea)

DESCRIPTION: These tropical plants are natives of South America. Some form bushy plants and some have long, trailing shoots. They have oval or lance-shaped, opposite leaves that are dark green and clothed with very fine hairs. The flowers are tubular, irregularly lobed at the mouth and up to 2 inches long. The colors may be scarlet, yellow or carmine. The varieties that trail are great for growing in hanging baskets.

POTTING: A compost consisting of equal parts peat and leaf mold, and a half part of turfy loam with a generous amount of sand added as well as broken charcoal is a good soil mixture for these plants. A minimum winter temperature of 55 degrees is required. In the summer, the compost and air should be kept moist and shade from the strongest rays of the sun is necessary. From September to March, very little water is required, just enough to prevent the plant from shriveling.

PROPAGATION: In the spring, cuttings can be planted in sand or sand and peat moss in warm propagating cases. Seeds can also be sown in finely sifted compost in the spring or early summer.

VARIETIES: C. gloriosa (scarlet & yellow); C. aurantiaca (orange-yellow); C. scandens (scarlet); C. aureonitens (dark orange); C. schiedeana (yellow & brown); C. hirta.

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