Well suited to living in woodland, the plants grow best in conditions that resemble those found in their natural habitat — therefore they require rain, or irrigation, in summer, very good drainage and some shade, preferably bright, dappled light, good ventilation and not too much heat, and moist (not wet) soil conditions.

It is very important that the plants should not be over-watered, to prevent rotting and fungal problems. Allow them to get quite dry between watering periods; they can be allowed to wilt slightly as they have the ability to recover very well, but be aware that severe wilting can be a sign of root rot caused by over-watering, so check the medium to see that this is not the case.

Remove all dead flowers and yellowing leaves as these encourage fungal growth, and to keep the plants looking attractive. If fungus is found on any part of the plant, pinch out the affected parts and treat with a suitable fungicide.

Regular feeding is recommended once the plant's roots appear at the bottom of the pot.

Many of the Streptocarpus species make beautiful pot plants and garden plants for the shade. Indoors, ensure a warm spot with good light but no direct sunlight as the plants burn easily. Many Streptocarpus species are displayed in the Conservatory, Camphor Avenue, the Dell and in pots in the Visitors Centre at Kirstenbosch, where they thrive.

Streptocarpus can easily be grown from seed but species will come true only from seed. For hybrids, cuttings or division will need to be used to keep all the new plants identical to the parent plant.

All propagation is best done in spring which is the start of the growing season — most of the plants rest during winter. This resting will cause them to need very little watering and often abscission layers will be seen (picture provided). This is where the tip of the leaf turns yellow then brown and then dies. It is a bit unsightly but causes no permanent damage to the leaf which continues to grow from the base. It is a natural reaction of the plant to unfavourable environmental conditions such as cold or drought. The dry leaf ends can be pulled or cut off.

For seed sowing, mix a pinch of the dust-like seed with a small amount of sand to assist with spreading the seed evenly when sowing. Use a well-drained medium that is not too coarse. Cover with a very thin covering of sand, keep out of direct sun but warm and moist (not wet), till the young seedlings appear. Germination usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, do not allow the seedlings to dry out.

Streptocarpus belongs to a small group of plants that can be propagated from a single leaf; the best method is leaf cuttings ideally taken in spring and early summer.

A variety of mediums can be used for cuttings as long as they are well drained. Sand, bark, palm fibre and polystyrene or vermiculite in different ratios are all suitable. At Kirstenbosch we use 40% bark, 40% polystyrene and 20% sand. Water the medium well and treat with a suitable fungicide before using.

Select healthy youngish leaves from the centre of the plant and cut off using a sharp knife or blade. Remember that the most active region of the leaf is near the base where the growing region (meristem) is present. If it is a small leaf, insert the cut end of the leaf into a rooting hormone and then into the medium. Larger leaves can be cut into 30 mm strips. Always take note of which way the leaf cutting should be orientated before dipping into a rooting hormone as it is the basal end and not the tip that should be planted. Place the basal end into the medium but not too deep, as this will encourage rot. Alternatively, make a cut along either side of the midrib and treat in the same manner. Depending on the species, plantlets will form along the base of the cut in one to three months. When the plantlets are well established (30-50 mm), the old leaf can be teased out from the medium and the plantlets potted up, usually between 6-12 months.

The potting medium we use at Kirstenbosch consists of the following: 1 part good compost (2 wheelbarrows), 1 part coarse sand (2 wheelbarrows, 1 part palm fibre (10 blocks = 2 wheelbarrows). Add a small amount of organic fertilizer.

Mature plants often lose their vigour after three to five years and should be replaced with younger plants.

Worms, the most troublesome pests of Streptocarpus, can either be hand collected or sprayed with a suitable poison.