TOW Sinningia

Another favourite genus! Being a member of both the American Gloxinia and
Gesneriad Society (AGGS) http://www.aggs.org/ and the Swedish Gesneriad
Society (contact Mrs Lindskog: sv.lindskog@telia.com), I would like to spread
the information about these societies. Both are relatively small specialist
societies and they are VERY friendly. Both run a magificent seed fund, the AGGS
seed fund lists so many entries I absolutely never heard of, including both
Sinningia species and hybrid seed. Both societies also have regular
publications, the swedish one contains an addition with an english translation
of the most important articles and all the photographs are commented in
English, too.
There is also another very good adress for Sinningias in Brazil: Mauro Peixoto.
http://mpeixoto.sites.uol.com.br/index.html He has a well done home page with
good photographs of many Sinningia species and other plants together with short
cultural and habitat information. He also offers seed, I ordered this spring
and got good quality, most plants bloomed the first year from seed. He also
guides botanical tours in Brazil.

Personally I think that Sinningias and other Gesneriads are plants with a lot
of future. The great advantage is that they have a very long flowering season
compared to Amaryllids or Irids. Some Kohleria Hybrids do in fact flower year
round given the right condition. Most Sinningias are also perfect house plants,
the very large and thin leaved ones may suffer from dry air, though, but there
are so many that come from hot and exposed rock habitats that makes them cope
with ease with indoor condition.
Many Sinningias go dormant in winter and can be tucked away, but, having learnt
through losses most do not want to be bone dry for months on end.

They are also underrated foliage plants. For example Sinningea speciosa
'Reginae' has dark green velvety leaves with white veins, together with its
dark purple flowers a stunning plant and NOT difficult to grow. It was used in
hybridisation to produce white veined giant florists 'Gloxinias' but these seem
to have disappeared. Many other Sinningias and Gesneriads have velvety hairy
leaves that look very attractive even without flowers, often contrasted with
brightly coloured bristly hairs.

My Sinningia collection is too young to really jugde but the impression I have
is that they are long lived and can form an impressive caudex that makes them
look very exotic, some look like a little shrub sitting on a bottle.

This summer was excellent hot and dry for Germany and many Gesneriads were in
the open garden for the first time. It produced excellent results and most can
take far more direct sun than expected, this produces plants of compact habit
with well coloured flowers. I can't say I really like the look of the plants
grown under artificial lights. But of course I understand if there is no choice
it is better than not growing them at all but I can only encourage anybody
interested in these groups of plants to try some outside in his or her climate
to see how it works. I have not bothered testing for hardiness as our winters
are too unstable: the constant change of frost and rain and mild weather and
frost again will kill them, I am sure.

Have fun with Sinningias! Uli