Plants
Gloxinia
Sinningia speciosa · Gesneriaceae
The gloxinia is a flowering plant with real stage presence: velvety, bell-shaped blooms in deep purple, red or pink, often edged in white, above a rosette of soft, plush leaves. A classic gift houseplant, it flowers lavishly for four to eight weeks. What many people do not know: it grows from a tuber and can shoot again next year after a period of rest.
- Care level
- Medium
- Botanical
- Sinningia speciosa
Modern gloxinia hybrids carry up to twenty buds per plant, opening in succession. When buying, we choose specimens with only two or three blooms open and a fat ring of buds beneath — that way you take the full flowering period home.
The right spot is bright, warm and out of direct sun — an east or west window behind a sheer curtain is perfect. On the velvety foliage, sunbeams act like a magnifying glass, and the gloxinia answers draughts with drooping buds.
As with all hairy-leaved Gesneriads, the rule is: water from below. Water on the leaves and in the heart of the rosette causes spots and rot. Use room-temperature, ideally soft water; keep the soil evenly, lightly moist without the tuber ever sitting in the wet.
Pull out spent bells together with their stems and the plant will reliably push new ones from its bud reserve. A light feed every two weeks keeps the display lavish for weeks.
After flowering the interesting part begins: the gloxinia dies back and the foliage yellows — that is not death but the natural retreat into the tuber. Stop watering, remove the dry foliage and overwinter the tuber in its pot, dark and cool at around 12 to 15 degrees. From February, set it in fresh compost, place it warm and bright and water carefully — with a little luck it will flower again in summer.
Good news for pet households: Sinningia speciosa is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs. On the windowsill it sits well next to its relatives African violet and Cape primrose, whose care is almost identical.
Is Gloxinia toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children and is safe for pet households. As with all ornamental plants, eating it is still not advised.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Place bright and warm, out of direct sun and draughts.
- 02Water from below with room-temperature, soft water; keep leaves and rosette heart dry.
- 03Keep the soil evenly, lightly moist; avoid waterlogging around the tuber.
- 04Feed lightly every two weeks while in bloom.
- 05Regularly pull out spent bells together with their stems.
- 06After die-back, overwinter the tuber dry, dark and cool, and restart it in late winter.
Frequently asked
- How long does a gloxinia flower?
- A well-budded plant flowers for four to eight weeks. The keys are buying it with plenty of buds still closed, removing spent bells regularly, and giving it a bright, warm spot out of direct sun.
- Is gloxinia toxic to cats?
- No, the florist gloxinia Sinningia speciosa is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs. That makes it one of the few lavishly flowering gift plants that can be given to a pet household without worry.
- My gloxinia is dying back — is it dead?
- No, that is its natural rhythm. After flowering the plant retreats into its tuber and the foliage yellows. Stop watering, remove the foliage and overwinter the tuber cool and dark — restarted in fresh compost from February, it often flowers again in summer.
- Why do the leaves get brown spots?
- Usually from water on the velvety foliage or direct sun. In sunlight, droplets act like tiny lenses and scorch the leaf tissue. So water strictly from below and place the plant behind a sheer curtain.