Emerald Forest

Sinningia bullata

Synonyms:  Sinningia sp. “Florianopolis”.

Sinningia bullata is a popular and hardy Gesneriad, a Brazilian relative of the African Violet. It grows naturally as a tuber or caudex, often on very steep slopes. It’s grown mostly for its unusual crinkled foliage, which is hairy and alien-like when it first emerges from the tuber. It also produces orange flowers.

Unlike other tuberous Sinningias, this species does not have a dormant period over winter. New leaves and shoots will emerge throughout the year, and apparently can even handle light frost. However, if the leaves look shabby you can snap them off at anytime and they will renew very quickly.

This plant is fairly tough and easy to grow, adapting to a range of growing conditions. For best results, provide a few hours of direct sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. Too much sun will cause the leaves to burn, whereas too much shade will result in less flowering and leggy growth. This plant suffers few pest and disease issues. Plants are somewhat vulnerable to rotting off at the base, so avoid keeping the plant too soggy, especially of grown in shade. Best grown as a potted specimen for this reason.