Grow and Care for Gloxinia

Grow gloxinia in bright indirect light, and keep the mix evenly moist while it is in leaf. Florist gloxinia is Sinningia speciosa.

Give it bright indirect light, keep the mix evenly moist, and water the soil not the leaves

gloxinia is a Brazilian houseplant that blooms from a tuber. Give it bright indoor light with no direct sun, and keep the mix evenly moist while leaves are up, because a dry spell drops buds and a soggy crown rots. [1] Water onto the mix, not the foliage, and use room-temperature water, because cold drops leave brown spots that do not wash off. [2] A florist pot bought in late winter or spring can bloom for several weeks if that mix stays evenly moist. [3] It wants more light than an African violet, so a bright window just beyond the sun's reach is the usual spot. If stems stretch, the room is too dim. If young buds abort, the mix dried, the air is too dry, or the light is too weak. [4]

1. Set the pot in bright indirect light, and pull it back from hot glass at midday so the leaves do not scorch.
2. Water with room-temperature water until the mix is evenly moist, then empty the saucer. Water under the leaves so the crown stays dry.
3. Keep humidity up with a pebble tray. Do not mist, because trapped water spots the bells and the fuzzy leaves.
4. Feed a balanced liquid fertilizer while it is in leaf, then stop when the plant heads into rest.

Deadhead spent flowers, then cut the plant back to two leaves for a second bloom

Each bell lasts about a week. Pinch spent flowers so new ones keep opening. After the first flush, cut the foliage back to the first two leaves so a second set of flowers can form. After that second flush, stop pinching and let the plant rest.

1. Cut each spent flower stem down near the leaves, not just the faded bell.
2. When the first flush finishes, cut the plant back to the first two leaves.
3. Keep watering as usual through that second bloom, then follow the rest steps below.

After the flowers finish, rest the dry tuber in a cool dark place

Gloxinia is not evergreen. After bloom, the leaves yellow and die back to the tuber. That rest is how a tuber-grown plant can bloom again. Gradually cut back on water, then stop, and keep the tuber dry and cool for about two to three months.

1. When the last flowers fade, water less often, then stop and let the leaves die. Trim the brown foliage off at the soil.
2. Leave the tuber in its dry pot, and move it to a cool, dark place around 55 to 60°F. Do not water during this rest.
3. Watch for new sprouts after about two to three months. Then lift the tuber, knock off the old mix, and pot it in fresh mix on Planting Gloxinia.
4. Bring the pot back to bright indirect light and resume watering once growth shows.

Florist pots sold in bloom are often grown from seed for one show. Those plants may not make a strong tuber, so they are often composted after the flowers fade. A tuber you can feel in the pot is worth resting.

Not hardy gloxinia, not an African violet, and not a true Gloxinia

Hardy gloxinia is Incarvillea, a Chinese perennial with ferny leaves and a taproot for a bed. If that is the tag, read How to Grow Hardy Gloxinia.

African violet is a related gesneriad that stays in leaf all year from a fibrous crown. Cape primrose is another relative with long strap leaves; grow that plant from How to Grow Cape Primrose if that is what you bought. Hot water plant is Achimenes, which trails from scaly rhizomes, not a florist-gloxinia tuber; see How to Grow Hot Water Plant.

True Gloxinia is a small South American genus that does not make this florist tuber. Bolivian Sunset sold as a gloxinia is Seemannia, an orange-red gesneriad, not this plant. Flame violet and chirita are related houseplants with their own care.

Set the pot in bright indirect light and keep the mix evenly moist while leaves are up. Water the soil, not the velvety leaves.