Acquaintance with the varieties of gloxinia by photos and descriptions
Sinningia is beautiful, better known to flower growers as gloxinia, has been receiving increased attention from indoor plant lovers for several decades. Why are gloxinias so attractive, the photos and names of varieties of which are more numerous than ever?
For many flower growers, the love for this culture began in childhood with large velvet bells taken away on grandmother's windowsill. In those days, it was almost impossible to find gloxinia other than a deep purple or raspberry color. Today, breeders have obtained hundreds of plants of amazing beauty, variety of forms and colors, ready to grow and bloom magnificently in indoor conditions.
- white and pink, purple and red varieties;
- varieties with polka-dot flowers;
- plants with bells decorated along the edge with a bright contrasting border.
For ease of classification, flower growers introduced the division of gloxinia according to the size of the bush and the characteristics of the corollas.
Gloxinia cultivar classification
Depending on the size of the aboveground part of the plant and the rosette formed, hybrid gloxinia are divided into miniatures that do not grow more than 20 cm, and standard plants, the diameter of the leaf rosette of which can exceed 30 cm.There are also a number of varieties that occupy an intermediate position in this classification.
Corollas of modern plants can consist of one or more rows of petals. Terry gloxinia are incredibly popular, because their bell-shaped flowers are more luxuriant than simple ones, and in shape they most of all resemble a camellia or a garden rose.
According to the type of color, gloxinia of modern varieties are divided into monophonic, chintz and tigrins.
- Monochromatic flowers are evenly colored in different tones from white, light pink or lilac to purple and deep purple. Only a spot in the depth of the neck can be lighter or whiter.
- Corollas with a calico type of color are covered with uniform spots or specks.
- Tigrines are decorated not only with elegant peas, but also with a border along the edge of the petals.
Seeing on the package with the tuber the inscription Gloxinia "Tigrina Red", Blue or White, you can be sure that the manufacturer offers to grow a flower with an original corolla of a rich red or purple hue. However, it will not work to get the same plant from seeds, because hybrids reproduce only vegetatively.
In some varieties of gloxinia, the flowers are not in the shape of the usual bell, but of the tidea, that is, the shoe, which is more often found in other plants belonging to the Gesneriaceae.
Gloxinia love bright, but not direct rays of the sun, is afraid of drafts and sudden changes in temperature, and reacts very negatively to excessive watering. Gloxinia may seem to be very moody. But those who master plant care will not regret it. With due attention, from spring to autumn, the green pet blooms regularly.
By autumn, the number of buds decreases, and then the aboveground part of gloxinia withers. The plant begins a dormant period, during which life is preserved only in the tuber.
At home, a gloxinia plant can be obtained from a tuber planted in spring or from seeds. You can propagate your favorite variety by rooting a healthy leaf. As a result, many cultivated varieties are now more accessible than before.
Both foreign and Russian enthusiasts are engaged in gloxinia breeding. The industrial varieties offered to amateur flower growers by large flower growing companies in Holland and other countries are widely known. Their assortment includes simple and terry gloxinia, conventionally combined into groups according to the shape of flowers, the size of corollas and rosettes.
Gloxinia group of varieties Avante, Avanti
Gloxinia Avante or Avanti is a good example. This group of varieties includes many color options. Most often, gloxinia of this variety is offered in the form of seed sets for self-cultivation. Grown plants have a compact leaf rosette, against which simple velvety flowers seem even larger and more spectacular.
The most common Avanti hybrids include gloxinia:
- purple Avanti Light Violet;
- blooming white with wavy edges Avanti White;
- with light purple or bluish flowers, decorated with a wide white wavy border Avanti Blue with White Edge, or Blue lace;
- Scarlet, with velvety wine-red Avanti Scarlet flowers.
Gloxinia Yesenia
One of the terry Dutch hybrids, massively cultivated all over the world, was named Yesenia. A medium or large plant up to 30 cm high forms a rosette of green leaves with short petioles, above which spectacular double flowers rise. The half-open corollas resemble pink buds, but when a crimson or crimson flower on a short peduncle opens completely, a white pinkish border appears along the edge of the petals. For the hybrid of gloxinia Yesenia, as in the photo, long bouquet flowering is characteristic.
Gloxinia Hollywood
The purple flowers of Hollywood Gloxinia seem to be carved from thin velvet. The petals of a simple flower can be darker or lighter. At the same time, the deep neck always has a light lemon shade and is decorated with contrasting purple dots. The hybrid is characterized by lush mass flowering, a small rosette of green leaves and high decorativeness.
Among the mass of options, the most striking and memorable is the so-called Black Hollywood with very dark, almost black flowers without a light core.
Gloxinia Kaiser Wilhelm
Gloxinia Kaiser Wilhelm is distinguished by simple, deep purple flowers with a spotted core and a bright white border. When fully dissolved, the edges of the petals become exquisitely wavy. The buds open on tall peduncles rising above a loose rosette of velvet leaves. With proper care, the plant pleases with a lush bouquet flowering. In bright light, the coloration of Kaiser Wilhelm's gloxinia, in the photo, becomes less dense and deep.
Gloxinia Prince Albert
Another variety of gloxinia with simple but very showy flowers, also bears the name of one of the royal persons. Gloxinia Prince Albert forms a leaf rosette up to 25 cm in diameter. Purple, sometimes almost black corollas open above green leaves on medium peduncles. The wavy edge gives the flowers extra grace. The thick color extends not only to the petals, but also to the neck. Light, yellowish spot with purple speck barely noticeable in the depth of the corolla.
Gloxinia Kaiser Friedrich
A bright crimson corolla with a white border and a small light spot in the depth of the neck are characteristic features of the Kaiser Friedrich gloxinia shown in the photo. The outer side of the spectacular bell is painted white, the petals around the edge resemble a cute flounce. To achieve massive flowering, this ort requires careful maintenance, nutritional support and moderate soil moisture.
Gloxinia Blanche de Meru
The gloxinia Blanche de Meru shown in the photo is easy to recognize by its large flowers with crimson petals and a white throat.The leaf rosette of the plant reaches 25 cm in diameter, while good care helps to maintain not only velvety large leaves, but also stimulates a long, from late spring to early autumn, lush flowering.
If gloxinia is exposed to direct sunlight, both velvety leaves and flowers can be affected. There are fewer of them, the opening buds are paler and fade faster.
Gloxinia Violacea
Gloxinia Violacea can be called a classic flower. The variety is characterized by simple purple flowers with a white, speckled throat and wavy edges of the petals. The gloxinia Violacea plant has standard sizes, the corollas in full dissolution have a diameter of about 8 cm. Since the gloxinia bells sit on high peduncles, the plant needs support during mass flowering. The variety stands out for its long, uninterrupted flowering from June to the end of August.
Gloxinia Shagane
Gloxinia breeding is carried out not only by specialists from large flower-growing centers, but also by amateur enthusiasts. In recent years, such author's varieties from Russian and foreign breeders have gained incredible popularity.
Today there are thousands of varieties of gloxinia, photos and names of which awaken imagination, and the appearance of flowers makes flower growers replenish their collections again and again.
Terry gloxinia with large bell-shaped flowers, light leaves and harmonious peduncles was bred by the breeder E. Slyusar. Gloxinia Shagane is a very beautiful purple tiger. Corollas with a short greenish neck are decorated with a bright violet-blue border. Most of the petals are white and dotted with purple specks of varying sizes and intensities.
Gloxinia Cleopatra
Calico-colored gloxinia are no less spectacular than tigers or plain flowers. Terry Gloxinia Cleopatra immediately stands out from other varieties. She has large double flowers of white color, which are richly decorated with purple and purple peas. The edges of the petals are corrugated, and the speckled pattern on them becomes smaller and lighter. The flower has a pinkish neck, also dusted with crimson and purple spots and strokes. A strong plant with large leaves, thanks to its short peduncles, it is very compact and, with proper care, supports a lush bouquet bloom.
Gloxinia Winter cherry
Unfortunately, the author of this magnificent variety is unknown, but this does not detract from the advantages of a plant with bright double flowers of the original color. Gloxinia Winter Cherry belongs to semi-miniatures, therefore its corollas are small, but unforgettable. White bells are densely covered with large cherry spots. The chintz color of the flowers becomes somewhat lighter towards the wavy edges. Gloxinia bells are very similar in shape to fantasy roses. The variety is characterized by small green foliage with a fleecy surface.
Gloxinia Anfisa
The author of this terry rosaceous gloxinia of crimson shade is N. Tkachenko. According to the type of coloring, Gloxinia Anfisa belongs to tigrins. Each petal is bordered by a bright hollow berry shade, small and large specks are scattered on the petals and in the neck of the flower, turning the flower into a true masterpiece of nature. Corollas open on short peduncles, the rosette is low, not bulky.