It likes to be pot bound, so I wouldn't worry about distorted pots. But you say water doesn't drain well - if it is so pot-bound, isn't the pot mostly full of the tuber?

I grow it with things like huernia - but mine are under lights . I also had some leucho hybrids outside down to about 5C without problem - I finally brought them in when we started to get cool temps and rain together. The summer was humid but almost no rain and they did fine.

I've only had these for a few years so not a lot of experience to share.

Hi Jekyll -

Looks like you do something very right!

There is a site about sinningias you can check.

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinningia site

Mine (in the UK) are on a windowsill. My biggest is very pot bound in a distorted pot too. I tend to water it from the bottom, and feed with liquid feed whenever I remember. When the stems either break off accidentally or go yellow and die, stop watering. Then don't water again until the new shoots are about half an inch high and look like strong shoots.
Mine stays in the same place indoors all year, and my central heating tends to be o about 15 c minimum, but I think it would be ok cooler than this.
I believe some people in America leave it in he garden all year.
If you want seed, it's easy to pollinate with a paintbrush or with another flower.

Thanks for the advice. I scratched at the soil a bit and the tuber isn't completely filling the pot, so I think it's ok. I gave it a really good soak from below and that seems to have done the trick. I'm leaving it in the same pot for now.

At least it doesn't sound like it will be easy to kill (as long as I don't put it outside in a typical Wellington gale).

Hi Jekyll

Just saw your post of last year, and wondered how your S. leucotricha is doing for you nowadays?

I have found its a lovely plant to grow, but then I love Sinningias! lol

Cheers

Thanks for asking. It's doing pretty well. I repotted into African violet mix in a similar-sized pot when it was dormant in the winter. It's now flowering and has 3 flower stems, plus it looks like there are a 3-4 more stem buds so maybe I'll get some more.

I agree, it is a lovely plant.

Jekyll

I also bought a Sinningia last week ... in Cape Town. So your experience is helpful. But mine is labeled Sinningia incotrica, and I find this name only once on the web ... at the site of the local South African breeder, who labels it with the common name Silver Gloxinia. In appearance, it seems identical to leucotricha. Is this a capricious renaming by a local horticultural firm ... or does the name have deeper roots? Anyone have any ideas?

I could not find Sinningia incitrica in either IPNI or The Gesneriad Research Site. I suspect the name was created by misreading another tag since the names are similar.

I agree, sounds like someone couldn't quite read the tag and copied it wrong.

Imagine a name written on a label then stuck into a pot and the 1st 3 letters wore off or got smeared so whoever was reading the tag got "in" instead of "leu". That's my theory.

Yours is presumably on the same seasonal timing as mine - is it flowering?