What should be noted when caring for an Episcia?
Episcia is also known as red tongcao. The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils, crimson red, blooming in summer. Common varieties include 'Emerald Queen', with dark green leaves and silver-white midribs; copper-green Episcia, with copper-green leaves and reddish leaf margins; chocolate Episcia, with silver-white main veins, as well as silver-glow Episcia and variegated Episcia, etc.
(1) The Episcia root system is relatively shallow and mostly distributed on the surface of loose medium, so a relatively shallow pot should be chosen for potting. The potting soil can be made by mixing loose, fertile leaf mold or peat soil with 1/3 perlite or 1/4 river sand, plus a small amount of bone material as base fertilizer.
(2) Repot once every spring. Combine repotting with appropriate pruning to promote branching and more flowers. During the peak growing season (April to September), apply a diluted cake fertilizer solution once every 10 to 15 days, and add one application of a liquid fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus fertilizer at the end of May, which can make the flower colors more vivid. When fertilizing, be careful not to splash the fertilizer solution onto the leaf surface, otherwise it can easily cause leaf rot. Apart from winter, when watering must be controlled, the potting soil should be kept moist at all times in the other seasons, but waterlogging in the pot must be strictly avoided. Poor soil drainage and excessive watering can easily cause the short stems near the soil surface to rot from long-term soaking in water, or lead to root rot. If water droplets remain on the leaf surface and are exposed to direct strong light, sunscald is likely to occur.
(3) Control temperature and light. Episcia prefers relatively high air humidity, and high humidity is beneficial for growth and flowering, so in summer it should be misted on the leaf surface frequently to increase air humidity. A large shallow basin can also be used, filled with small round pebbles and clear water, with the flower pot placed on top of the pebbles, keeping the plant in a locally humid environment.
It prefers a warm, humid and semi-shaded environment and is afraid of direct strong light. Normally it can be placed indoors in a spot with bright scattered light for cultivation, and in winter placed in a sunny spot. During overwintering, the room temperature should be kept above 16°C.
