Gesneriaceae

Gesneriaceae are shrubs or herbaceous plants, rarely trees. There are about 3 000 species shared out between 120 genera. They are mainly pantropical species, growing in shade forests but some live under temperate climate such as the Pyrenean species Ramonda myconi we cultivate in the alpine garden. Our collection contains about 90 taxons, we can propagate several of them shooting their leaves – which is a quite rare phenomenon.

We can quote amongst the most easy to grow and decorative interior plants :

• Achimenes, a herbaceous plant with opposite and pubescent leaves, the red or blue flowers are carried out by the superior leaves
• Aeschynanthus : crawling or climbing shrubs with curved, trumpet-like flowers
• Columnea : shrubs and climbing plants that often are epiphytic, their leaves are quite fleshy and their flowers are red, orange or yellow, forming a long tube
• Episcia : its long stolons hold wisps of pubescent leaves in verticils or "rosettes".
• Gloxinia (don’t confuse with the popular gloxinias) : herbaceous plant with crimson or purplish corollas

The most famous plant in this family is the Saintpaulia or African violet whose name refers to baron W. Saint Paul-Illaire, from Silesia who was a great plant amateur in the 19^th century. The 12 known species are from East Africa.