Skill Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Sinningia tubiflora is a wonderfully fragrant, night scented species from the warm, seasonally dry regions of South America, particularly Paraguay and northern Argentina. In cultivation it forms a distinctive tuber visible on the soil’s surface—often shaped like a pale, woody spindle—that slowly thickens with age. From this tuber arise narrow, fuzzy silvery green leaves that lend the plant an almost ghostly presence even before it blooms. Mature plants typically reach 18–30 in. tall, thriving in full sun to bright partial shade, and prefer a sharply drained, gritty soil kept evenly moist during active growth but allowed to dry slightly between waterings. Outdoors it is hardy only in the warmest climates, roughly Zone 9–10, but it performs beautifully in containers that can be wintered dry.
In early to midsummer, S. tubiflora sends up slender stems topped with long, white, tubular flowers—each one releasing a sweet, evening perfume that attracts moths.
Our Seed Germination Experience
It is a surprisingly rewarding species from seed, provided one respects the fineness of the dust like seed.
Seeds germinate in about two weeks at room temperature. Because they are extremely fine, use a surface sowing technique suited to dust seeded gesneriads. Our best results came from seed dried four to six months before sowing, but the longevity of the seeds is uncertain. Seedlings grow steadily, forming their first small tubers in their first season. Plants typically bloom in their second year, occasionally their third depending on light and heat.
Photo: gesneriads.info
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