Trying Smithiantha

I have long developing time to grow Smithiantha in Taipei, Taiwan. Regularly Smithiantha sprouts when the weather gets warm, usually it's April or May ... then it enters the growing season that the plant/foliage develops until the cool monsoon comes in November and the buds start to form. Usually the blooming season will be December to February. So it grows at least 7 months before giving flowers.

June, July and August are the hottest months in Taipei, Taiwan and usually the heat frustrates Smithiantha if the growers are not sensitive to take care of their plants. I also suffered the loss of Smithiantha before due to the damages by stuffy summer. Well ... so it occurs to me that maybe I'd better postpone the timing of growing Smithiantha to get rid of the hottest weather. With this concept, I did store my rhizomes from March (after blossom) to July and early August, then I just potted them.

The young shots are still small but full of energy. Logically I have time to raise them up before the time that the buds form. To sum up, I'm trying a new experience of growing Smithiantha according to local conditions. So far so good !

Blooming Sinningia for the second time

After the main blooming season in spring, the speciosa type Sinningia now have their second blooming season since I cut off the old stems that bloomed in spring. Then new sprouts grow and give the blooms within short time due to the hot weather speed up the growth, meanwhile the plants do not grow big like they were in spring. Surely the bloom quantity is fewer than they were in spring as well.

Kohleria "HCY's Enchanter"

Small to medium compact Kohleria hybrid
Blood-red and thick flower texture

Here is Kohleria HCY's Enchanter

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Flower is not the only attraction of Kohleria
The foliage is another highlight, above is HCY's seedling

Aeschynanthus evrardii

This is a hot-warm growing Aeschynanthus with upright and spreading habit ... unlike those hanging lipstick plants. The dazzling orange flower cluster emerges in summer, the flower itself is long-lasting.

Sinningia regina "Corrego da Xica"

The variegated Sinningia regina is beautiful with striking foliage and there are many varieties which features different variegation patterns. The leaf of "Corrego da Xica" has the marked veining and deep blue/purple flowers. It is always an attractive plants no matter in bloom or not.