Sinningia

Sinningia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. The genus includes several dozen described species native to the Americas, with a strong concentration in eastern and southern Brazil and surrounding regions. Many Sinningia species are tuberous geophytes that store water in underground organs, enabling them to survive seasonal dry periods.

Plants in this genus are typically perennial herbs. They often have opposite, oval to elliptic leaves that can be thick and somewhat fleshy. The flowers are usually showy, tubular or funnel-shaped with five lobes, and they occur in a range of colors including purple, pink, red, and white. In cultivation, Sinningia species are valued for the ornamental quality of their blooms, which may appear from spring through autumn in suitable climates.

The best-known species is Sinningia speciosa, commonly grown as an ornamental houseplant and widely referred to in horticulture as florist’s gloxinia. It was historically placed in a separate genus, Gloxinia, but modern taxonomy treats it as Sinningia speciosa, and many cultivars and hybrids have been developed from it. Beyond S. speciosa, other species are grown less broadly but are appreciated by specialized collectors for their diverse flower forms and foliage.

Cultivation generally requires warm temperatures, bright, indirect light, and a well-draining potting mix. Many tuberous Sinningia species enter a dry rest after flowering, during which watering is reduced. Propagation is typically by division of tubers or by seed for cultivated forms; some hybrids are routinely propagated to maintain desirable flower colors and forms.