Monday, June 20, 2011

Sinningia 'Bananas Foster' and 'Butter and Cream'

If you stopped by our table at Behnke's garden club social in early June, you would have seen these two Sinningia hybrids.  Both should be hardy in the Washington, DC, area and can be grown in full sun.

Sinningia 'Bananas Foster' is a selection from John Farina's Sinningia ('Krezdorn Yellow' x 'Apricot Bouquet'), offered by Plant Delights.

Photograph by Jim Roberts

This second one is Sinningia 'Butter and Cream', a David Zaitlin cross of (Sinningia aggregata x Sinningia tubiflora).  David Zaitlin will be speaking at The Gesneriad Society's Convention on July 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, on "Genetic Diversity in Sinningia speciosa: History and Origins of the Florist Gloxinia".  'Butter and Cream' is slightly fragrant.

Photograph by Jim Roberts

How would these do in a window box? Battered, windswept, or pleasantly cascading.... About half of the flower spikes are upright, while the rest are windblown but not broken.

Sinningia box in morning light
Photograph by Kyoko Imai