2008 04 19 - Botany - Gloxinia Speciosa
Sinningia speciosa (Gloxinia speciosa)
Gloxinia is attractive because of her vibrant blooms. We had 2 pots which were bought from Tiong Bahru Market on 9th Aug 2006 (National Day). One pot was red while the other was purple. After being flowerless for so long( attacked by pests), it started to bloom again.
Gloxinia is attractive because of her vibrant blooms. We had 2 pots which were bought from Tiong Bahru Market on 9th Aug 2006 (National Day). One pot was red while the other was purple. After being flowerless for so long( attacked by pests), it started to bloom again.
I guess the trick was not to bury the tuber too deep into the soil but close to the surface of the topsoil. I am now trying to rescue the tuber of the purple gloxinia. It was attacked by mealy bugs. Wish me luck ya.
More information on gloxinia....
Sinningia speciosa was originally introduced to the plant world as Gloxinia speciosa. Despite reclassification of it's original name, it is still commonly known as Gloxinia. These attractive houseplants with huge trumpet shaped blooms come in a variety of colours such as red, purple, pink, dark blue and white. Some hybrids have ruffled, streaked or edged petals with contrasting colours. Their leaves are unusually large for small flowering potted houseplant.
Origin
The Gloxinia hybrids come from a plant native to the tropical forests Brazil in South America and are related to the African Violet family. Because of their origin, they are very suitable for our tropical climate.
Light: Avoid strong direct sunlight as this plant prefers filtered sunlight – conditions similar to the natural habitat of the original species. Caring for Gloxinias is almost the same as the African Violet however, Gloxinias need more light than African Violets.
Water: Gloxinias are easy houseplants however watering must be done carefully to avoid water getting into the upward facing rosette of flowers and the thick leaves. Allow the water to drain well and the compost to slightly dry out before watering again. Over watering will cause the tuber to rot and the plant to collapse.
Moisture: Spray the air around the plant to provide moisture but do not spray at the plant directly. Another option is to stand the plants on a pebble tray which will provide them with constant moisture.
Feeding: Liquid fertilizers for flowering houseplants and the African Violet Plant Food are suitable for Gloxinias.
Potting Medium: A general houseplant potting mix or the potting mix specially formulated for African Violets.
Remove dead blooms promptly and allow room for the buds inside to open. This plant will die back after flowering. At this point do not fertilize or water the resting tuber. Once new leaves appear repot the growing tuber in fresh compost and resume regular watering and feeding.
More information on gloxinia....
Sinningia speciosa was originally introduced to the plant world as Gloxinia speciosa. Despite reclassification of it's original name, it is still commonly known as Gloxinia. These attractive houseplants with huge trumpet shaped blooms come in a variety of colours such as red, purple, pink, dark blue and white. Some hybrids have ruffled, streaked or edged petals with contrasting colours. Their leaves are unusually large for small flowering potted houseplant.
Origin
The Gloxinia hybrids come from a plant native to the tropical forests Brazil in South America and are related to the African Violet family. Because of their origin, they are very suitable for our tropical climate.
Light: Avoid strong direct sunlight as this plant prefers filtered sunlight – conditions similar to the natural habitat of the original species. Caring for Gloxinias is almost the same as the African Violet however, Gloxinias need more light than African Violets.
Water: Gloxinias are easy houseplants however watering must be done carefully to avoid water getting into the upward facing rosette of flowers and the thick leaves. Allow the water to drain well and the compost to slightly dry out before watering again. Over watering will cause the tuber to rot and the plant to collapse.
Moisture: Spray the air around the plant to provide moisture but do not spray at the plant directly. Another option is to stand the plants on a pebble tray which will provide them with constant moisture.
Feeding: Liquid fertilizers for flowering houseplants and the African Violet Plant Food are suitable for Gloxinias.
Potting Medium: A general houseplant potting mix or the potting mix specially formulated for African Violets.
Remove dead blooms promptly and allow room for the buds inside to open. This plant will die back after flowering. At this point do not fertilize or water the resting tuber. Once new leaves appear repot the growing tuber in fresh compost and resume regular watering and feeding.
posted by Benny at
11:18 AM
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