Field Trial

Sunny Gloxinia erinoides by Vicky

Field trial

 

            Gloxinia erinoides may be better than we ever knew.

 

            This is the beginning of one field trial by Vicky.  The plant is greenhouse grown and now moved to indoor windowsill conditions.  It’s in the sunny West window.

 

            This plant makes small rhizomes that we use for propagation.  Like all minor Gesneriads, supply is the limiting factor.

 

            But first we need to be sure it’s a good plant that will be successful for casual indoor gardeners.  Everyone wants small flowering houseplants.  Why aren’t there more?

 

            Vicky will keep watching it.

 

Hiding in plain sight

Gloxinia erinoides

Hiding in plain sight.

 

            What plants are in the most demand?

 

            Garden center buyers will tell you that they want variegated and flowering.  And the underlying feature --- cute.

 

            The Gesneriad world has many of these plants that are hidden away --- only to show up occasionally in hobby plant shows.

 

            The plant, Gloxinia erinoides, is a species from South America that is tougher than it looks.  Growing from a rhizome, the clone I have from Barb, may be ‘Red Satin’.  It has spotted leaves and flowers easily with multiple spikes with delicate looking flowers.  It’s very cute close up.

 

            I’m testing it on my west kitchen window.  So far, the flowers continue to open and there are no brown leaves --- apparently it doesn’t need extra humidity.  It can be in a terrarium, but who needs it.

 

            This flowering houseplant has been in cultivation for years by almost no one.

 

            It just needs to get out there.