80 Year Old Gloxinia--Need Advice Please

10 years ago

I have a beautiful purple Gloxinia plant that I 'inherited' from my Mother-In-Law last year. It is over 80 years old give or take a few years. My Mother-In-Law has had this plant for over 60 years and she had received it from her Aunt who had it for about 20 years before that.

It has always been in an old clay pot with just regular dirt (see photo below) and has never been transplanted. It blooms every summer and when the blooms are done for the season my Mother-In-Law would cut the plant off even with the dirt and put in a cool dark room. When it started to grow in the Spring she would put it back out near a South window.

I am so afraid if I do anything differentÃ¢ÂÂ¦ I will end up killing the plant that has been in my Hubby's family for so long! I would like to try to propagate this Gloxinia just in case this plant does not survive in my care but am not sure how and when the best time to do it would be. I am afraid to repot it since it has always been in the same pot.

I would appreciate any advice on how to propagate this Gloxinia in order to keep the plant goingÃ¢ÂÂ¦.hopefully for many more years!

Featured Answer

bluedaisy52
Original Author

7 years ago

80 Year Old Gloxinia Update (Pic)

My Gloxinia is doing well this year with 13 blossoms! Two years ago it had about 4 blossoms. This year it is really going to town. I think it likes the bright indirect light in my Sunroom.

It is a bit unsettling to think this plant might outlive me! If I do pass it down to my Daughter she will be the 4th generation to take care of it.

I took a cutting two years ago and the offspring has 2 blossoms this year. I am very happy about that.

Here is a photo of the 80 year old Gal this year:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (36)

irina_co
10 years ago
BD -

the time when you can repot it - is when it just starts growing - then you can shake off the old soil - and give it new. You can use AV soil - plus 1/3 perlite to grow it. Now it is probably late for the year - wait till next dormancy period.

To propagate it. Wait until the plant is fully grown - but not old - and cut the lower leaf off with a razor blade or sharp knife. You can plant it in a Av soil plus perlite - in a small pot - plastic yoghurt cup with a hole punched in a bottom - cover it up with a baggie - for a couple of weeks until the leaf will root - and the just wait until the leaf will put a new stem. At the end of the season - you will have a small tuber of a baby Sinningia (proper name for the florist gloxinia is Sinningia speciosa) - which you can store till next spring the same way you keep the old one.

I think it is a very valuable old plant - and you are right to try to propagate it. Sometimes old tubers go tired and die - but you will have a baby of it- an exact clone. Please post a pic of your plant when it is blooming.

Irina
bluedaisy52
Original Author
10 years ago
Irina...thank you for your helpful reply. I really appreciate it! I sure would be nice to have some children from this old plant. I will post a photo when it is blooming nicely.
Related Discussions
UTIs in a 80 year old man, info needed please!
Q
Comments (3)
VRE. Yes he probably contracted this in a hospital setting. VRE is contagious. However, being young and healthy you probably should have little problems from it. But bad to have for an elderly person. It is a bacteria that is resistant to Vancomycin, which is a very strong antibiotic that has probably been overused in years to treat MRSA which is a strain of bacteria that resists Methicillin or most all penicillins. These UTI's will clear up which is good, but they will come back periodically. Nursing home patients chronically get them some I would venture to guess live with one for the rest of their lives, just to varying degrees. These are however bedridden patients who may live with a catheter permanently due to incontinence. These uti's can cause a host of other symptoms and when severe (urosepsis) they can cause an alteration in mental status that can mimic TIA or stroke symptoms. Good luck. It is very difficult to care for elderly people at home. Wish you the best.
...See More
My 80 year old parents hate me
Q
Comments (19)
From Oprah's website (love my Adblocker!) A wise woman and her young disciple were walking down the street. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an angry man in a carriage drove haphazardly by the two, insensitively pushing the woman out of his way. She landed in a ditch filled with muddy water. The woman yelled after the man in the carriage, "May you have everything you want!" The disciple, surprised by the wise woman's response, said: "I'm confused. Why did you say that to a man with such horrible behavior?" The woman replied, "Because a happy man wouldn't have thoughtlessly pushed a woman into a ditch." Do you agree with this woman's response? In my book The Bounce Back Book, I offer empowering strategies for embracing forgiveness and liberating yourself from anger and bitterness�"even in the most challenging situations. Here are eight strategies to free you from your resentments starting today! Say a Prayer Whenever angry feelings about a person who's harmed you enter your mind, tell yourself: "We are all good, loving souls who occasionally get lost." Pray for this person to find their way back to a happier place�"in the same way the woman in this story prayed for her offender. Focus on Gratitude Resist seeking happiness from the outside in. Instead, focus on gratitude exercises to bring happiness from the inside out. If you allow your self-image to be at the mercy of unpredictable events and unreliable people, your happiness will be forever on a chaotic roller coaster ride! Happiness must always be an inside joy! When you are tempted to focus on all the ways the world has done you wrong, instead count your blessings by making a list of the five aspects of your life that you appreciate. It is good practice to purposefully end your day this way to keep focused. Look for the Lesson Many Buddhists consider huge difficulties to be a sign you're an old soul�"the bigger your misfortunes, the closer you are to enlightenment. Whether you believe this or not, it's certainly cheery to reframe all your life's bad events as tests of your character. If you feel particularly tested right now, ask yourself what the heck you're being tested for! Patience? Compassion? Resilience? Forgiveness? Open-mindedness? What strengths must you develop further? Now consciously go out there and develop them! Maintain Perspective If you're going through a challenging time, remind yourself that this specific event is merely a part of your life�"not your "whole" life. Consciously keep this "slice of life" perspective, and don't let the event overwhelm you. As the song goes, "The best is yet to come!" Learn the Lesson Develop a "student not victim" mentality. Vow not only to disentangle yourself from emotionally harmful situations, but also to consciously avoid similar situations in the future. Let Go of Resentment Keep in mind a fabulous Carrie Fisher quote: "Resentment is the poison you swallow hoping the other person will die." Recognize that when you resent someone, you are not only hurting yourself, you're also giving this person control of your emotions�"and you don't want to give this person bubkes! Stay Centered Recognize that when you respond with hate to hate, anger to anger, bitterness to bitterness, you are ironically becoming part of the problem. Choose to resist becoming like them and instead put in the conscious effort to remain a loving, soulful, happy person. Get Revenge Positively Contemplating revenge? The best kind of revenge is living a successful, happy life. If you train yourself to consistently be more loving in thoughts and actions, your energy will attract more positive people and positive results. As Albert Einstein said, "You can't solve a problem by staying in the same energy in which it was created." To stay focused on highly positive thoughts, repeat this meditation ritual throughout the day: "Love, forgiveness, letting go, peace." Karen Salmansohn is a best-selling author known for creating self-help for people who wouldn't be caught dead reading self-help. Get more information on finding a loving happier-ever-after relationship in her book
...See More
please give me advice on my 12 year old-long
Q
Comments (8)
She had a nice stable biological system internally and externally. Year after year, she'd get older and grow bigger and there's usually not too much fuss or muss about it. It's nice and predictable and stable. Then puberty begins, bit by bit. 'Hormones raging' doesn't even begin to address the magnitude of the kinds of changes. At 12, she now has this biological capacity to face pregnancy (she probably feels acutely just how young she is). Brain-wise the changing hormonal system will also affect the way she perceives things, and give her some new depths possible for her feelings and motivations. And all that is new and developing. Privacy usually becomes way more important. Issues of autonomy/independence are going to be way more important. The thing is she can 'feel' like an adult, with sensitivities and about 'respect' even though she has no practical experience with how to have those kinds of reciprocal relationships. You can use the exact same language you did when she was 10, and she can feel horribly slighted and insulted beyond all belief now (and act that way). You're an adult and have been for a while probably so you can have the kind of internal and external stability that will enable you to view this as 'she's changed' like she should just change back (or like she could change back). ... Puberty is individual, and people endure and experience it in all kinds of ways personal to them. It is also a time where some disorders will begin to show symptoms which can mimic normal adolescence. If you want consultation about the extent of behaviors you find troubling, or if you worry about what could be abnormal ask her doctor to recommend someone you can talk to (someone who has clinical experience with adolescents). Otherwise, the basic changes described sound normal enough and should not interfere with her or your functioning. the upside is you can probably make more headway now, by applying adult empathy (if you were acting how she acts, were feeling how it seems she must feel, what kinds of things could a mother do for you to help?)
...See More
Gift ideas for 80 year old who has everything
Q
Comments (20)
Bunny, I think you have a fine idea already and would not vote to change it, but I was reading through and thinking of 2 consumables I recently discovered. In case you would like to take something small in hand. One may not be new to many of you who live up north -- boiled cider. Literally, boiled cider. You take a gallon of apple cider (the freshest and least processed you can find), bring it to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer in a 5 qt stock pot until the desired consistency. At 3 cups, it will be a light syrup, similar to maple. At 2 cups, it become more like honey. It stores in the fridge for several months. You can drizzle it on pancakes or waffles, oatmeal or other cereal, pork or chicken, use it to make a salad dressing, add to baked goods (esp apple pie), mix in cocktails or dissolve in hot water for an instant hot cider. I even found a recipe cooked with cinnamon and spices so you could have instant spiced cider. We made a generic version and one with honeycrisp cider and everyone is enjoying them. Takes a few hours, but your house will smell great, you can put it in a cute bottle (even a repurposed one), tie a ribbon on it and have something in hand that can be enjoyed for a while to come. The other is toasted oatmeal. After eating instant oatmeal in college, I couldn't eat the regular kind -- it seemed tasteless. I assumed it was sugar that was lacking, but even if adding some kind of sweetener, it seemed watery or thin in flavor. I read an article about toasting oats before cooking to bring out their nutty flavor and that seemed promising. We have tried it both with plain old fashioned oats and Trader Joe's multigrain hot cereal (oats, wheat and a couple other grains). We both really like the results -- cooked with water or with 1/2 water and 1/2 unsweetened almond milk. You can toast the oats in the pan on stovetop before you add the cooking liquid or you can toast a larger batch in the oven like you do nuts for baking and such. Stir often on the stovetop and when they start to remind you of popcorn, they are ready to add liquid or remove from heat and cool for later use. We've also been making marmalades with fresh citrus, so that would be an option for us. Anyway, just thought I would mention the ideas. I think your donation is a good choice and she will appreciate the kindness.
...See More
yugoslava
10 years ago
This is amazing, such an old plant. Plants go in and out of fashion and this plant might be somewhat different from modern plants.
Patrick888
10 years ago
It's amazing that the plant has lived so many years. You've got to wonder what its tuber looks like! One would think it to be quite large by now. (I hope that stake isn't driven thru the tuber.) When the right time comes to repot, if it won't readily come out of the pot, I'd break the pot before risking damage to the tuber. Congrats on having a heritage plant like that!
irina_co
7 years ago
Please do me a favor and put 2-3 leaves down. It roots the same way as AV - cut the leaf stalks with a sharp blade, stick the leaves in a pot with your soil - and keep them covered wih a baggie. They root easily and start a new plantlet with a small tuber in no time.

The interest to Florist Gloxinias is on the rise - and most of them old hybrids are lost due to out of fad time. I know at least a couple of guys who hybridize them - and they will be ecstatic to use your heirloom in their programs. It has absolutely lovely flowers and it is relatively compact.

Irina
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
I was going to comment with advice but I think Irina's got you covered with what I would have suggested. Both as said may be of interest to other growers.
Patrick888
7 years ago
I agree with Irina...there are some expert growers & hybridizers in the Gesneriad Society. It would be great to see starts from your old Florist Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) get into their hands so they could introduce its genes into their breeding programs. If you fear losing your original plant, I'm sure we could help locate an excellent conservatory that is skilled with Gesneriads, which could provide skilled care for it. Whatever you choose to do, putting down more leaves is an excellent idea.

Patrick
bluedaisy52
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you for the advice everybody. I will try to take some more cuttings and see if I can get them growing. Being the first cutting I did a couple years ago is doing well...I am encouraged to try again! I will update you on how things go in the future.
irina_co
7 years ago
Would be nice if all your plant growers in a family get a young plant ;-)). They do not need to wait for the inheritance to get their hands on this family heirloom. Plus - if your tuber dies from old age - you can alwais get a cutting from them. Plants do die... It can be growing strong for many years - but one year it just won't wake up.
dbarron
7 years ago
An 80 year old herbaceous plant is astonishing...listen to Irina, it could go at any time. Just WOW that it's lived so long.
irina_co
7 years ago
I am thinking it is incredibly tough. More reason to reintroduce it back to the culture. Aren't we all dream about plants like this...
merkity
7 years ago
absolutely incredible that the plant has lived that long!!!! love it
summersunlight
7 years ago
Any updates on this lovely plant? I hope you were able to get some more cuttings to root.
bluedaisy52
Original Author
7 years ago
I took two more cuttings late summer and I hope they come back this Spring. The first cutting I took last year did well this past Summer. It produced 8 blooms.

Here is a photo of the 80 year old plant with it's second set of blooms late summer. Hopefully it didn't wear itself out producing so many flowers and comes back this Spring!
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
It is looking fantastic. I have no trouble reproducing these by stem /or/ leaves just like an AV. I put down a few leaves of my old plant this past summer and got 2 to 3 little tubers per leaf, all of which grew new plants. Now I have them coming out of my ears. Good luck with yours!
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago

Mine isn't nearly as old as yours - I've had it ... oh not sure, but more than 10 years. Maybe 15 but I have had probably close to 100 babies from it. It is a non-scented Sinningia speciosa - 'Kaiser Frederick'.
irina_co
7 years ago
LOVE THEM!
dbarron
7 years ago
Just don't see them anymore...I miss them.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
I haven't seen them in groceries and whatnot in many years either. But there are sources for seed or tubers, depending on whether you want to grow named varieties or not. They aren't even costly if you want to go looking and order some. There are a lot of really fancy hybrids now that are doubles and whatnot but I tend to like the older style that aren't so over the top fancy. Also, the bigger and heavier the flowers, the fewer they tend to make and the harder it is for the plants to hold them up. So I happen to like BlueDaisy's a lot. It's a refreshing contrast.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
In fact, I'd like to ask if I may have permission to post photos of your plant, BlueDaisy, to one of my Sinningia Facebook groups? I'll give you photo and grower credit of course but I think Dale Martins and others would be very delighted to see this one.
bluedaisy52
Original Author
7 years ago
To...Hyn Patty, North GA (USA)....Please feel free to post the photos of my plant for others to see.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
Thank you very kindly. If you are on FB I'll be happy to direct you to where I post it if you would like to see it for yourself.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
7 years ago
BlueDaisy, the photo you allowed me permission to post to Sinningia Haven on Facebook has been a big hit. Dale Martins (a gesneriad expert with the Gesneriad Society) contacted me with this message:

"You posted a photo of that heirloom speciosa. Dave Zaitlin mentioned wanting a piece. He's a Ph.D. with tremendous background in speciosas, probably the world's expert on them. So if it could be arranged to get him a piece of it for DNA study, that'd be great."

So, by Dr. Zaitlin's and Dale Martin's requests, I am passing this onto you. If you allow, I can give them your contact information to email back and forth, or I can ask Dr. Zaitlin for his email for you if you prefer. That is, if you might be interested in aiding him in his studies of the genus. I'm sure he'll likely have some questions for you about it's background as well, how it's been handled, etc. Are you game? ;)
Nils Arne Halle Erstad
5 years ago
Hello bluedaisy52 I was wondering if perhaps you would be able to contact me at my private e-Mail adress? :) I have some questions regarding your beautiful heirloom gloxie. <3 If you are willing, my e-Mail is: nilsarne2002@gmail.com. ;) All the best to you! :)

Nils Arne from Norway
byron_pdx
4 years ago
This has been a great thread to read to see how tough and long-lived these plants can be. I had a large purple (probably a Kaiser something) years ago, but didn't understand the rest period, so it didn't survive my extreme benevolence.

I started some NOID/hybrid speciosa seed from Steve at senior gardening in February and one of the plants is about to open its first 4 flowers. I'm so excited to see what happens and even joined the Gesneriad society hoping to get some "gessy" seeds from their seed bank eventually.

I was certainly shocked at the germination rate of several-year-old seed and have at least 75 plants growing right now.

Please keep updating this thread as is warranted! :)
Patrick888
4 years ago
Hi Byron, I'm Patrick in the Seattle area. Until recently, I was a member of both the Gesneriad Society and the Puget Sound Gesneriad Society (which has/had a few members in the PDX area). The main GS is sometimes referred to as the Mother Ship, to differentiate between it and any of the regional "clubs" or subgroups, such as the PSGS. You might consider joining the GS's Hybridizers' Group, where you can not only get fresher seeds but also newer hybrid seeds. Altho some Gessie seeds have a long shelf life, not all of them do. And I don't believe the GS seed banks keep track of the age of the seeds. I hope you enjoy your membership...Gessies can be really addictive! I've had fluorescent lights set up in the dining room, living room and 2 bedrooms and ran out of room everywhere.

I'm looking forward to seeing pics when your Sinn. speciose seedlings bloom.
byron_pdx
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Hi Patrick! Thanks for writing. I would like to follow up with you about the other groups, newer seeds, etc. Can you send me a houzz email with your email "off the air"?

I agree with you about the Gessie addiction, but I think I'm going to have to give away my streps and violets and focus on "Singies" and rhipsalis(es).
irina_co
4 years ago
Patrick!!! How come you left the fold????

OH Yeah... they know that the seeds are getting old - I think Carolyn R. test saws them to check if there is anything is still alive. The seeds are in a fridge - so they can last up to 20 years... But.. you never know. Some are very slow... need to keep soil under light and humid for 6-12 months before you write them off...

Just spent some quality time sowing some Chinese species...these seeds are sooo small...Love to see them hatch - but if they all hatch???
Patrick888
4 years ago
Hi Irina! I did learn my lesson about planting too many seeds. Tossing perfectly good seedlings was difficult for me, so I learned to plant sparingly. Health issues were the underlying cause of my departure from GS and PSGS.
yugoslava
4 years ago
The gloxinia in the picture is a variety not seen these days. I remember seeing them 30 even 40 years ago. I like them, not the ones one sees now. Glad to see somebody kept an older variety for so long. It gives others a chance to see a plant people enjoyed in the past. Maybe others might post pictures of some older varieties kept in the family for many years. I'd love to see them!
irina_co
4 years ago
S0 TRUE!

So many gorgeous hybrids went to the Gesneriad Heaven - after many years of high popularity - there were probably over 30 years when florist gloxinias were totaly out of vogue. It it not always when the next generation is interested and capable to keep legacy plants that belonged to their grandmother or aunt...

We would all love to see them!
irina_co
4 years ago
Dear Patrick - you are the dearest gesneriad of them all - GET BETTER!
byron_pdx
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

This is my first seed-grown "gloxinia" flowering for the first time! I started the seed from Steve at Senior Gardening in February. This plant was raised for the first few months under LEDs and has been getting east sun for 3 hours a day.
Patrick888
4 years ago
Thanks, Irina...you're a gem. I'm doing a lot better this year than last. I'm even getting some yardwork done...as long as I stay up off my knees! I have a good friend helping me get my yard back into shape. Hope you're well.
irina_co
4 years ago
Patrick - I know your yard is your pride and joy! Darn joints!!!! Go Bionic!

My yard is in trouble ...

80 Year Old Gloxinia--Need Advice Please

bluedaisy52Original Author

Comments (36)

bluedaisy52Original Author

Related Discussions

bluedaisy52Original Author

bluedaisy52Original Author

bluedaisy52Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

bluedaisy52
Original Author

bluedaisy52
Original Author

bluedaisy52
Original Author

bluedaisy52
Original Author

bluedaisy52
Original Author