Calceolaria, or Pocketbook plants, love cool weather and offer unique pouch-shaped blooms. You can grow both indoors and outdoors.
Pocketbook plants (Calceolaria) are an annual plant from Central and South America. The blooms on this plant feature pouches at the bottom, which look like pocketbooks, slippers, or purses. This beautiful houseplant can be seen in garden centers in the United States from Valentine’s Day to the end of April. They are easy to grow if you keep them in a cool spot with soft, indirect light.
This plant can grow indoors or outdoors, but it is most commonly used as a potted houseplant. To grow it successfully, consider its natural environment. It comes from the cooler plains of Central and South America, where water and bright sunlight are limited. For the best results, recreate these conditions.
Propagating Calceolaria Plants
To grow Calceolaria from seed, sow them from late spring to early fall for blooms the following winter and spring. Keep nighttime temperatures below 50°F (10°C) to encourage flower formation. Scatter the seeds on the soil surface without covering them and maintain a temperature of 70°F (21°C); germination typically occurs in about 16 days.
Use gritty, humus-rich soil that stays consistently moist but not dry. For hardy evergreen perennials, sow seeds in a cold frame during fall or early spring. Seeds of the C. Herbeohybrida Group can be sown in warm conditions in spring or late summer.
When transplanting seedlings, avoid planting them too deeply to prevent stem rot. Additionally, semi-ripe cuttings of C. integrifolia can be taken in late spring or summer for propagation.
Calceolaria Plants Care Indoors
Light
Place the plant near a bright window, but keep it out of direct sunlight. If you only have a sunny south-facing window, use a sheer curtain to soften the sunlight. A north-facing window or a spot further away from the light works better for these plants.
Soil
Calceolaria flowers prefer light, loose, moderately fertile soil that drains well and is slightly acidic. An ideal soil type is a sandy loam mixed with grit, perlite, or both. Avoid using soil with too much chalk or clay. The best pH level for this plant is on the acidic side.
Water
To care for a pocketbook plant, watch how much water it gets. Too much water can harm the roots. Water the plant well, then let the pot drain in the sink for about 10 minutes. Wait until the top of the soil feels dry before watering again.
Note: The pocketbook plant is a tender perennial but is usually grown as an annual. Once the flowers fade, they won’t bloom again. It’s best to enjoy the unique flowers while they last, then compost the plant when it starts to dry out and wilt.
Fertilizer
Calceolaria plants are not heavy feeders; you can apply a general-purpose garden fertilizer as directions on the product package to find when and how to feed the plant.
Pocketbook Plant Care Outdoors
The pocketbook plant is usually grown as a houseplant but can also be used in outdoor flower beds. It’s a small plant that grows up to 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall, so it works well at the front of flower beds. Mix plenty of compost into the soil to improve drainage, and space the plants about a foot (30.4 cm) apart.
Plant them in early spring when night temperatures are between 55 and 65°F (13-18°C). Once summer brings hotter weather, replace them with plants that can handle the heat better.