Gloxinias used to be more common. Now they are somewhat hard to find. There are no sources for the tubers, and you used to be able to get them in most any garden center. Once in a while, you can find seed-grown plants, and you can order small plants from gesneriad dealers on the internet.
This one is Sinningia 'Bristol's Watermelon Whip'. I got the plant last fall from The Violet Barn and I've grown it under my plant lights through the winter and spring. It grew, but did not really grow rapidly until most of the plants moved out for the season and it got put near the south facing window with all the other gesneriads. I did give it a shot of fertilizer, and that may have been the trigger along with more natural sunlight. Anyway, it's been spectacular. I seem to be attracted to plants with petals that have islands of pigment saturation surrounded by lighter areas and dark spots in the throat like this. I've always been a foxglove fan for that reason. No two flowers have identical patterns.
No comments:
Post a Comment