sinningia tubiflora

Leo A. Martin leo@possi.org
Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:54:49 PDT
Hi Shmuel,


Uli gave you most of the info on these plants. S. tubiflora is blooming here in Phoenix
where we have had temperatures well above 104 F / 40C for over a week (and this will
continue until October.) Judging by newspaper weather reports, our temperatures are a
lot like those in Cairo or Baghdad, which is warmer than Jerusalem. In the past the
plant has been undamaged in full sun with temperatures above 114 F / 46C. This year I
put it where it gets about 8 hours of sun morning to early afternoon. The foliage is
much thicker, with shorter internodes, than it would be in more shade. I am convinced
the reason people don't bloom this plant is because they don't give it enough sun.

I don't let it dry out when in active growth. I suspect if I had a full-sun greenhouse
it would grow and bloom all winter. I keep it completely dry in winter outside in my
carport to protect it from our cold winter rain. Some winters the tops never die, even
after months of dry soil. My plant in its 10" / 25cm diameter container tolerated
overnight freezes to the mid teens F / -6C dry in my carport last winter without
problems.

Stem cuttings will root in water and produce tubers when planted in soil, so there's no
need to dig up tubers for propagation. I think this is normal for Sinningia with longer
stems.

The bigger the pot the better the show. So far every sprout has produced an
inflorescence. It is a matter of how much space you have and how much you want to lift
when moving for the winter.

One year a caterpillar ate all the shoots and the plant struggled after that. I don't
know which butterfly or moth it was, but no trouble so far this year.

Leo Martin
Phoenix Arizona USA




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