Gloxinia
Sinningia speciosa
Also called Florist's gloxinia
Houseplant · FloweringNot thrown away when it finishes — it dies back to a tuber, rests dry and dark for two months, and starts again. It is an African violet's cousin and takes the same rule: water the compost, never the velvet.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 4 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Once a fortnight
- Humidity
- Average to high
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Bulb
- Origin
- Brazil
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-05.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Pale rings and blotches where cold water sat on the velvet. It is scald, not disease — water the compost and keep it off the foliage.Ring spots on the leaves · disorder
- The resting tuber goes soft at the top over winter. Keep it dry and dark at 12-15°C and do not water again until a shoot shows.Rot at the crown in dormancy · disease