Sinningia 'Apricot Bouquet' and Sinningia reitzii as a bonsai

 So.... last year this cutting went outside. Think Minnesota in the summer. It had a good run from the end of May to the middle of September outdoors.

In that time it broke through the container and if you look closely.... it is starting to grow from that area too!

 The tweezers points out the newly forming shoot out of the bulging tuber that is coming through the side of the pot.

I was impressed by the growth and vigor of the "Apricot Bouquet". The funny thing about this plant is the extreme urge to break off at the least encouragement. The stems snap if you move them, if you look at them funny.... so unless you want your show plant to be much, much smaller when you get to the destination, pack this one carefully.

This is sort of cool??? We have our first in 34 years (or so... no one can remember precisely) show that our club is sponsoring on April 26-27, 2014 in Minneapolis at the Bachman's store on Lyndale Avenue.

We'll be having a plant Expo rather than any sort of judged show as a way to ease ourselves back into displaying for the public.

I'm hopeful to have a dish garden or two... maybe a terrarium... to show that Gesneriads can be attractive as well as interesting. This little S. reitzii will make a cute little tree (if I make it orient to the front... they like to chase the sun apparently). I purposely washed off the tuber for more interest for the public as well. The Gesneriad family has so many interesting features and so much that the public would like to see and learn about.

Our show is still two months away, but now is a good time to find which plants you might have that would look good in a design and then get the "bones" of the design ready. You can always add the blooming one right before the show.

If we, who are interested in these plants, do not show the public their charms, NO ONE WILL. Many are being lost to environmental damage even as I'm typing this. Please consider getting out and letting others know about the Gesneriads, have your club (and the AV clubs) know about how cool these plants are.... get some friends together, form a club. It's so important. If the plants are appreciated and conserved, think about how many other things will also benefit from the conservation. The birds that depend on the flowers for food, the insects, the soil that is not erroded because they grow there.... the list is positively endless.... think conservation!

Questions??
Comments???