Columnea purpureovittata

I was super disappointed that this plant (and the other 11 columnea in my order) all lost their leaves in transit because this plant was gorgeous! The dark full leaves make it so unique! Right now, this plant is bare stems. A few of the others from this order have started to sprout new leaves. This one hasn’t yet, but I am hoping it’s just a slow grower and will take some time and TLC to bounce back. Contacted support and recommended the columnea not be wrapped/shipped in plastic, but wrapped in paper or a breathable packaging instead. They said they are looking into alternative shipping methods to help reduce the shipping stress. This is one of my favorite online shops to purchase from and I’ve recently ordered another columnea as a “test order” to see if it arrives safely in non plastic wrapping. Fingers crossed it doesn’t have the same issue! 🤞🙏 I will continue to purchase from them, but may have to order my columnea from the US location to get a healthy intact plant.

Plant was essentially a rooted cutting, small plant and small roots. Came with all leaves melted and some of the stem, I'm hoping to salvage it. So far no failure or success, the stem chunk hasn't rotted or put out growth.
Thankfully they did offer me a replacement plant of equal value but unfortunate that I could not get the same plant.

I hate to be whiny but it is my second attempt to grow this columnea from this company. Like last year, this year plant has arrived without the leaves as well. I was told by an Ecuagenera representative that the leaves drop is due to the transportation stress. Last year, a sphagnum wrap was totally dry and the plant had very slowly diminished; tried to form leaves but they dropped very fast and finally plant died.This year 2023, the sphagnum wrap was slightly moist so I am hoping that the plant roots will establish. The total leaves fall has also been present. I was told by another specialist that this columnea is very difficult to re-established from a rooted cutting; but, it is very easy to grow from the seeds only . So why Euquagenera does not sell seeds instead??? ; knowing that it is almost impossible to grow C. p. successfully from a rooted cutting!

Ich habe die Pflanze sehr spät im Jahr bestellt. Nach der stressigen Überfahrt im Schiffscontainer herrschte ausgerechnet zum Zeitpunkt der Lieferung Frost. Nach einer Frostquarantäne in Norddeutschland wurden die Pflanzen bei milderem Wetter auf die Reise geschickt. Die Lieferung war sehr gut verpackt. Beide Pflanzen treiben nach der Eingewöhnungszeit, in der sie viele Blätter verloren haben, wieder aus und werden viel Freude bereiten.

I received it in August, now its October. Tried keeping it in the box for humidity but it was just slowly loosing leaves one by one. I now tried to move it in with my other plants - hopefully would be better. Plant itself looks amazing with bullate emerald leaves with purple underside which are also bullate and hairy. Has a certain charm of an alien thing. But tricky to grow, I talked to a few others in UK that have it and its tricky to get it growing properly.