# Episcia



## asturianu (Jul 23, 2005)

*Anybody use Episcia silver skies and how does it do in the terrarium? I know Antone has this! Hopefully he'll say something!

Thanks,

Nick*


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## Jencylivez (May 31, 2007)

It does very good actually. They love moist roots but hate wet leaves. You will have to put them where their leaves wont get wet from misting or a water feature.


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

Don't forget they also need strong light, at least if you want them to bloom. Many of our vivariums are lighted for low-light, green plants, we don't necessarily encourage to bloom. All of the Gesneriads need stronger light than we usually provide with just the fish tank type fluorescents in a hood or strip, 20 to 40 Watt, in the medium Kelvin range. Many aquarium bulbs are meant for show, not grow. When located near the top of the tank close to the lights, where any misting will dry off the leaves rather quickly, and the drainage around the roots is sharp, Episcias, as with many other gesneriads such as Sinningia, Kohleria, etc., will prosper. I would suggest a rather large tank, such as 100 gallons or more, since when they are happy, they can and do get rather large. Mine bloom with 90 W. grow lights set about 4 inches above the top glass, and rather close to them. The growth and blooming range of the lights should be about 5700 to 6000 K, which is within the spectrum most plants utilize.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

While many of the gesneriads can become bushy little mosters... E. 'Silver Skies' is about the only Episcia you don't really have to worry much about... it's a true mini! It can become a nice carpet when it gets going, but not really "big". Everything else tho, I double the suggestion 

Best luck with gesneriads in tanks has involved working with airflow in the tank similar to orchids... they love humidity, but need some movement so they don't turn to much. That and letting the gesneriads grow ON things, and not truely "planting" them helps too. Sit them on top of sphagnum moss and they will cling and spread like crazy.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Episcia 'Silver Skies' in particular is a great Episcia for the terrarium. It can become quite the display plant as it spreads about. Another really great smaller one is E. lilacina. I have had excellent luck with this one and is the most beautiful large purple and white flowers when it blooms.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Well...I have an episcia I got from a viv plant vendor, and while it is a beautiful plant, with blazing orange flowers, I almost wish I wouldn't have put it in my viv, as that is almost all you can see in the viv (an 18-18-24 exoterra) now...they choked out the broms a long, long time ago...not quite as bad as creeping fig, but almost.
Also, a similar experience with an (it think) related plant, a streptocarpella...again, nice plant, gorgeous flowers, but weedy (in vivs) tendancies...


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

lilacina is really nice. A cool thing about them is that at least in my viv once they grow to a certain height they tend to fall over. So you can keep them short by knocking them over every once in a while, after which they will simply begin growing up again, though in a new spot. Oddly enough they never seem to sprout additional growing points though.


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Wow, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I love my Episcias, they seem healthy, and I thought they were growing well, but I'm not seeing any of this out of control growth and choking of other plants that you guys are mentioning. This particular tank has an excessively wet substrate.. maybe that is holding back their growth. When a new shoot pops out I usually just cut it and propogate it to my other tanks, but its still very manageable for me.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Mike: That is kind of how my tank is too. They grow well, but aren't crowding other plants out very much(now Begonia glabra, on the other hand...)


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I've had a variety of experiences with them... some don't do anything, some become weeds... generally good humidity helps, I don't let water sit on their leaves, let them grow on a loose substrate (growing on sphagnum has them growing the fastest for me) and get decent light... and I get them coming out my ears. Change any of these things... and they just kinda sit there.


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