Abundant Indoor Blooms

Everyone knows African violets (front row) are great for indoor flowers, but you may want to try some of their relatives, such as flame violets (Episcia ‘Faded Jade’, back left) or Cape primroses (Strepto­carpus ‘Magneto­sphere’, back right). Photo/Illustration: Stephanie Fagan

Plants can do the same for the inside of our homes as they can for the outside. And, honestly, indoor plants require much less care than outdoor ones. But plants grown indoors offer mainly foliage and a few, short-lived flowers—unless you con­sider African violets and their cousins.

Most gesneriads (the name for this family of plants) hail from tropical climates, so they thrive and bloom profusely in warm, humid spots with relatively low amounts of light. Many are a manageable size and fit well on any windowsill or end table. And if you’re starting to think they must be hard to care for, they’re not. Aside from the occasional dormant period, gesneriads need only consistent moisture and light to add their flowers to a room.

African violets bloom in many colors

It seems like most people have or have had at least one African violet (Saint­paulia cvs.) on their window­sill. Their universal popularity is due to their easy, constant blooms and wide range of glistening flower colors. In addition to the usual shades of violet and blue, African violets can display white, pink, or striped flowers. Their foliage offers variety, as well, with smooth or fluted edges that can be variegated or even speckled.

Space is never really a concern with these plants since they will only get around a foot wide. You can even find miniature varieties small enough to fit in a thimble. Whatever size you wind up with, err on the side of a pot that is too small rather than too large. African violets don’t mind being cramped, and the smaller pot reduces the chance of overwatering.

Gloxinias rebloom after a little rest

Gloxinias need more light than African violets. Low light will cause the plant to go dormant. Photo/Illustration: Ron Myhr

Gloxinias (Sinningia spp. and cvs.) used to be a plant frequently found in florist shops, but now they don’t seem to get much respect. Their single or double flowers—which come in most shades of blue, red, and white—show they are certainly worthy of your attention.

Although the florists’ gloxinia (Sin­ningia speciosa) is the most spectacular and commonly known gloxinia, other species are equally noteworthy, including the charming Sinningia cardinalis with scarlet tubular flowers. Sinningia pusilla, with ½-inch lilac flowers on plants not much larger, enjoys higher humidity than other gloxinias and looks great in a terrarium.

Many people think that once a gloxinia stops blooming, it’s dead. They don’t realize that the plant goes through a dormant period before it will bloom again. To get your gloxinia to rebloom, cut off all but the bottom two leaves after the plant is done blooming. It will then send out side branches and bloom again. After this second bloom, cut off the foliage to soil level and let the tuber rest for a few months at room temperature in an area with little light. Water it just frequently enough to prevent the soil from getting completely dry. After about three months, slightly increase the watering and put it in a bright, warm (70°F or higher) spot, and it will start the cycle all over again.

Cupid’s bowers have plenty of color

Cupid’s bowers need the winter off. Revive them in the spring with water and warmth. Photo/Illustration: Steven A. Frowine

Cupid’s bowers (Achimenes spp. and cvs.) are loaded with luminous, pansylike flowers up to ½ inch across in a wide range of brilliant colors. Most have fuzzy, light to dark green or red to bronze foliage. Some varieties have upright habits suited for a container, while others are more pendulous and excel in hanging baskets. The newer introductions have larger flowers and a more compact plant habit.

The growing season for Cupid’s bowers usually starts in early spring. You need to provide ample moisture, enough to keep them always damp, and to give them some bottom heat, either from a seed-starting heat mat or a heat register. Once they start growing, never let them dry out or they may go dormant. If you want more compact plants, pinch back the new growth when it is several inches tall.

Cupid’s bowers bloom summer through fall, when the temperature begins to drop and the light starts to wane. After they are finished blooming in the fall, withhold water and let them die back naturally. Keep them dry until early next spring when you can start the cycle all over again.

Cape primroses can bloom all year

In the past, Cape primroses (Strepto­carpus spp. and cvs.) bloomed infrequently and grew huge, straplike leaves that made them unmanageable for anyone without a greenhouse. But thanks to modern breeding, today’s selections, especially the multiflora types, are com­­-pact and have velvety blooms in a plethora of colors including purple, blue, pink, red, and white.

If you take care of these plants, they can bloom year-round. To ensure proper drainage, plant them so that the crown of the plant is about ½ inch above the soil level in the pot. If the crown gets wet too often, it can rot. The soil should be damp but not soggy. Cape primroses like it cooler than most other gesneriads, so during very hot weather (above 90°F), the plants will wilt to show their unhappiness. Again, keep them damp but not wet during this per­iod, and they will recover as soon as it cools down a bit.

Cape primroses will only pout in high temperatures. Photo/Illustration: Steven A. Frowine

Good drainage keeps your Cape primrose healthy. Letting the soil get a little dry doesn’t hurt the plant, but getting it too soggy can cause crown rot. Photo/Illustration: Leonie Mills, provided by Ron Myhr

Flame violets have appealing foliage, too

Flame violets can die if it gets too cool. Photo/Illustration: Steven A. Frowine

Although flame violets (Episcia spp. and cvs.) have striking flowers, they are really noted for their outstanding foliage. The oblong leaves come in several colors: pink and white, copper, red, and many shades of green and silver. The combination of handsome foliage and striking flowers makes a mature hanging basket a spectacular sight. More than any of the other gesneriads, flame violets are espe­cially sensitive to the cold. Never let them be exposed to temperatures below 55°F to 60°F or they may collapse and not recover.

Since flame violets don’t go dormant, they are steady growers, eventually filling a 12-inch hanging basket with foliage that cascades 18 inches or more. In winter, they may go out of bloom, but if you keep them under lights, you should always have flowers.