Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa)
Discover care for Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), featuring velvety leaves and stunning, large trumpet-shaped flowers in vibrant colors.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The stunning Sinningia speciosa, widely known by its common name, Gloxinia, brings dramatic, velvety blooms indoors or to sheltered tropical gardens. Native to Brazil, this tuberous plant is prized for its large, showy, trumpet-shaped flowers, making it a favorite among houseplant enthusiasts. While tropical in origin, its high cultivation status means the florist’s gloxinia hybrids are readily available, often providing long periods of vibrant color.
As a member of the Gesneriaceae family, it shares lineage with African violets, suggesting a need for bright, indirect light and careful watering. Growing Sinningia speciosa demands higher maintenance, especially regarding temperature control and managing its distinct dormancy period to ensure successful tuber resurgence each season.
Gardeners value the Gloxinia primarily for its spectacular, large flowers, which appear in shades spanning white, red, and various purples. Successfully cultivating this Gloxinia transforms indoor spaces with tropical elegance, provided its specific needs, particularly regarding winter storage, are strictly observed.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Gesneriaceae
- Plant Type: Bulb
- Native Range: Brazil
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 11-12
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.5-1 ft
- Spread: 0.5-1 ft
- Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
- Bloom Description: Lavender, purple, red, white
- Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: High
How to Grow
For best results, treat Sinningia speciosa as a houseplant unless you reside in USDA Zones 11 or 12. Tubers become available typically in winter or early spring, at which time they should be planted about half an inch deep in pots filled with a peaty, highly well-draining soil mixture. Locate pots in an area receiving bright indoor light, ensuring there is no direct, harsh sunlight that can scorch the foliage.
Provide consistent moisture during the growing and blooming season to support the substantial flower production expected from this ornamental bulb. After the initial spring flowering slows, gardeners can encourage a resurgence by cutting the plant back to the first two leaves. Once flowering ceases entirely, gradually reduce watering until the foliage naturally yellows and dies back, signaling the onset of dormancy.
Dormancy care is critical for the longevity of your Gloxinia tuber. Store the pot in a dark location where temperatures remain uniformly between 60–65°F. Keep the soil slightly moist by misting regularly to prevent the tuber itself from shrinking excessively. As winter progresses, watch for new growth, indicating it is time to repot and resume regular light and watering to bring your Sinningia speciosa back into its active cycle.
Landscape Uses
Though primarily cherished as a Flowering house plant or greenhouse plant, mature Sinningia speciosa plants can certainly be used outdoors in highly protected, frost-free environments matching Zones 11-12. In these settings, they excel when planted in sheltered beds providing consistent part shade. Due to their relatively short stature, they work well as foreground accents or clustered in groups to maximize the visual impact of their large blooms.
When grown in containers, which is the most common practice outside the tropics, Gloxinia provides incredible seasonal color contrast against darker green foliage plants. Pair containers of Sinningia speciosa with upright ferns or non-flowering foliage tropicals that appreciate similar humidity and indirect light requirements, ensuring they are protected from wind and direct midday sun exposure.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sinningia speciosa, commonly called gloxinia, is native to Brazil and in the same family as African violets. It features large trumpet-shaped flowers (to 4” across) that are lavender, purple, red or white, contrasted by velvety, ovate to oblong leaves forming a rosette. Hybrids commonly sold under this species name are often referred to as florists’ gloxinia and boast larger flowers in an extended color palette, making the Gloxinia a very popular choice sold widely by nurseries and florists.
Tolerances
Potential Problems
The biggest threat to a highly maintained plant like Sinningia speciosa often relates to water management, particularly around the crown of the plant. Gardeners must actively avoid overhead watering, as excess moisture pooling around the base can quickly lead to crown rot or the development of gray mold, which can destroy the tuber. Ensure thorough watering directly to the soil when necessary, rather than sprinkling the foliage or crown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Gloxinia suitable for?
Sinningia speciosa is winter hardy only in USDA Zones 11 through 12, requiring indoor cultivation or specialized greenhouse conditions elsewhere.
How large does Sinningia speciosa grow?
This plant typically matures to a modest size, reaching a height between 0.5 to 1 foot tall, with a similar spread of 0.5 to 1 foot wide.
What sun exposure does Gloxinia need?
The ideal light requirement for successful Gloxinia growth is part shade to full shade, avoiding any direct, intense sunlight.
When does Sinningia speciosa bloom?
This plant is classified as a seasonal bloomer, producing its striking flowers in shades of lavender, purple, red, or white when actively growing.
Conclusion
The dramatic, velvety blooms of the Gloxinia make Sinningia speciosa a worthwhile, high-maintenance addition to any indoor collection, offering intense color contrast during its bloom cycle. Remember that successful overwintering of the tuber is the absolute key to enjoying this plant year after year. Before purchasing, confirm you can provide the consistent bright light and specific cool, dark dormancy storage required for your Sinningia speciosa.
Container Growing
Growing Sinningia speciosa in containers is often the practical default for most gardeners, as it perfectly complements its need for specific soil and controlled dormancy. Use pots that allow for good drainage and provide enough depth for the tuber to settle about half an inch below the surface. Since the plant requires a peaty, fast-draining mix, ensure your potting medium does not compact easily, preventing aeration around the tuber.
When these plants are kept perpetually potted, managing the dormancy cycle requires diligence. As soon as the foliage begins to die back following the main bloom, interrupt watering. After the foliage has completely withered, the pot should be moved to its cool, dark resting place. This precise timing prevents tubers from shriveling entirely while also avoiding the rot that excessive moisture causes during their resting state.
Propagation Tips
Propagating new Gloxinia plants is a rewarding exercise, especially when working with established mother plants. The most straightforward method involves vegetative propagation using cuttings taken during the active growing season of spring through early summer. To do this, gently remove a healthy leaf, ensuring you retain a segment of the stem base.
Root the entire leaf cutting by placing the stem end directly into a glass of clear water. Keep the glass in bright, indirect light, and maintain clean water. Roots should form relatively quickly, and once established, the cutting can be potted up into the appropriate peaty soil mixture to develop its own tuber. While seed propagation is possible, division of the tuber itself is generally not recommended due to the delicate nature of the dormant storage organs.
