An attractive house plant that may often be found, unnamed, in 5- and 10-cent stores is the tropical vine Episcia fulgida. It may also be obtained from growers of foliage plants and arid exotics.
Where unlabeled, it will be recognized as a colorful vine with soft, hairy, coppery leaves veined emerald green and with growth as indicated in the accompanying picture.
I obtained a plant unlabeled and without instructions as to its requirements. But after some effort, I determined its identity and learned its needs by trial and error.
Episcia Fulgida’s Needs
It dislikes direct sunlight, dry air, or heavy soil, but it will thrive in soil composed of peat, sand, and leaf mold in equal parts with a little rotted cow manure added.
The soil must be kept moist at all times. And to grow well, it must be given a little more humidity than is available in the average steam-heated room.
Growth Of Episcia Fulgida
It has grown beautifully for me in the north window, where I have a bracket on which stands a galvanized pan 2” inches deep containing water.
Pots of this and other plants are standing on wood blocks, and the pan is nearly filled with water.
The plants are thus surrounded by water, but their roots do not stand in it, and the needed extra humidity is thereby provided for them.
Grown in a terrarium, the plant will not only grow more vigorously still, but it will even flower, the blooms being clear red and tubular. In a terrarium, it will also root easily from cuttings.
Without the benefit of a terrarium, but given its modest soil and atmospheric needs,
Episcia fulgida has proved to be one of our most attractive and interesting houseplants and one of our least expensive.
44659 by Ferns S. Kellenberger