Gesneriad Trails

Nautilocalyx glandulifer is an extremely attractive plant with dark purple-green leaves covered with purple hairs. The species is endemic to Ecuador. It seems to prefer lower light levels and high humidity. I've been growing this species since obtaining a cutting in July 2023. The stems root easily and it's a moderately fast grower. I grow this plant wicked in my usual three-part potting mix. It is subject to getting dry edges on the foliage in my conditions. It would likely do even better growing enclosed, if I had a large enough container. Nautilocalyx glandulifer N. glandulifer is a spreading, semi-trailing stems. My main plant, though still in a 4" pot, now covers almost an entire plant tray on the shelf. The leaves are arranged in alternate pairs. Usually. Alternate leaf pairs As I said, usually. One stem on my plant exhibits the leaves in whorls of three. Leaves of three The anomalous leaf pattern has been stable since I first noticed it last fall. I have not tried ...

One of the most enjoyable aspects of growing gesneriads is the ease with which new plants can be grown from seed. And one of the benefits of membership in The Gesneriad Society is access to an extensive list of seed, both species and assorted hybrid crosses.  I planted a batch of different seeds from the TGS Seed Fund at the end of February, including the two species mentioned in this post. After about five weeks, the strongest seedlings of  Phinaea multiflora 'Tracery' and  Phinaea albolineata were moved into 3" pots, several to a pot.  The first blooms on Phinaea multiflora 'Tracery' opened in early June.  Phinaea albolineata followed in mid-July.  Phinaea multiflora 'Tracery'   and  Phinaea albolineata The plants are similar with small white, short-lived flowers and silver veined foliage. At the same time, they are quite unique. I am growing both on wicks, in the open on my light stands. They both also make wonderful terrarium plants. When...

The 2024 Gesneriad Society Convention, at the beginning of this month in St. Louis, MO, was just the second convention we attended in 20 years. I decided to enter a few plants in the flower show since we were driving to the event. I actually packed eleven plants for the 810 mile trip. It's been a long time since we travelled with plants, and I was unsure of how to safely travel with the plants. I ended up doing a lot of cutting and taping to put together some suitable cardboard boxes. I also packed some plants in coolers. The plants were secured with a combination of rolled up towels and shredded paper.  Sorting prior to packing For the most part, the plants traveled well, even with unloading and reloading the car for the overnight hotel stay in Frankfort, KY. Upon arriving in St. Louis the plants were unpacked and spread out in the room. An Achimenes plant had dropped most of its flowers, with few buds showing colors. I later joked that there should be an Artistic class in the sh...

Brandon Erickson gave an informative talk on growing Kohleria at the July 2024 Gesneriad Society Convention in St. Louis entitled, “ Kohleria – The Most Beautiful Weed.” He spoke about taming Kohlerias for show. Kohlerias are among my favorite gesneriads to grow, both the species and hybrids. During the talk I was reminded some of my own “weeds.” I had plants of Kohleria tublifora ,  Kohleria warszewiczii,  and (similar but not a Kohleria ) Pearcea sp. "Carol Ann” growing on one of the light stands. These tall growing plants were getting a bit wild, and climbing up between the shelves and the basement wall. I was almost afraid of trying to work them out. However, they don’t stay well-trimmed back in the wild either! Pearcea sp . "Carol Ann” I had already started new pots of all before convention, so I moved the big pots onto the screened porch when we returned. The tall stem on the Pearcea I found most intriguing and couldn’t bring myself to cut it back. I'm enjoyin...

Sinningia 'Paper Moon' is an older hybrid by John Boggan. I acquired a small plant at the 2023 Gesneriad Society Convention plant sale. 'Paper Moon' is one of the "oldie but goodie" hybrids I have been focusing on reacquiring. It's an interesting cross of the diminutive S. pusilla ‘White Sprite’ and the tall growing S. schiffneri . The plant does not seem to form a tuber and essentially ever-blooming. Rooted cutting, October 2023 When the new plant arrived home, I reduced it to a single pinched cutting to be rerooted before adding to the collection. The cutting was put in a 3" pot. It grew fast and started blooming again within a few weeks, and has been everblooming since. While it can develop a somewhat messy appearance if the numerous spent blooms are not consistently removed, a well-maintained plant puts on a nice display. I took the plant to "show and tell" at a recent meeting of the National Capital Chapter of the Gesneriad Society. I...