Haberlea Species

Hardy in zone 3; Calgary, Alberta.

If you are aching to grow this plant on a budget, following are some excellent seed propagation guidelines for the adventurous:
...Read Morer /> PROPAGATION:

1) Tom Cothier method - Sow at 20*C (68*F); if no germination in 3 - 4 wks, move to -4*C to +4*C (24*F - 39*F) for 2 - 4 wks. Small seed, do not cover

2) from 2nd edition of Norman C. Deno's book, Seed Germination Theory and Practice: (The following is a shortened paraphrase, heavy with quotes, from Deno's book, p. 55 - 57. There is much more useful information in that chapter, not to mention the rest of the book - extremely worthwhile to acquire).

Because the roots of Haberlea rhodopensis are fatally susceptible to drying out, due to their tiny size, the pot they are sown in should be placed in a baggy, which can be left for a year, checking every two months for any accidental puncture during which seedlings could dry out.

But first! "...sow the [tiny]...seeds directly in pots on top [do not cover] of surface sterlized soil and enclose immediately in...baggie...[to] insure constant and lightly moist conditions...[S]urface sterlize...the medium by pouring boiling water over the medium three times allowing to drain each time [and cool before sowing]. [Deno prefers the] commercial product Baggies...because the polyethylene film is thin and allow[s] significant diffusion of oxygen into the bag. The Baggie is closed at the top with a wire Twistem, but not so tightly as to totally seal the bag since aerobic conditions must be maintained."

"Pots enclosed in a Baggie MUST ALWAYS BE KEPT UNDER FLUORESCENT LIGHTS AND NEVER EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT. Due to "the wave-length of ...sunlight [and] tungsten filament lights...seedlings [can be cooked in as little as 30 minutes]. At the time he wrote this edition, Deno was using "plain daylight reading type fluorescent lights...[which were] connected through a timer...set to give twelve hours of light and twelve hours of dark."

Deno says that this method also works well for "other Gesneriads such as Briggsia, Jankae and Ramonda."

This hardy member of the African Violet family is native to Greece. It can take to zone 5 if the crown is kept dry in the winter. They ...Read Moreneed well-drained soil and are best grown vertically in a stone wall. The flowers are like a tubular African Violet in shades of pink or purple-lavender. Lovely plant for an alpine house as well.