Yep- lots of sinningias; speciosa (straight species and hybrids), tubiflora, conspicua, guttata, selloviae, and various seed-grown miniature hybrids (these are older plants which have formed big tubers). All of these like to stay dry in the winter (I have them under a magnolia, which protects from excess winter water but continuously attempts to smother them with leaves all summer). Also titanotrichum oldhammii(sp?), achimenes "Purple King", Gloxinia nematodanthes, Eucodonia andrewsii, Hemiboea subcapitata (1st winter in the ground, but it still appears to be intact), and Seemannia silvatica (which grows beautifully, but blooms too late to be of much garden value - got frozen back this year just before it bloomed!). New this year, but still looking good, is Tremacron aurantiacum - I have lots of seedlings germinating from that right now, so will experiment more with that this year. Fun to try and see what will and won't survive.

BTW - Streptocarpella and Kohleria have been dismal failures here, but might work for you in a warmer zone. I have a large chirita (unknown variety) which I plan to divide and try in the garden this year, too.

Boy--stop to check a spelling and lose the whole darn message!
Your reference to the gloxinia cultivar dinged a little bell in my raggedy memory. A couple years ago, about the time I got adopted by a mother cat with four little kittens, I got a bunch of possibly-hardy gessies. Now, I generally know the names of plants I've grown long enough to be familiar with them, but brand new plants with kittens who really love pulling out labels gave me fits. I think you helped me out--thank you so much! Did you know Gloxinia nematanthodes has been re-named Seemannia? I don't think I have the 'Evita' cultivar, but I do believe the regular one is what I've got. Also have Sinn. tubiflora, which I've had for some years and really love. This last batch included S. aggregata, sellovii, aggregata I think--not sure which others are coming through. I had Hemiboea some years ago and really loved it--guess I lost it when I lived overseas for a year. Must get it again. It's supposed to be hardy into Maryland--didn't hear a zone. Wonder why more people don't grow these--or anyway talk online about them!

I do remember reading about that name change; it's tough to keep up with all the switches in nomenclature these days. I suspect more folks might grow these if they were more universally hardy, but I think I'm at about the northern edge of their range, and the big box stores aren't likely to carry them because of that. Besides, if they were more commonly available, I would probably lose interest. I used to be fascinated by Phalaenopsis orchids as a kid, but don't even give them a second look now that Trader Joe's carries them right next to the baked goods.

BTW -I have a huge collection of Zephyranthes, Habranthus, and Cooperia which is now hopelessly muddled because of label-pulling in the back yard last summer (they mostly look the same until they bloom, and some even then). I thought it had been done with too much dexterity to blame the birds, and was just about to begin interrogating neighbor children, when I discovered the culprit (caught red handed, so to speak) was a raccoon!

If I can manage to propagate the Hemiboea this summer (assuming it rears its head again - it's dormant right now), I'd be happy to send you one. Just help me remember to work on that later on this spring.

Oh I would really appreciate that! And I'm sure I have something you'd like in exchange--or I hope so!
My husband used to hybridize grapes and it was very important to keep the labels. He was thrilled to see them woven into various birds' nests. We also had raccoons that helped then too. Kittens are cuter--well, when you're not being tempted to throttle 'em! Say--I have a S. magnifica cutting I think may be rooted by now--how about that? Later, of course, when it wouldn't be frozen. Or maybe you have that one?

I do have a couple of magnificas, but that's really nice of you. Let's wait and see if the Hemiboea a)survives the winter again and b) can be successfully propagated. If it does and can, you'll be more than welcome to it (I should really pay people to TAKE plants out of my yard, garage, and greenhouse at this point!).

Oh, I sure know what you mean! I tend to lose interest in plants once they get full-grown and established and I know what to expect--well, not 'lose interest', really, but growing babies and new things always interests me more, and I love to start cuttings and root suckers and stuff. So I always have a lot more plants than I have space for, and beg my plant club members not to let me make them feel obliged to bring more plants just 'cause I do. We have a regular plant-exchange, and I don't know what I'd do without a good chance to get rid of some of my surplus.

I've had Titanotrichum oldhamii in the ground for about 5 years now. There is no earthly reason for this subtropical plant to be the least bit hardy (it comes from Taiwan & southeastern China) but as long as you give it enough water, it will produce pretty yellow flowers in the fall and come back in the spring. Here are some photos I took last year:

That is really gorgeous, John! It's been on my list for quite awhile, but since there are so many things on there it hasn't made it into the yard yet. Things from Taiwan are supposed to do well here--south Louisiana. And by the way, the Peter Shalit chiritas you recommended are coming into bloom--well, a couple have been in bloom for months!--and I'm grateful for your advise.

I agree this is a great plant - it's done well outside for me for several years now. These are gorgeous pictures, too - I've had a hard time photographing this one, for some reason. Very illustrative, too, of the link between gesneriads and scrophs - kind of like Rehmannia (sp?), which I think has finally settled into the foxglove family after years of being shuttled back and forth between the two groups. I think it's amazing that, in this day and age, we're not absolutely certain about things like that.