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Sinningia 'Invasion Force' (Pink Hardy Gloxinia) - This tuberous perennial hybrid of two South American species forms a spreading mound of soft rounded gray-green leaves. These leaves rise up from potato-like tubers to about 1 foot tall and in late spring to early summer are produced the 1 to 2 foot tall unbranched slightly arching inflorescences topped by pendulous tubular pink flowers with flared petal tips. These flowers are lightly fragrant and attractive to hummingbirds.
Plant in full sun (where it blooms best) to light shade in just about any soil or in a pot where its spreading nature can be controlled and irrigate regularly to sparingly and is best if on the dry side in winter when semi-deciduous. It is drought tolerant even when in active growth in a container. This plant is tolerant to cold temperatures possibly as low as 5° F - the tubers can be exposed to be shown off in a pot but then it is more sensitive to damage from cold temperatures. One parent of this hybrid, Sinningia tubiflora reportedly can handle salt spray near the beach.
Sinningia 'Invasion Force' is the result of crossing the white flowering gray foliaged Sinningia tubiflora, which we also grow, with Sinningia sellovii, which has rough textured larger green leaves and dusky red flowers. The genus was named for Wilhelm Sinning (1792-1874) a gardener and botanist at the University of Bonn Botanical Garden. We received this plant in 2009 from John Ingram of Floral Architecture who told us that this hybrid was grown from seed received from the Gesneriad society and he called it 'Invasion Force' because of its vigor, noting that it filled a 4 foot planter box within 2 years.
We have grown this fascinating and attractive plant since 2013. We also continue to grow Sinningia tubiflora, another darker pink hybrid called Sinningia 'Lovely' and a white and yellow hybrid called Sinningia 'Butter and Cream'.
The information displayed on this page about Sinningia 'Invasion Force' is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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