Sinningia warmingii

Sinningia warmingii is usually a tall plant, with the flowers being borne at the top of the stem.  If the plant has multiple stems, they will arch away from the center, making a wide specimen.  It is easy to grow as long as it gets enough water and sunlight.

1. Calyx
2. Size
3. Horticultural requirements
4. Going underground
5. Hybridization
6. Feature table
7. Publication
8. Etymology

Calyx

The distinctive red calyxes can be seen in this picture.

Size

Sinningia warmingii can grow to be one of the largest plants of this genus.  The picture below, taken in October 2015, shows a plant about a meter [about 40 inches] across.  Despite its size, it is not the largest of its species that I have seen.  A few years back, Paulo Castello da Costa grew one that was so large he had to rent a van in order to transport it to the San Francisco chapter show.

The picture below shows my plant.  Paolo's was at least twice as large.

Horticultural requirements

Despite its apparent need for lots of light, Sinningia warmingii is something of a watering wimp.  At least when growing in pots, my plants tend to wilt as soon as the soil dries out just a little bit, and the leaves burn when the weather is hot.  Sinningia leucotricha looks delicate, but it is actually lots tougher than S. warmingii.

Paulo Castello da Costa grew his huge plant (see above) by giving it full sun and lots of water every day.

See the drought-tolerance comparison table.

Going underground

On 7 December 2006, I was preparing to move a pot of S. warmingii into its winter quarters for a sleep of several months when I noticed green shoots around the rim of the pot.  When I knocked the plant out of the pot, this is what I saw.

Rhizomes!  Not only that, frustrated rhizomes.  They had been trying to expand their horizons, only to meet the impenetrable barrier of the plastic pot.  So around they went until finally giving up and coming to the surface.

The tuber itself

Hybridization

Ruth Coulson has crossed this species with S. carangolensis.  She sent me seed, from which I got an abundance of seedlings, some of which I distributed to unsuspecting members of the local Gesneriad Society chapters.

S. warmingii is also one of the ancestors of Sinningia 'Apricot Bouquet'.