Sinningia leuchotrica

[Eric Williams]

Hi Astro, very interesting info on this plant indeed, thanks. As they are from Brazil where it is mostly hot and humid, you seem to to be giving them optimum conditions for growth. Do they go dormant in this condition ? Cheers

[esp]

They are apparently from Parana state in the south of Brazil, so without knowing a specific locality, it's perhaps a fairly mild climate - never especially hot, never cold, rarely totally dry for long.

[Astro]

In my experience, they won't go dormant if you keep them warm and humid. However, once they're on their adult (terminal) leaves they will also not (or very reluctantly) change leaves anymore, i.e. no flowers since those come with new leaves. It's easy to get around that though, just chop the old stalks and new ones will pop up with a new flush of flowers. This way you can get a plant to flower a few times every year (I don't usually do this because I imagine it puts some strain on the plant).

[eduart]

An old photo from 2006 (at the CSSNZ Auckland Show):

[purzo]

nice plant Eduart

[Eric Williams]

It's quite amazing that having grown this plant for so many years that I really knew so little about it lol. Thanks to this forum my knowledge re this plant has increased ten fold. Hope to grow it better next year. Cheers

[Terry S.]

It is certainly not a succulent, it is a tuberous plant in the same genus as the things that the horticultural trade call gloxinias, which are also Sinningia species. I actually treat them more or less the same and would tend to use multipurpose compost for them. As you can see in the marvellous illustration above, it flowers on the new growth. So any old growths that might be left on the tubers after their winter rest, can be chopped off in early spring to make way for the new shoots.

[Eric Williams]

Thanks for that Terry. If I remember years ago they were on show schedules, but I could be wrong. Cheers

[Tony R]

Thanks for that Terry. If I remember years ago they were on show schedules, but I could be wrong. Cheers

The genus Sinningia is in the Adenia Group for BCSS Show pruposes.

[Terry S.]

Well, that says a lot about the show group system! I can't understand why various non-succulents such as sinningias are allowed whereas highly-succulent bromeliads such as some Hechtia and Dyckia species and even some succulent orchid species are not allowed in BCSS shows. To me it is an indictment of our showing system that somebody with 50 years experience of succulent plants could not put plants into a show without consulting the guide book.