Kohleria

Family Gesneriaceae. Native to the tropical regions of the Americas. About 50 species occur in the wild. These are herbaceous plants with erect stems that become decumbent with age. Leaves large, opposite, ovate-elongate in shape.

Leaf coloration in different species can be dark green with a reddish pubescence along the leaf margin, as in Kohleria eriantha, light green, as in Kohleria digitaliflora, or silvery-green with purple stripes along the veins, as in Kohleria amabilis.

Flowers are solitary or in groups of 2–3 on an axillary inflorescence. The corolla is bell-shaped with a tube up to 5 cm long and five broad lobes. Flower color ranges from pale pink, bright orange to purplish-brown. Usually the flowers are variegated, with spots or patches of another color.



Temperature: In summer around 20-25°C. Kohleria has a dormancy period during which it is not necessary to cut back the above-ground part of the plant. During dormancy the optimal temperature should be about 12-15°C. Winter minimum 10°C.

Light: Kohleria is light-loving. It requires bright light, with shading from direct sunlight during the hottest hours in summer.

Watering: In summer Kohleria is watered liberally; in autumn watering is reduced, and in winter with cool conditions water sparingly, avoiding complete drying out of the soil ball.

Fertilizers: Regularly from April to August feed with a solution of mineral fertilizers for flowering houseplants. Feed weekly. No fertilization should be given during the dormancy period.

Propagation: By terminal cuttings and rhizomes. When planting rhizomes, bury them no more than 3 cm in the soil and water very carefully until young leaves appear.

based on materials from the website www.iplants.ru