Habitat:
Drymonia strigosa is native to Central and northwestern South America, specifically recorded in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. It inhabits humid premontane and montane forests, often found along stream margins, forest edges, and cloud forest understory, at elevations of 400 to 1,800 metres. It grows as a terrestrial or occasionally epiphytic subshrub, favouring shaded environments with consistently high humidity and moist, organic soils.
Description:
Drymonia strigosa is a robust, branched shrubby gesneriad, with softly woody stems that may reach over a metre in length, rooting at the nodes. The species is named for the dense, bristly (strigose) hairs that cover much of the plant. Leaves are opposite, ovate to elliptic, and typically measure 10–18 cm long by 4–8 cm wide, with coarsely serrated margins, a velvety texture, and prominent lateral veins. The upper surface is deep green, while the underside is often tinged reddish or purple. Flowers are borne singly or in small cymes in the leaf axils; the calyx lobes are green and densely hairy, while the corolla is tubular, bright orange to scarlet, with yellow throat markings, and measures 2.5–4 cm long. The flowers are slightly curved and flare at the tip, with five small, rounded lobes. Fruit is a fleshy berry.
Cultivation:
Grow Drymonia strigosa in bright, filtered light, such as near an east-facing window or under canopy shade. It prefers daytime temperatures of 18–26 °C and nighttime lows of 12–16 °C, with high ambient humidity above 60%. Maintain a moist, humus-rich substrate with excellent drainage, such as a mix of fine orchid bark, peat, and perlite. It prefers a slightly acidic pH of 5.5–6.5. Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist, but reduce slightly during cooler months. Feed monthly with a dilute balanced fertiliser during active growth. This species is well-suited to terrarium conditions or warm greenhouses.
Specifications:
Plant Size: stem propagated by us, we only have 2-3 of these available each year. Plants are established, in pots, and are 20 cm tall.
Plant Family: Gesneriaceae
Plant Passport: Drymonia strigosa B 140084 C 14900 D GB