Sinningia is a herbaceous perennial from the Gesneriaceae family. Its homeland is the tropical forests of Central and Latin America near the Atlantic coast. It came to Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. and immediately gained popularity. Huge vibrant Sinningia flowers are a core value. During flowering, they resemble a beautiful, albeit miniature bouquet. Thanks to the work of breeders, today many ornamental varieties have been bred that differ in the size of the bush, the structure and color of the buds.
Plant description
Sinningia or gloxinia, as it is sometimes called, is a herbaceous plant with a rather massive tuber. Its diameter increases annually and can reach 40 cm. A flattened tuber has a rough, light brown surface with thin, filiform roots.
Above the soil surface there are soft, pubescent shoots of green or reddish color. Together with leaves and flowers, they can reach a height of 25 cm, but there are dwarf varieties up to 5 cm high. The length of oval or heart-shaped leaves is 1-6 cm. The pubescent leaf plate can have smooth or jagged edges and a pointed end. Sometimes lighter stripes along relief veins are visible on the surface of the sheet.
Peduncle can grow on a lateral or central shoot. It has up to 10 buds on individual pedicels. Hairy, fleshy petals fuse at the base and form an elongated tube. The length of the bell is 2-6 cm. The outer edge of the bud with a diameter of 5-12 cm is divided into 5 petals. Flowering begins in March and can last up to 3 months.
Sinningia seeds ripen in small cone-shaped seed boxes. They have an oblong shape and a brown smooth surface. The length of the seed does not exceed 1 mm.
Types of Sinningia
There are more than 30 species and hybrid varieties in the genus synningia. At home, the following are most common:
Sinningia is royal. A flower about 10 cm high consists of 4-6 pairs of densely pubescent dark green leaves. Lighter stripes are visible along the veins. Axillary flowers on drooping peduncles up to 20 cm long are painted in purple. Flowering occurs in the summer.
Sinningia is beautiful. Light green pubescent leaves are colored uniformly. Large tubular flowers are purple or purple with a lighter pharynx and lower petals.
Sinningia of Leukotrich (white-haired). The plant consists of 1-4 upright shoots 8-15 cm high. The bluish-green heart-shaped leaves are densely covered with an elongated silvery pile. Their length is only 2-3 cm. A paniculate inflorescence with orange flowers blooms from the center of the leaf rosette. They have a long tube, but the limb at the petals is almost absent.
Tiny Sinningia - a dwarf variety. The height of the outlet is only 2.5 cm. Large bell-shaped flowers are located on top of the dark green leaves. The upper part of the petals is purple, and the bottom is white.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of synningia is produced by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds can be bought or obtained as a result of artificial pollination. In the spring, seeds are sown in the prepared sand-peat mixture without sprinkling with earth. The soil is moistened and covered with a film. Keep the greenhouse in a bright and warm (+ 20 ... + 22 ° C) place. After 1-2 weeks, seedlings appear and the pot needs to be transferred to a room with bright diffused light.
In the summer, you can grow syningia from the leaf cuttings. It is enough to cut the leaf, separate the stalk and cut it horizontally into 3 equal parts. All cuttings are planted in moist sandy peat soil, deepening by a few millimeters. Seedlings should be covered with film or glass and transferred to a bright place with air temperature + 23 ... + 25 ° C. Small nodules and roots will appear within three weeks.
For tuberous propagation, the following steps must be performed. After the dormancy period is completed, but before the shoots appear, the tuber should be divided into several parts so that each has a growth point. Places of slices are dipped in crushed charcoal. The dried tubers are planted in small diameter pots and transferred to a warm room (+ 20 ° C).
Life cycle
Sinningia has pronounced periods of rest and vegetation. After flowering (September-October), the entire ground part dries quickly. Tubers can be left in the soil or dug and stored in sawdust. Watering and lighting during the rest period are not needed, the temperature is lowered to + 12 ... + 14 ° C. In this state, the tubers can be up to four months. For repeated flowering in the same year, syningia can be woken up in a month.
The plant is transplanted with a complete replacement of the soil and transferred to a warmer room. Moisten the soil with caution as sprouts appear. It is important to provide bright diffused light.
Transplant Rules
Syningia is transplanted in early spring, the procedure can be combined with the division of the tuber. If wrinkled areas or dark spots appear on the surface, they should be trimmed and treated with a fungicide solution. The pot is chosen small in size with holes in the bottom. The soil for synningia should consist of the following components:
- sheet land (3 parts);
- peat (2 parts);
- sand (1 part).
Expanded clay or clay shards are poured at the bottom. A third of the tuber should remain on the surface.
Care Features
Caring for sinning at home takes some effort. The plant is suitable for gardeners with little experience.
Lighting. The room where the syningia stands should be bright. However, from direct sunlight it is better to shadow it with a thin curtain or gauze. In summer, it is worth taking the plant to the balcony or to the garden, under the shade of the trees.
Temperature. A flower does not like intense heat. The optimum air temperature is + 20 ... + 25 ° C. In intense heat, you should often ventilate the room and humidify the air in the room. During the rest period, the temperature should be lowered to + 10 ... + 14 ° C.
Humidity. Sinningia needs high humidity, but you can not spray fluffy leaves. You can put pots near aquariums, fountains or water trays. Some gardeners prefer to grow plants in special greenhouses or conservatories.
Watering. Watering Syningia often and abundantly. All excess fluid should be removed immediately from the pot. For irrigation use warm, well-purified water. Preferably upward irrigation. If the water often stagnates or accumulates on the leaves, the plant will die.
Fertilizer. In March-August, syningia must be fed with mineral compounds for flowering plants. Well-diluted fertilizer is carefully poured into the soil twice a month.
Diseases and pests. Sinningia is susceptible to rot. They can affect tuber, shoots and juicy leaves. The first sign is the appearance of spots and soft patches that exude a putrid odor. All damaged segments must be removed and fungicide treated.
Of parasites, thrips, aphids and spider mites most often appear on the plant. Insecticides help to cope with them. Need to buy drugs in the form of aerosols.
