How to care for cape primrose (Streptocarpus hybridus)

Streptocarpus hybridus · Streptocarpus

Cape primrose (Streptocarpus hybridus) — a South African relative of the African violet with a rosette of long, wrinkled, often velvety leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers on thin stalks in blue, purple, pink, red, white or yellow, often veined or two-toned; about 15–30 cm tall and up to 45 cm or more across. Cape primrose needs partial shade. Water it about every 7 days while it grows and about every 14 days in the winter rest.

Checked against sources: November 5, 2026

Watering and repotting cape primrose through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 12 months.

When to plant cape primrose?

Plant or repot cape primrose in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every year, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting cape primrose through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Streptocarpus hybridus
Family	Gesneriaceae
Also called	Streptocarpus
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 12 months
Grown in	At home

Cape primrose care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	potassium, 14 days into the stage; potassium, 28 days into the stage; potassium, 42 days into the stage; potassium, 56 days into the stage; potassium, 70 days into the stage; potassium, 84 days into the stage; potassium, 98 days into the stage; potassium, 112 days into the stage; potassium, 126 days into the stage; potassium, 140 days into the stage; potassium, 154 days into the stage; potassium, 168 days into the stage; potassium, 182 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Good light but no hot sun; an east- or west-facing windowsill suits it from spring to autumn. In winter move it to a south window for the most light, but away from cold glass at night.

Soil

A light, free-draining houseplant or African violet mix in a wide, shallow pot. In spring pot on only if the roots fill the pot, into one just a thumb's width wider; old plants with several crowns can be divided then.

Care

From March to September water when the top of the mix is dry, onto the compost rather than the leaves, never leaving the pot in water, and give a high-potash feed at half strength every two weeks; too much feed browns the leaves, and big, lush leaves mean too little light or too much feed. Cut off spent flower stalks at the base and it keeps flowering from spring to autumn. In autumn and winter keep it at normal room temperature, never below 7–10 °C, stop feeding and water only when the compost is dry, as wet compost rots the leaf bases; leaf tips that die back in winter are natural and can be trimmed. In dry heated rooms stand the pot on a tray of moist grit or clay granules. Leaf cuttings cut into 5 cm sections give plantlets in four to six weeks. Wilting in moist compost can be vine weevil or root mealybug grubs; grey mould (botrytis) and powdery mildew also occur. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Pests and diseases of Cape primrose

2 problems are recorded for cape primrose; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Diseases

Grey mould

Pests

Vine weevil

Other plants of the Gesneriaceae family

Cape primrose belongs to Gesneriaceae; 3 other plants of this family have a guide here.

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Houseplants · Houseplants safe for cats and dogs · Houseplants to repot every year

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.